MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS · NAMED TRAIL
Native forest, sheltered inlets and a lodge at the end of the day.
Walk the full Queen Charlotte Track in four days, or choose a two-day Ship Cove–Punga Cove section. Start from Picton, book each lodge and arrange boat transfers for yourself and your luggage.
01 / GET YOUR BEARINGS
Loading the map. Places along the route are listed below.
Location overview: numbered pins mark approximate places. Dotted connections show their order, not the walking path. Use the linked route maps for navigation.
Current planning notice · 30 Sep 2026
Furneaux’s dining page reports a winter closure and a planned return in November 2026. Confirm an exact date and room availability directly; do not assume the restaurant or lodge is available earlier.
Read Furneaux’s current notice ↗ (new tab)Official track information
DOC provides track guidance and links to road-condition information. Recheck before travel; no notice is not proof that the route is open.
Open DOC track information ↗ (new tab)Private-land access
The full route crosses QCTLC private land. Check the pass required for your dates and section; a boat ticket does not automatically include it.
Check QCTLC pass options ↗ (new tab)Carry a route map
Use the official map for route context and check current alerts alongside it. Download before leaving Picton; the planning map is not navigation.
Open the DOC map and brochure ↗ (new tab)Checked 30 September 2026. These are dated planning notes, not a live closure service. Stage figures are approximate; sources use different endpoint and approach conventions.
02 / CHOOSE YOUR SUPPORT
You can change this as you plan.
03 / MAKE ROOM FOR THE WALK
Both choices have a named overnight sequence below. The full route includes two long ridge days; luggage transport does not reduce the walking distance. Extra rest days add nights at a lodge you book.
Before extra rest nights: four walking days, three lodge nights and a night in Picton before and after walking. Stage estimates vary by source and exclude extra property access; confirm daily distances with your lodges.
Walking-day ranges are planning estimates, not a booked daily itinerary. Choose actual overnight stops and check stage distances before reserving. Rest days add time; they do not shorten walking stages.
04 / THE PLACES ALONG THE WAY
Choose the full track or shorter inlet walk in section 03. Each stop below names a stay, its access and the next walking section. Picton is the base before and after the full walk, not a trackside hotel.
On the trail means the property or official route source places the stay directly on the Way—no separate off-route transfer is normally planned. Near / stage stop means the stay is at a named stage stop, start or finish; the access note gives the most specific credible distance or relationship we found.
Use the named stay as your map anchor. "View hotel on route map" pins the property alongside approximate stage places. The dotted connections are not the surveyed trail and cannot measure a hotel-to-trail distance. "Open in Google Maps" helps inspect paths and directions; check the official route map for the marked trail. Any access distance or time below comes from its linked source and is labelled when property-reported.
| Place | Next walking section | Stays & trail access |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Meretoto / Ship Cove | 10.6 mi / 17.0 km to Furneaux Lodge / Endeavour Inlet Boat from Picton to the start, then climb through forest and continue around Resolution Bay. Allow about 6 hours; book an early drop-off and carry lunch. Walking-stage reference ↗ (new tab) |
Picton Beachcomber Inn ↗ (new tab)Picton hotel before and after the walk In Picton, away from the walking track; boat transfers are separate. Use Picton before and after the full walk. Ask the hotel whether it will hold surplus luggage between your booked nights; storage is not confirmed. View hotel on route map ↓Open in Google Maps ↗ About this stay ↗ (new tab)Source checked 30 Sep 2026 |
| 2 Furneaux Lodge / Endeavour Inlet | 7.1 mi / 11.5 km to Punga Cove / Camp Bay Follow the inlet to your next lodge. Allow about 4 hours. The two-day option ends here with a Punga Cove night and a booked boat departure the following morning. Walking-stage reference ↗ (new tab) |
Furneaux Lodge ↗ (new tab)Suites and cottages On the track at Endeavour Inlet; individual room access is additional. Confirm room and meal opening dates together. Its dining page lists a winter closure and return in November 2026; an exact reopening day is not given. View hotel on route map ↓Open in Google Maps ↗ About this stay ↗ (new tab)Source checked 30 Sep 2026 |
| 3 Punga Cove / Camp Bay | 15.2 mi / 24.5 km to Torea Saddle / Portage The long ridge day: allow about 8 hours before the additional approach to Portage. Carry lunch and sufficient drinking water; hold the required private-land pass. Walking-stage reference ↗ (new tab) |
Punga Cove ↗ (new tab)Chalets, suites and apartments The property says the track passes through the resort; hillside access to individual rooms varies. Reserve your room, dinner and next-day packed lunch. For the shorter walk, stay here after your last walking day; book next-morning boat collection. View hotel on route map ↓Open in Google Maps ↗ Punga Cove: track access and FAQs ↗ (new tab)Source checked 30 Sep 2026 |
| 4 Torea Saddle / Portage | 12.7 mi / 20.5 km to Anakiwa Return uphill to the same Torea Saddle junction, then continue to Anakiwa. Allow 7–8 hours plus the hotel approach; agree a realistic collection time and a missed-boat plan. Walking-stage reference ↗ (new tab) |
Portage Resort ↗ (new tab)Hotel rooms Property-reported: about a 10-minute walk from the track. The uphill return is extra. Leave the track at Torea Saddle and return there next morning. Boat luggage arrives at Torea Bay on the other side of the hill; agree the separate jetty-to-hotel transfer. View hotel on route map ↓Open in Google Maps ↗ About this stay ↗ (new tab)Source checked 30 Sep 2026 |
| 5 Anakiwa | Finishing area Full-track finish. Meet the pre-booked boat or road transfer to Picton; the suggested hotel is not at Anakiwa. Return transport ↗ (new tab) |
Picton Beachcomber Inn ↗ (new tab)Picton hotel before and after the walk In Picton, away from the walking track; boat transfers are separate. After finishing at Anakiwa, use your booked boat or road transfer to Picton. Stay overnight in Picton after your last walking day, then depart the next morning. View hotel on route map ↓Open in Google Maps ↗ About this stay ↗ (new tab)Source checked 30 Sep 2026 |
These are lodging starting points, not reserved rooms. Access notes and any quoted distances come from the linked sources. Confirm your dates, room type, actual walking route and luggage collection with each property before booking.
MEALS, SNACKS & DRINKING WATER
The cards follow the walking section selected above.
Opening days and meal arrangements change. Reserve meals at remote overnight stops, request packed lunches in advance and fill or buy water before each walking section. Official top-up taps are useful planning anchors, but always check current availability.
This is a planning guide, not a promise that a café, shop, meal service or tap will be open. Confirm dietary needs, packed lunches, dinner reservations and water access directly before walking.
LUGGAGE TRANSFERS
Arrange transfers separately when booking your own walk.
Carry your daily essentials, waterproofs, food and water. A boat can move your overnight bag between eligible lodges when arranged in advance.
Between lodges
Reserve each collection and delivery with the operator and lodge. Confirm bag allowance, labelling, cutoff times and weather disruption arrangements.
Surplus luggage
Returning to the same hotel may make storage practical. Get agreement on dates, fees and collection; otherwise arrange storage with your operator.
Portage handoff
Boats use Torea Bay. Portage is on the other side of the hill; confirm the jetty-to-hotel luggage transfer and any charge separately.
Boat and luggage service
Round Trip Track Pass combines start/finish boat transport and eligible lodge luggage transfers. Confirm the exact plan, especially the shorter Punga exit and Portage handoff. The land pass is separate.
Check boat and luggage arrangements ↗ (new tab)Confirm current prices, operating dates, collection times, excluded properties, bag limits, liability and any finish storage directly. An arranged holiday may already include daily transfers.
Many self-guided packages include accommodation and daily luggage transfer. Compare their actual overnight settlements with the plan here before booking a separate courier.
Confirm breakfasts, packed lunches, dinner reservations and every off-route transfer.
Compare operator trips →Start and finish from Picton
Book a Picton night before the first boat. Allow a buffer after inter-island ferry or other long-distance travel; do not rely on a tight same-day connection.
Reserve Picton–Ship Cove and Anakiwa–Picton transport before booking the walking days. Set the final collection after a realistic 7–8-hour walking day and confirm the fallback if delayed.
Walk to Punga Cove in two days, sleep there, then take the reserved boat back to Picton on departure day. Ask for this exact itinerary; a standard full-track return ticket may not match.
Transport and stays are booked separately unless your operator package includes them. No sailing, pickup or storage is guaranteed by this guide.
05 / TRIPS OFFERED ON THIS TRAIL
Compare guided and self-guided packages, including trips with a Picton night before walking. Check the included hotel nights and meals against your own plan; similarly named trips may use the same local services.
6 trip options from 3 operators.
Self-guided and guided are both included. Use the Service filter above to separate them. This is a researched selection, not every provider or itinerary. Examples checked 30 September 2026. Starting prices are per person; check your dates, room basis, single supplements and inclusions. Currencies are shown as advertised.
| Operator & trip | Service & coverage | Time | Advertised from | Check the details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilderness Guides4 Day Gourmet Guided Walk | GuidedWhole trail | 4 days / 3 nights4 walking days | Check current price | Guided full-track trip with three lodge nights, meals and boat luggage support. Picton nights before and after walking are additional. View trip with Wilderness Guides ↗ (new tab) |
| Wilderness Guides4 Day Independent Walk | Self-guidedWhole trail | 4 days / 3 nights4 walking days | Check current price | Self-guided lodge sequence with arranged logistics. Check meal inclusions and the room tier; hotel nights before and after walking are separate. View trip with Wilderness Guides ↗ (new tab) |
| Marlborough Sounds Adventure Co.4 Day Freedom Walk | Self-guidedWhole trail | 4 days / 3 nights4 walking days | Check current price | Three lodge nights, packed lunches, boat transfers, luggage and land pass advertised. Breakfast and dinner are extra; confirm your quote. View trip with Marlborough Sounds Adventure Co. ↗ (new tab) |
| Marlborough Sounds Adventure Co.4 Day Guided Walk | GuidedWhole trail | 4 days / 3 nights4 walking days | Check current price | Guided full-track package with meals, three lodge nights, boats, luggage and land pass. Confirm dates and current inclusions. View trip with Marlborough Sounds Adventure Co. ↗ (new tab) |
| Great Walks of New ZealandQueen Charlotte Self-Guided Walk | Self-guidedWhole trail | 5 days / 4 nights4 walking days | Check current price | Includes a Picton night before four walking days and three lodge nights. No Picton night after walking. September/October 2026 outline uses Punga Cove instead of Furneaux overnight, with return boat transfers; confirm your dated itinerary. View trip with Great Walks of New Zealand ↗ (new tab) |
| Great Walks of New ZealandQueen Charlotte Guided Explorer | GuidedWhole trail | 5 days / 4 nights4 walking days | Check current price | Picton arrival night, three lodge nights and four guided walking days. Advertises meals, boat and luggage transfers, and the land pass. Confirm seasonal lodging and whether a local partner operates your departure. View trip with Great Walks of New Zealand ↗ (new tab) |
BEFORE THE BOOKINGS
Book lodges, meals, boat connections and any required private-land pass together.
Confirm an indoor bed for every night, the distance to each stay, and how you will reach and leave the route.
DOC track information ↗Research checked; dates require confirmation · Facts checked 30 September 2026. Dates, access and services may change.
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