At a Glance
Be part of a small group and explore the world-famous Queen Charlotte Track on foot over 4 fantastic days of walking and sightseeing. The Queen Charlotte Track 'Lodge to Lodge' Walk is recommended by National Geographic Adventure magazine and is the perfect introduction to this spectacular region. Rest each night at exclusive boutique lodges in a stunning setting where your hosts will prepare gourmet meals matched with fine Marlborough wines.
The Queen Charlotte Track, a 70km long New Zealand walking trail, is one of New Zealand's nine Great Walks, renowned for its stunning views and contrasting landscape, historical landmarks and a wide variety of native bush and wildlife.
The spectacular trail, stretching from historic Ship Cove to Anakiwa, passes through dense coastal forest, tranquil coves and inlets, and along awe inspiring skyline ...
Trip Highlights
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What's Included
- 4 day guided walks
- Return transport to/from Picton
- Water transport to and from track
- Queen Charlotte Track Pass
- 3 nights' boutique accommodation on a twin share basis (single supplement available at additional expenses).
- 3 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners. Gourmet dinner (three course). Beverages are available at all lodges at additional charges.
- Luggage transfers
Itinerary
Walking distance: 17 km, approx. 5.5 hours walking (Easy Grade). NOTE: A pre-tour briefing is held at approx. 7:00am on the departure date in Picton. Details will be provided with your booking confirmation. We collect you from your accommodation in Picton this morning, introduce you to your guide and then depart on the boat trip to Ship Cove. This scenic & historic reserve was a favourite anchorage for Captain Cook during his explorations in the 1770s. Experience virgin beech forest at its best plus stunning views of the Queen Charlotte Sound. Take time to explore the Captain Cook memorial and then set off on the track proper. Bush is mainly a mixture of stunning podocarp and beech forest with punga ferns and other New Zealand native foliage. This day is regarded as the premier section of the Queen Charlotte Track. Your walk concludes at the well-appointed lodge, Furneaux Lodge. Enjoy three course dinner. |
Walking distance: approx. 12 km, 4 hours (Easy Grade) Todays mainly coastal walk takes you around the inlet through regenerating native bush to the call of bellbirds, fantails and other NZ native birds. The track continues through native bush and over a small swing bridge to the head of Endeavour Inlet. Pause there to learn more about antimony and the mining industry that thrived there in the 1880s. Follow the main track onwards and into Big Bay before working your way towards Camp Bay and Punga Cove. Set amongst stunning scenery in the magnificent Marlborough Sounds, Punga Cove is the perfect retreat, surrounded by nature. Enjoy three course fine dining at the hilltop restaurant featuring the best of local Marlborough produce. |
Walking distance: approx. 22.5 km, 8 hours (Moderate to Hard Grade) A challenging day walking on the ridgeline between Camp Bay & Torea Saddle near Portage. Truly grand vistas abound round every corner a wonderful reward indeed. Stare in awe at the sunken river valleys of the Marlborough Sounds from the iconic Eatwell's Lookout. At different times you can see both the Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru Sounds as you walk. This is a truly spectacular section of the track. NOTE: Optional boat trip today for non-walkers (additional charges apply). Since the Day 3 walk is on the ridgeline with no water access, you can't walk only section of the track and then catch the water taxi. You can choose the option not to walk today and have a boat trip. Enjoy three course dinner. |
Walking distance: 18 km, approx. 6 hours walking (Moderate Grade). Farewell Torea Bay and take the private side track to the main Queen Charlotte Track. Ascend to the ridgeline once again, enjoying stunning views back towards Picton as well as into the turquoise waters of the Kenepuru Sound. Open farmland and a grand native bush section to finish is a fitting finale after four days of walking. Take time for a photo stop at the picturesque Davies Bay – you won't want the journey to end. Today you return by boat from the Anakiwa Jetty to Picton, arriving back to Picton between 4:00 to 4:30pm. If you are flying out of Blenheim Airport, be sure not to book anything before 6pm. It is normally possible to catch a late ferry or Soundsair flight as long as this is not before 5:30pm. NOTE: Optional boat trip today for non-walkers or easy walking option (No charges apply). You can catch the water taxi to Te Mahia and from there you can walk around 12-13km to the end of the track. If you wish not to walk at all on the day you can water taxi straight out back to Picton. |
Accommodation
Dates & Prices
Daily departure on request. Please contact us for group bookings. Group discount is available.
More Info
- The departure point is Picton New Zealand
- There are a number of ways to get to Picton, which is located at the top of the South Island of New Zealand. Depending on your point of origin, you may be coming from either Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch International Airport.
- There are direct flights with Air New Zealand from Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch to Blenheim Airport, about 20 minutes' drive from Picton. Affordable shuttles are available or you can rent a car.
- If coming from Wellington, you can also catch either the Bluebridge or Interislander ferry service across Cook Strait which berths in Picton. Or you can catch the small commuter airline, Soundsair, which has a base at Wellington Airport.
Day 1: Approximately 17 km, 5.5 hours
Day 2: Approximately 12 km, 4 hours
Day 3: Approximately 22.5 km, 8 hours (Optional boat trip for non-walkers. Please see details in the Day 3 Itinerary)
Day 4: Approximately 18 km, 6 hours (Optional boat trip for non-walkers or easy walking option. Please see details in the Day 4 Itinerary)
Total: Approximately 71 km
Payment Detail
All pricing is in Australian dollars and are quoted on a per person twin share basis. A supplementary price is available (see below). Bookings are not confirmed until full payment and the signed Booking Form has been received by Onlyluxe Travel.
A non-refundable 30% deposit is payable within 7 days of your booking, with the final balance due 60 days prior to departure. If a booking is made 60 days or less before departure, the full payment is payable immediately. Last minute bookings are payable before arrival. Failure to pay on time may result in automatic cancellation of a booking with cancellation penalties payable to Onlyluxe Travel. If you pay by credit card or PayPal a surcharge will be added to the total price.
Single Supplement
All accommodation is twin share. Single guests will share with someone of the same gender. If a single room is demanded, a supplementary price of will apply. The supplementary price refers to our quotation and needs to be stipulated at the time of booking.
General Cancellation Policies
- Outside of 60 days monies will be refunded less 30% of full fee
- Within 60 days prior to arrival all monies will be forfeited
- No refunds will be given in the event of non-arrival, any unused services or unused nights due to flight or weather disruption
- We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance and medical insurance
Please Note: Cancellations must be advised in email and will take effect from the date they are received.
Liability
The participant agrees to indemnify Onlyluxe Travel, and its servant, tour operator and agents, in relation to any liability, loss and damage which the tour operator, or its servants and/or agents may incur as a result of the participants, negligence or misconduct during the tour.
Smoking is not permitted on the bus, or in tents or in other accommodation being used by tour operator at the time that a trip is being conducted.
Child Policy
Please consult travel consultant on age limit.
Changes to Itineraries
Local conditions may necessitate changes to sightseeing, walking and driving routes, camping and accommodation locations. While every effort will be made to provide the services and experiences as offered in our brochure, on our website, and in our trip letters, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The tour operator will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by weather conditions, technical problems to transport used by the tour operator, industrial action, political or civil commotion or other circumstances beyond our control. We refer you to the conditions regarding travel insurance.
Changes in Prices
While we will do its utmost to honour its pricing unforeseen circumstances may mean that prices may be subject to change without notice.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise Onlyluxe travel and the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. Onlyluxe Travel and the tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.
Cancellation by The Tour Operator
The walks take place in very special wilderness settings. The tour operator is at the mercy of nature in all her beauty and all her fury. The tour operator will under no circumstance knowingly place at risk the health and well-being of our guests and guides. In the case of natural threats, acts of God and the like (e.g. bushfires, impassable snow, etc) the tour operator may need to cancel a walk with very little notice. In some cases, this can occur after the walk has commenced. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel any walk up to 60 days prior to departure if a minimum of 4 walkers are unable to meet for a tour. If the tour operator needs to cancel for any reason, the cost of the walk or any other costs associated with travel to the designated pick up point, overnight accommodation, meals, etc will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be taken out prior to travel.
Force Majeure
'Force Majeure' means (without restriction) any event which Onlyluxe Travel or its third party providers could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure Onlyluxe Travel will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.
Evacuations
In rare circumstances, due to injury or unforeseen illness, the tour operator may need to evacuate you from a remote part of the walk. Helicopter evacuations are expensive and in most cases will be at a cost to the customer.
For Australian residents, under the Australian Government Medicare Act, it is prohibited for any domestic travel insurance product to provide any financial reimbursement with regard to ambulance or air ambulance services. We therefore strongly advise our customers to take specific ambulance cover through their health insurance provider. Evacuation cost will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore it is also strongly recommended that our customers take out travel insurance to cover (amongst other things) the costs associated with evacuation.
Travel Insurance
In view of the heavy cancellation penalties applied to cancelled reservations in certain circumstances, we strongly recommends suitable travel insurance be purchased at the time the holding deposit is paid. We recommend insurance cover that covers any loss which may be suffered due to cancellation. We also strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance against loss of baggage and medical expenses.