Queen Charlotte Track Freedom Walk — 4/5 Days

Board the motor launch that will take you to Meretoto, a significant area for local Māori. It's also known as Ship Cove, in reference to British navigator Captain Cook's five visits here for ship supplies. From Ship Cove the track climbs, giving you unsurpassed views to the North Island. Follow the track down to Resolution Bay and through to Endeavour Inlet where you spy Furneaux Lodge with its broad sweeping lawns. The walk from Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge is 15 km and should take about 4.5 hours.

The gentle coastal part of the track to Punga Cove provides a good opportunity stop for lunch and to enjoy the plentiful birdlife along the way. Furneaux Lodge to Punga Cove is 11.7 km and will take approximately four hours to walk.

The third section is the most challenging and rewarding of the track. Climbing away steeply from Punga Cove the sweeping views begin to appear as you walk along the ridge between the Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru Sound. The track is very undulating and therefore can be challenging for some people.

Once again the track follows the ridge climbing up to the highest point on the walk at 400 m. From the summit you have unsurpassed views into the surrounding Sounds. Winding down to sea level you will come upon some particularly beautiful virgin native bush which leaves you with a lasting impression of what it must have been like before man arrived here. The harbor of Anakiwa comes into view and so too does the end of the Queen Charlotte Track. A water taxi awaits at the Tirimoana jetty from where you will be ferried back to your accommodation.

For those who prefer to walk the track independently, but still want all the comfort that the Queen Charlotte Track is famous for, we can arrange for bags to be transported by boat from lodge to lodge as you make your way, unencumbered along the path. A rest day on the track and this can be arranged for the fourth day where you can simply unwind or perhaps enjoy some kayaking in quiet little bays. Please note that for those who prefer to have the benefit of flora and fauna interpretation and historical background as you walk, it is possible to take a guide with you.