Queen Charlotte Track Day Walk
Walk a section of the famous Queen Charlotte Track — 73 km of ridgeline through native bush above the Marlborough Sounds — with water taxi transport to the trailhead.
- 1
Water Taxi to Ship Cove
A water taxi from Picton marina delivers walkers to Ship Cove — the historic bay where Captain Cook spent more time than anywhere else in the Pacific, visiting five times.
- 2
Ship Cove Historic Site
A plaque marks Cook's campsite where he repaired his ships, observed the transit of Mercury, and traded with local Māori — the most historically significant bay in NZ.
- 3
Ridgeline Track Entry
The track climbs immediately from Ship Cove into the native forest that covers the Marlborough Sounds ridgelines — bellbirds and tūī call from the canopy above.
- 4
Sounds Panorama Viewpoint
From the ridgeline, both the Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru Sounds are visible — a drowned landscape of flooded valleys creating hundreds of kilometres of sheltered coastline.
- 5
Resolution Bay
The track descends to Resolution Bay, where Cook anchored his ship Resolution — a remote, peaceful bay accessible only by water or the track.
- 6
Furneaux Lodge Water Taxi Pickup
A classic Sounds lodge is the endpoint for the day section — water taxis collect walkers here for the 30-minute return journey to Picton through the sound.