Queen Charlotte Track © Rod Bardsley
GREAT RIDE • QUEEN CHARLOTTE TRACK
QUEEN CHARLOTTE
Track
BEST FOR: A challenging, multi-day ride that will leave you puffed, but impressed.
SHIP COVE to ANAKIWA 2-3 days
73.5km
Incredibly beautiful and rich in human history, the Marlborough Sounds is a magical place of deep blue bays, beaches, forest and viewfilled ridgelines. The Queen Charlotte Track takes visitors deep into its reaches.
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on’t be under any preconceived idea that this ride won’t test your endurance. Those jaw-dropping views you seek are found from ridgelines, after long, relentless climbs. There are many sections that skirt the shoreline, traversing from one idyllic bay to the next, but this track is graded as intermediate
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to advance for good reason. Some areas, such as the ridgetop sections of the central part are listed as Grade 5. However, day trips are a feasible choice for less advanced riders and if you’re overnighting, backpacks can be transferred to your accommodation by local operators, allowing for a lighter ride.
ADD-ON HEARTLAND TRAIL Queen Charlotte Drive: 40km/2–4 hours This spectacular, winding path links Picton to Havelock. The Anakiwa end of the Queen Charlotte Track is just 4km away from Linkwater, found halfway along this route.
Along the way, various lodges offer comfortable stays. In fact, so isolated are these far-flung hideouts, they feel pleasantly unattainable to the outside world. From beginning to end, the journey never waivers from extraordinary. From secret coves to saddles and ridges offering stupendous views, this 73.5km track is commonly regarded as one of the best singletrack mountain bike rides in New Zealand. We have a feeling you’ll agree. Top Tip – A unique feature of this track is that entry and exit paths are accessed mostly by boat, starting with a scenic cruise from Picton to Meretoto (aka Ship Cove) to commence your ride.
