The Queen Charlotte track

The Queen Charlotte track is a footpath along the Marlborough sounds it is an area where there is a range of bush and great views. So many people do this track that you can get your bags taken by water taxi to the accommodation so you don't have to carry your stuff all the way. Lazy I know but brilliant. The information says the track should take 4 to 5 days however the tourist office says 3 is fine so we did it in 3 days.

Day 1

Maori carving to Cook's monument

 Ship Cove to Noeline's Homestay at Camp bay 27 Km

Ship cove is where James Cook first landed in the Queen Charlotte sound with the Endeavour. They built the monument so tourists wouldn't get confused 100 years ago. Just up the bay from here is cannibal cove where some of his crew met the Maoris and that was it for them.

 After the first hill this is what we saw

You can see some of the oldest forest in the area in this photo.

Tree fern with a few epihytes

Ralph chills out on the bridge

Far away from anywhere.

The view from Noeline's balcony

The view point was worth the walk up there

 Day 2 Noeline's to Portage bay only 25Km today except we did a little extra to get to the viewpoint.

Ralph shows the way. The viewpoint shows we are closer to Antarctica than London

Natural woodland

The larvae of the cicada

the cicada which only lives a few days

Day 3 Only 20Km Portage bay to where we get picked up at 3.30.

We still had time to take photo's of the Wika

Claudia takes a break

Massive tree with loads and loads of epiphytes

 

We Made it Sarah, Ralph and Claudia pose for the last Km marker its's a great feeling once you've done 70Km to walk the last Km and know you've got plenty of time not to miss the ride home.

www.qctrack.co.nz