Photo: Sky_xe · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Roys Peak Track
A long, steep climb to one of New Zealand's most photographed viewpoints, high above Lake Wānaka.
Roys Peak is the big one. The track climbs steadily up open farmland to a 1,578 metre summit, with Lake Wānaka, the surrounding peaks and Mount Aspiring / Tititea laid out below. There is no shade and no water on the way up, so carry plenty and take warm, windproof layers even in summer. Note the annual lambing closure from 1 October to 10 November.
Highlights
- Panoramic views over Lake Wānaka and the Southern Alps
- The well known ridge viewpoint roughly 30 minutes below the summit
- 1,578 metre summit with Mount Aspiring / Tititea to the west
- Free parking, though the car park fills fast
Good to know
- Location
- Roys Peak, Wānaka
- Start point
- Roys Peak car park, on Wānaka - Mount Aspiring Road
- Distance from Wānaka
- about 6 km west of Wānaka
- Duration
- 5-6 hr return
- Track length
- 16 km
- Grade
- Challenging full-day hike, high fitness needed, over 1,200 m elevation gain
- Season
- Closed for lambing 1 October to 10 November. Challenging avalanche terrain above 1,000 m during winter and in spring; snow and ice make it much more difficult in winter.
- Cost
- Free parking for cars and campervans
- Family-friendly
- No
Closed for lambing 1 October to 10 November each year. The track crosses private land, so stay on the track and leave gates as you find them. The car park gets very busy and there may not be a space available.
Visiting from Sundale
The Roys Peak car park is on the Wānaka to Mount Aspiring Road, the same road the park sits on, about 6 km west of Wānaka township. That makes it a short drive rather than an expedition. The car park is free but small and fills fast, and there may not be a space, so an early start does two jobs at once.
There is no shade and no water on the way up, so fill your bottles at the communal kitchen before you leave and carry more than you think you need. Sun protection, sturdy shoes and warm windproof layers matter here even in midsummer. Let reception know roughly when you expect to be back.
Allow five to six hours return for the 16 km, then plan a soft landing. The Lake Wānaka foreshore is a five minute walk from the park if you want to cool your legs in the water, and the hot showers and guest laundry deal with the rest of it.
Stay nearby
Questions
How long does Roys Peak take?
DOC gives it as 5 to 6 hours return over 16 km, with more than 1,200 metres of climbing to a 1,578 metre summit. Give it a whole day rather than squeezing it in.
Is the track ever closed?
Yes. It closes for lambing every year from 1 October to 10 November. Above 1,000 metres it is challenging avalanche terrain in winter and spring, and snow and ice make the climb much harder.
Do I have to pay to park?
No, parking is free for cars and campervans. The car park gets very busy though, so a space is never guaranteed.
Sources
- Track start, 6 km from Wānaka, 1,578 m summit, 1,200 m elevation gain, lambing closure 1 Oct - 10 Nov, avalanche terrain above 1,000 m, free parking, busy car park, no shade or water — source
- 5-6 hr return, 16 km; 1,578 m summit; crosses private land; closed for lambing 1 October to 10 November — source
Nearby
More things to do.
Blue Pools Track
An easy forest walk over two swing bridges to river pools that run an extraordinary blue.
30 minutes one wayEasy walking track
Diamond Lake and Rocky Mountain
A stack of walks off one car park, from a 45 minute lake circuit up to a 775 metre summit above Glendhu Bay.
Diamond Lake Circuit Track return: 45 min. Diamond Lake lookout return: 1 hr. Lake Wānaka lookout return: 2 hr. Rocky Mountain Summit Track return: 3 hr.Sections of this track are steep, with significant fall hazard, and the track is often slippery even in summer
Eely Point Walk
A 20 minute lakeshore walk from Wānaka town to a sheltered picnic and boating spot.
20 min
Your Wānaka basecamp
Make Sundale your base.
Cabins, studios, motels and soft-grass camping, five minutes from the water and close to everything above.