Ultimate Guide to hiking Roy’s Peak

All you need to know before hiking up Roy’s Peak in Wanaka, New Zealand.

Roy’s Peak is one of the south islands most iconic hikes. Situated just 10 minutes outside of Wanaka the leg burning workout rewards you with the most epic views of Lake Wanaka and the township. Find out all you need to know before hiking Roy’s Peak.

This walk is exposed the whole way presenting a steep track with switchbacks all the way up. Although the track is easy, a nicely groomed 4 WD track, there are quite a few ‘shortcuts’—cutting in between switchbacks climbing through a bit of tussock. I tested it and it literally is 30 seconds faster but 10 times harder! I would skip the extra unnecessary pain and stick to the track!

A good fitness level is required to get to the top but don’t let that stop you from taking the challenge! Even going a quarter of the way up is a great exercise and you still can get some pretty amazing views! Hiking in New Zealand is no walk in the park, especially this track. This prairie girl had to ‘train’ aka do as many steep walks as I could before climbing Roy’s Peak to train my muscles not to go on strike when I needed them fully employed!

Be aware that this is a VERY busy track and I don’t mean with the sheep happily grazing all around the mountain. Getting up at 3 am to catch the sun rise might not be the most appealing to you, but on a summer day a 7am start is even getting too late!

Not only will you be walking with more than a handful of other people but on a nice day the sun isn’t shy to join you! We started at 6:15, got to the peak by 8:30, were coming down by 9 and the sun was hitting us hard! The earlier the better!

I would also strongly suggest to power out the last 20 minutes or so to the top of Mount Roy. Many people stop climbing at the peak and go down. The summit has a crazy 360 view you don’t want to miss!

You will also find in the heart of summer there is a massive line of people wanting to get that classic Roy’s Peak shot. If you’re looking to take photos, I encourage you to look the opposite way of people, move around for different angles and try for a different shot. Every way you look from this walk, the views are amazing so there’s is plenty for choice when composing a shot.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Distance: 16km return on the same track
Elevation: 1578 meters
Hike time: 5-6 hours
Difficulty: Hard- good fitness required
Track: easy- well groomed 4WD track

Restrictions:
– closed from October 1 to November 10 each year for lambing
– winter conditions require alpine equipment as it gets quite icy
– no dogs
– toilets at the beginning of the track only
– NO CAMPING- camping is prohibited

Be prepared:
– bring PLENTY of water
– sunscreen
– flashlight (if going in the dark)
– snacks! (you burn quite a bit of energy going up, make sure you refuel!)

Clothing: be sure to bring a long sleeve or jacket even in the summer. A good idea is to layer clothing- t-shirt, long sleeve, jacket. Bring a hat and make sure you have good footwear! I saw a dude climbing in a pair of flip flops—not at all recommended!

This hike gives you such a good accomplished feeling once you’ve reached the top! Wanaka is a perfect spot in New Zealand for hiking. Check out what else the area has to offer with the Lake Wanaka tourism board. If you plan on moving through New Zealand up to the Canterbury area check out these day hikes and easy walks that are a fantastic way to see this part of the country.

Happy hiking!

New Zealand is gorgeous country and it’s our job to preserve it. Camping is prohibited because there are no amenities at the top and the weather changes drastically. If you bring garbage up, take it with you. Please respect the land and track rules.
 

Have you done Roy’s Peak?

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