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Key facts
- Suggested duration
- 4 days
- Start
- Queenstown
- Finish
- Wanaka
- Travel style
- Road trip
Checked against official sources on 26 September 2026. Confirm with the official source before you go.
Pair a Queenstown stay and Bob's Cove with a separate transfer to Wanaka and a lakeshore walk, keeping exposed peak hikes out of the default route.
This is a suggested itinerary, not a booked package or a guarantee that roads, walks or overnight sites are available.
Day 1: A Queenstown town-based arrival
Settle at Queenstown Lakeview and take a town-lakeshore stroll after the vehicle and campsite are organised. Keep the first afternoon close to town, particularly after collecting a rental or arriving from another region. Buy tomorrow's walking lunch and review the Bob's Cove parking advice. Save longer sightseeing drives for a different trip; this stay works because the first night does not depend on reaching another valley before dark.
Overnight: Queenstown
Day 2: Bob's Cove, with the climb optional
Travel along the Glenorchy road to Bob's Cove only if you can use the proper parking area. Follow the marked route to the cove, then decide whether the steep Picnic Point loop adds enough value for the group. Leave the closed old bridle track alone. Return to Queenstown rather than continuing to Glenorchy simply because the road points that way, keeping the afternoon available for rest before tomorrow's change of base.
Overnight: Queenstown
Day 3: Move to Wanaka on a suitable road
Choose the transfer route after checking conditions and the rental agreement. SH6 via Cromwell is the more gradual option identified by Lake Wanaka Tourism; the Crown Range is not a compulsory sightseeing leg. Allow for a meal stop and an unhurried arrival in Wanaka rather than adding a hike en route. Once camp is ready, take a brief lakefront outing and decide how much walking the group wants tomorrow.
Overnight: Wanaka
Day 4: Roys Bay towards Waterfall Creek
Start from the western end of Roys Bay and follow the lakeside path towards Waterfall Creek. Choose a turnaround that leaves everyone comfortable for the return; reaching the creek or continuing towards Glendhu Bay is not required. Watch for other path users and bring a windproof layer. Return to town for lunch and your final camp night. If the lakeshore is unpleasant, shorten the outing rather than replacing it with an exposed summit.
Overnight: Wanaka
Two town camps simplify the move
Confirm the Queenstown and Wanaka site categories and each arrival arrangement independently. The cover shows Wanaka-area scenery, not the entire driving route. No rental permission, parking space or accommodation availability is implied. The final Wanaka night is optional, but any onward drive should have its own margin rather than being appended to a long walk.
Do not turn a fallback into a harder hike
Skip Bob's Cove if parking cannot be used safely; do not stop on the road shoulder. Poor mountain-road conditions require a fresh route decision, not an assumption that SH6 is always open. Waterfall Creek is the default Wanaka outing. Roys Peak and other high tracks need independent seasonal, weather and ability checks and are not automatic substitutions.
