The view from the peak exceeded my expectations. I couldn’t help but pause and take in the stunning scenery for a while.
I climbed it with a friend on 5 June 2025. We started at around 10 am, and it was a clear, sunny day.
I knew the hike was going to be hard, but I don’t think I fully understood what “steep all the way up” meant until I actually started walking.
The climb was exhausting.
But the view was easily worth doing it once.
The Climb Started Hurting Almost Immediately
I was short of breath surprisingly early and started wondering how I was going to keep climbing for another few hours.
The track isn’t technically difficult. There aren’t really any sections where you need climbing skills.
The problem is that it just keeps going uphill.
I had to stop quite often to catch my breath and get some energy back. At one point, my legs felt close to cramping.
We passed a few hikers coming down who had been at the top for sunrise. Seeing them helped a little because at least it reminded me that people actually did make it to the top.
As we climbed higher, the views over Lake Wānaka started opening up behind us.
That helped too.
Whenever I stopped for a break, I could turn around and see how much higher we’d already climbed.
There Is Almost No Shade
The weather was clear when I went, which was great for the views but not so great for the climb.
There is very little shade on Roys Peak Track, and the sun felt strong even though I was hiking in June.
I had sun protection on, but the area around my eyes was swollen from the following day.
I would take sun protection seriously here: sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses at the very least.
I also carried about 2.5 litres of drinks with me, and even that wasn’t quite enough by the time I got back down.
There is no water available on the track, so I’d bring more than you think you’ll need, especially on a warm day.
I’d also take plenty of food or snacks. You burn through a lot of energy on this climb.
The Famous Roys Peak Viewpoint
Eventually, we reached the place I initially thought was the summit.
And there it was.
The view I’d seen in photos before coming to Wānaka.
Except it looked much better in real life.
Lake Wānaka stretched out below us, surrounded by hills and mountain ranges in every direction.
This is the famous Roys Peak photo viewpoint, and I can understand why so many people stop here for photos.
Photos really don’t do it justice.
What impressed me most was being able to see the shape of the land itself: the mountains, lake and valleys all laid out in front of me.
It felt like looking directly at the landscape New Zealand is famous for.
For a moment, I was quite happy to believe I’d reached the top.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t.
The real summit was still about another 30 minutes away.
That wasn’t what I wanted to hear at that point.
Is It Worth Going All the Way to the True Summit?
Yes.
The famous viewpoint and the actual summit give you quite different views.
From the lower viewpoint, you feel much closer to the landscape. The lake and mountain ridges are directly in front of you, and this is probably the view most people recognise from photos of Roys Peak.
The true summit is different.
From up there, you look down over a much wider area.
It almost feels like a bird’s-eye view of Wānaka and the surrounding mountains.
I remember looking back over the track we’d climbed and just taking everything in for a while.
After all the effort getting there, I finally felt that we had actually made it.
If you’ve already reached the famous viewpoint, I think it’s worth pushing on for that final 30 minutes.
You’ve come that far anyway.
The Walk Back Down
Going down was much easier than climbing up.
I barely needed to stop.
But it was still long.
It took me around two hours of pretty much continuous downhill walking to get back to the car park.
I went down fairly quickly, sometimes almost jogging and letting gravity do some of the work.
There were a few slippery sections, though, so I still had to watch where I was putting my feet.
After a while, you also start feeling the constant downhill movement in your knees.
The descent isn’t difficult compared with the climb, but two hours of going down the same slope still feels like a long time.
Was Roys Peak Crowded?
Surprisingly, it wasn’t particularly crowded when I went.
We started at around 10 am and had no trouble finding a space in the car park.
There were other hikers on the track, of course, but it never felt packed.
That said, Roys Peak is one of the most popular walks around Wānaka, so I wouldn’t assume parking will always be that easy.
Would I Hike Roys Peak Again?
When I first wrote about Roys Peak, I thought it might be a one-off hike.
The climb really was that tiring.
Now, I think I could probably enjoy it differently if I went again.
I wouldn’t be wondering how much further I had to climb, and I’d know exactly what was waiting at the top.
But if you’re asking whether Roys Peak is worth doing at least once, my answer is definitely yes.
The climb is hard, repetitive and tiring, but the views are worth the effort.
My advice is pretty simple.
Keep going.
And bring plenty of water.
Roys Peak Track Practical Information
Distance: 16 km return
Official walking time: Around 5–6 hours return. My hike took longer, at roughly 6–7 hours including stops.
Summit: 1,578 m
Elevation gain: More than 1,200 m
Difficulty: Physically demanding, mainly because of the long, continuous climb.
Parking: Free parking is available at Roys Peak car park, about 6 km from Wānaka. It can fill up on busy days.
Water: There is no drinking water on the track. Bring plenty with you.
Shade: Very little. Sun protection is important even outside summer.
Seasonal closure: The track closes every year from 1 October to 10 November for lambing.
For the latest track conditions, weather advice and closure information, check the New Zealand Department of Conservation website before you go.
