We tramped the full length of the Queen Charlotte Track (76 km, about 50 miles) in four days. What made this a particularly nice trip was the fact that the weather was warm, sunny and dry throughout, and that we stayed at inns and hotels each night (rather than camping). We enjoyed the company of another family (Jason, Donna and their two boys) which also helped to keep our 2 boys happy during the long days of walking. The Queen Charlotte Track runs along the ridgeline of a narrow isthmus of land that forms part of the Marlborough Sounds at the top of New Zealand's South Island. Access at each end of the track is by water taxi, and the water taxis also ferry the heavy backpacks between each evening's lodgings. Low impact hiking in beautiful surroundings !