Roys Peak is hands down one of the most popular hikes in all of New Zealand! You’ve likely seen the iconic picture of a person or a couple standing at a peak with the stunning Lake Wānaka and Mou Tapo and Mou Waho islands in the background.
It’s absolutely stunning! But it’s also absolutely packed… We first did this hike back in 2017 and even then we stood in line for 15 minutes to get the iconic picture at Roys Peak Lookout. So you can only imagine how busy it is these days!
However, there is a great alternative hike to Roys Peak if you want to avoid the crowds… Isthmus Peak!
In this post, we have compared Isthmus Peak vs Roys Peak – from reasons why you (maybe) shouldn’t hike Roys Peak, why Isthmus Peak is a good alternative, and of course, some photos as well so you can compare the two visually!
We’re not saying that you shouldn’t hike Roys Peak, we’re just saying there are better and less touristy hikes near Wanaka that are equally as beautiful with a LOT fewer people on the trail.
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The reality of Roys Peak and Isthmus Peak
The whole point of this comparison post of Isthmus Peak vs Roys Peak isn’t to stop you from doing this hike. It is more so to make you aware of the differences between the two hikes and share information about the negatives of Roys Peak – and then give you the opportunity to choose which one suits you better.
Maybe you’ll end up doing both of them as well and then you can leave a comment below if you agree (or disagree) with what we have to say.
We just want to share our knowledge and experience of hiking in New Zealand and give you a better understanding of these two hikes so you have the information you need to make your own decision.
You’ll clearly see that we’re more negative towards Roys Peak and more pro Isthmus Peak – and in this post, you’ll learn why. We hope it helps and we’d love to hear from you after you get a chance to hike here!
Below we’ve written out two sections:
- What you can expect from hiking Roys Peak, followed by
- What you can expect from hiking Isthmus Peak
Before we get into the two sections, let’s start with an overview comparison of the two hikes so you can see why we have decided to compare exactly these two hikes! They are very similar in terms of distance, elevation, difficulty, and user rating!
| Isthmus Peak Overview | Roys Peak Overview |
|---|---|
| Distance: 15.8 km (9.81 miles) return | Distance: 16.3 km (10.13 miles) return |
| Elevation: 1155 m (3789 ft) elevation gain | Elevation: 1310 m (4298 ft) elevation gain |
| Type: In-and-out trail | Type: In-and-out trail |
| Length: 6-7 hours return | Length: 7-8 hours return |
| Difficulty: Hard | Difficulty: Hard |
| Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars | Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars |
| Check out Isthmus Peak on AllTrails here | Check out Roys Peak on AllTrails here |
What you can expect from hiking Roys Peak
Overcrowded all the time
The reality of Roys Peak is that it is crowded! It doesn’t matter if you go for sunrise, during the day, or for sunset – if there are tourists in town, someone will be up on Roys Peak. And especially the queue for the iconic photo is super crowded and busy.
Personally, when we try to get out and hike we do like having other people on the trail – but not hundreds of them. On Roys Peak, chances are that there are always going to be people around, groups hiking together, playing music, etc.
Maybe on a random cloudy day during shoulder season, you’ll get lucky with fewer crowds but a very common theme for Roys Peak is that it is always overcrowded. And that’s why we recommend some of the less touristy hikes in the area instead!
Environmental impact of hiking the trail
Of course, wherever we hike it is going to have an environmental impact on the trail and the area. It’s our responsibility as hikers to take care of the trail we hike on for the next people who are going to enjoy the trail and simply just preserve these beautiful areas.
Unfortunately, from what we’ve seen and heard from people (locals and travellers) the Roys Peak area doesn’t get the attention and responsibility it needs….
Every day, masses of people hike Roys Peak for sunrise or during the day. While it’s amazing how easily accessible and safe this trail is for inexperienced travellers, it also has its downsides – such as a lack of knowledge about conservation.
For example, since there are a lot of zig-zags going up, what lots of people will do is cut corners and start creating their own trails to get past people because the hike is so busy. This isn’t good for the environment in that area.
Slowly more and more trails get formed, and also as the hike gets busier and more popular, it simply isn’t sustainable. And Roys Peak gets completely overrun which is a shame since it is such a beautiful hike.
Again, we’re not saying don’t hike up Roys Peak. Just take these things into consideration and try to respect the local environment and do your part to take care of the trail even though some might not.
Leave no trace
When you go hiking (and do other outdoor adventure activities), always remember to follow the 7 principles of leaving no trace.
This means:
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of others
The trail experience
Let’s just say the trail itself is awesome! Roys Peak is gruelling and hard but the zig-zags in the middle section make it manageable!
Also, the viewpoint and the iconic photo spot isn’t even at the top of the trail which is nice. It’s at the Roys Peak Lookout about 15 minutes or so below the peak itself. So you’ll get a short or potentially very long break for the photo queue depending on how many people are there.
From there you’ll be able to make the hike up to the very top of the mountain and reach the peak. It’s absolutely worthwhile to hike to the top to say you conquered the peak and to see Lake Wanaka and the mountaintops from the highest possible point!
We also found that a lot of people stop after reaching the viewpoint and don’t continue to the top. So this is a good spot to take in the view with fewer crowds!
Personally, when we go into nature to hike, we love to have space for ourselves and to enjoy the peace and quiet. Honestly, you don’t really get that on Roys Peak because of how busy and crowded the trail is.
The best way to avoid that is to simply try and go during shoulder season when there are fewer crowds and less people hiking in New Zealand in general. Late November and March are good options (the trail is closed for lambing from 1 October – 10 November each year).
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What you can expect from hiking Isthmus Peak
Peace and quiet on the trail
One thing we love about Isthmus Peak is how quiet and peaceful the hike is and it really feels like you have the trail to yourself even though you will likely see a few other people on the hike.
The trail itself is quite long and even though you may see people in the distance you really do feel like it’s just you out there on the mountain. We did start a bit later in the day but we had the whole peak to ourselves to enjoy and take in the panoramic view of Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka!
That is just something that wouldn’t happen on Roys Peak because there will be so many people there. At the viewpoint or peak, you’ll easily be surrounded by 30+ people.
So if it’s peace and quiet you’re looking for then hands down Isthmus Peak is the better hike to do!
Unique scenery throughout the hike
The landscape and scenery throughout the Isthmus Peak hike is out of this world and one of the reasons for that is because you end up seeing both Lake Hāwea and Lake Wānaka.
You start out slowly gaining elevation while getting a better and better view of Lake Hāwea with the mountains as the backdrop! Anywhere you look you have awesome views of mountain peaks – the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, and to the north, you’ll have the beautiful Sentinel Peak (1814m).
Finally, once you get on the final ridgeline, you’ll see both lakes at once and have a full panoramic view of the whole area which is simply incredible!
We’ll be the first to admit it doesn’t have the iconic photo spot that Roys Peak has but as a whole, the views and the scenery on this hike are out of this world.
Quality of the trail
One thing to know about this trail is that a section of it is actually on private land. The fact that locals allow travellers and hikers like us to go on their property so we can get to the top of Isthmus Peak is pretty cool. That’s why it’s super important that we do our part to respect the trail and do our best to preserve it!
The trail itself is in awesome condition and it’s easy to follow with different sections presenting different challenges.
For example, in the beginning, there is a small section where you have to scramble up a few rocks which is cool. Then later on you get to walk on this nice grassy section where you’ll end up seeing some sheep and maybe even deer!
The trail itself was really clean and it looked like most people followed the 7 principles of leaving no trace. And near the ridgeline, there is an outhouse if you need to use it which is great!
Read our full guide on Isthmus Peak here
When is the best time to hike in Wānaka?
On a clear sunny day! No, but seriously… Both of these hikes are quite exposed just like many of the other hikes in Wanaka so you want good conditions to go hiking in – especially when conquering a peak.
A nice sunny day with little to no wind and medium cloud coverage is ideal! (But even if it’s cloudy, don’t forget your sunscreen! The UV in New Zealand is super high, especially during the summer months).
If the weather isn’t looking promising it’s maybe best to stay around Wanaka and do something else. If you really want to go hiking, you can consider checking out the Mount Iron Track. It’s a lot shorter and if the weather turns bad, you can quickly get off the “mountain”!
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Recap of Roys Peak vs Isthmus Peak
Hopefully, by now, you have a better idea of what these two hikes have to offer and what you can expect on both of them. Again, the point of this post is simply to inform you and compare the two different hikes so you can choose which one you prefer to do.
We do think that both Roys Peak and Isthmus Peak have a lot to offer but because of what we stated above, we do prefer and recommend Isthmus Peak. So if you are looking for a hike with fewer crowds, check out that one!
If you have any questions about hiking Isthmus Peak, how to get there, or what else to do in the Wanaka area, feel free to DM us on Instagram or leave a comment below!
We hope you have an amazing time on this hike near Wanaka and in New Zealand. It’s one of our favourite places in the world!
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