Something a bit different today, back in NZ we did the Roys Peak Wanaka Hike. Roy Peak is 1578m and has some of the most incredible views anywhere in the world. It blows away anything in Hong Kong by a long way, both in terns of views, hiking, and well, everything. Roys Peak Wanaka hike is 16km in total, the New Zealand Department of Conversation lists the hike as 5-6 hours, but you’d really need to be geriatric to take that long.
My sister and I did it in 3 hrs (there and back). Getting there is an easy drive along Mt Aspiring Road from Wanaka township. There’s a car park on the side of the road, honesty box before you climb the fence and begin your ascent. The Roys Peak Wanaka hike is on private land, so don’t be like the disgusting locals here in Hong Kong and just dump your rubbish anywhere on the hike, or anywhere in New Zealand for that matter. If you want your city to be a disgusting rubbish tip, that’s up to you, but respect other countries when you go there.
The hike up to Roys Peak is a beauty, there’s really only one way up and you can’t get lost, most of if dirt/grass road. The views even 10 minutes into the hike are awesome, getting better and better as you get higher. The Roys Peak Wanaka hike allows you to see most of Lake Wanaka, the mountains surrounding it including Mt Aspiring and is one of the best you’ll see anywhere in the world. You won’t need to worry about pollution, but pick a good day as being up there with a blue sky is special.
If the weather’s 50/50, take warm clothes and be prepared, the weather can be absolutely spectacular one minute and turn to shit very very quickly. I wouldn’t want to be up there when the weather is crap. Basically the whole way up Roys Peak is great for taking Photos, so I’d allow extra time. We got to the top in 2 hrs, stopping a few times along the way for Photos, but going at a pretty brisk pace. I hiked up there a few days later by myself, took about 15 minutes longer as I was taking a lot more photos along the way. Trust me, carrying a decent camera, not just your mobile phone is well worth it.
If you can’t make it to the top, you can turn around at anytime, but it’s really worth it so unless you’re about to keel over, I’d bust your ass to get up to the very top. You’ll need lots of water, at least a litre and a half, much much more if you’re going in the afternoon in the summer, which will make it much harder (both times I climbed it early morning, leaving at 6:30 and 7) when the temperature didn’t get above 20 until I was on my way down. If you happen to be in Wanaka, New Zealand, give this hike a go, it’ll make everything Hong Kong has seem lame, but the views, experience are totally worth it.
Roys Peak Wanaka Hike Level of Difficulty: 8.5/10
Roys Peak Wanaka Views: 9.5/10
Roys Peak Wanaka Hike Access: Mt Aspiring Road
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