Roy's Peak Sunrise: A Bucket List Hike Worth Waking Up For

Q: How long does it take to walk up Roy's Peak?

The average person takes about 3 to 4 hours to hike to the summit of Roy's Peak. The track has a steep ascent, so it can take longer depending on how fast you hike and how many breaks you need along the way.

Q: Is Roy's Peak better for sunrise or sunset?

In my opinion, Roy's Peak is better at sunrise because you can avoid the heat of the day for the challenging ascent up the mountain. I also think it's easier to navigate the trail in the dark on the way up instead of on the way down.

Q: Do I need hiking shoes for Roy's Peak?

While the trail isn't very technical, it is quite steep. It's ideal to hike in hiking boots or trail shoes. If you don't have either, you can probably do the hike in regular athletic shoes, but you will need to be more careful on the way down. I don't recommend this because it will make the already difficult descent even harder.

Q: Are there toilets on Roy's Peak?

There is one toilet near the famous viewpoint not far from the summit and one at the parking lot at the trailhead.

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Are you wondering what it’s really like to hike Roy’s Peak at sunrise—if it’s worth dragging yourself out of bed at an ungodly hour, and whether it’s safe to do solo?

As someone who treasures her sleep and would never call herself a morning person, I totally get the hesitation. In the days leading up to my hike, I went back and forth—at one point, I’d decided I was going to sleep in and go later. But at the last minute, I changed my mind.

I’m SO glad I did. After spending a month traveling through New Zealand, I can honestly say that hiking Roy’s Peak at sunrise was one of my favorite experiences and should be on any hiker’s bucket list.

In this guide on the Roy’s Peak sunrise hike, I’m sharing my full experience and tips so you can understand what to expect and decide if hiking at sunrise is for you.

Official trail map and information for the Roy's Peak Track from the trailhead in the parking lot. — Official trail map and information for the Roy’s Peak Track from the trailhead in the parking lot.

Roy’s Peak Track Map and Trail Overview

The Roy’s Peak Track is considered a challenging day hike just outside of Wānaka, New Zealand in Aspiring National Park. Most people take 5-6 hours to complete the entire hike that’s about 10 miles (16 km).

The terrain along the way isn’t difficult–the path feels almost road-like. It’s very smooth with few rocks or roots in the way. You can take small steps as you go unlike some trails where you may have to step up onto and over large rocks.

What makes this hike challenging is the huge amount of elevation gain and loss. You hike up about 4,200 feet to get to the top without much of a reprieve along the way.

The trail has incredible views but can get monotonous over time as there isn’t much of a change in scenery.

Below you can see my Roy’s Peak Track map, hiking stats, and elevation chart:

Chart showing Roy's Peak Track elevation gain and loss. The minimum elevation was 1,085 feet and highest was 5,213 feet. The map shows almost an exact triangle of constant incline and decline. — This is the elevation map recorded by my watch. As you can see, it’s a pretty steady elevation gain and loss. The bump during the descent was just from me stopping at that viewpoint twice to try to take photos.

Getting There

When I say Roy’s Peak is just outside of Wānaka, it really is! It’s not one of those hikes that people say you should do in Wānaka but is an hour-and-a-half drive away.

Thankfully the parking area for Roy’s Peak is only about an 8-minute drive from the center Wānaka!

I visited in March towards the tail-end of summer, which meant sunrise was a bit later than earlier in the summer for me. I still had to wake up at 3:15 a.m. to get ready, and we ended up starting the hike at about 4:15 a.m.

When we arrived to the parking lot, there were many cars there already, but thankfully, there were still a decent number of spots.

There’s an “honesty box” where you’re supposed to leave $5NZD cash per hiker. We left our payment and then set off.

Sliver of light appearing before sunrise over Lake Wānaka and surrounding mountains during the Roy's Peak sunrise hike. — The first sliver of light appearing over Lake Wānaka as we neared the summit of Roy’s Peak.

My Experience Hiking Roy’s Peak at Sunrise

What was my experience hiking Roy’s Peak at sunrise actually like? In this section, I’ll dive into all the details from when I did the hike on Friday, March 7, 2025.

Hiking to the Top

As we got started, it was clear that hiking Roy’s Peak at sunrise is quite popular. We could see dozens of headlamps up on the mountain in the distance and encountered other hikers about to start as we left the parking lot.

I’ll note that while I did the Roy’s Peak sunrise hike with my dad, I would have felt quite safe doing this sunrise hike alone. Even though we started at 4:15 a.m., loads of other hikers were out then as well, and I saw many women hiking alone.

Set of steps going over one of the cattle gates on the Roy's Peak Track. — One of four cattle gates on the Roy’s Peak Track. Each have a set of stairs like this so humans can pass through but animals stay enclosed.

Much of the trail runs through a private farm, so we started off by taking some steps over a fence to reach the trail. We encountered a few more of those fences on our way up. Each had a set of steps and a wooden pole to hold onto for balance.

I felt excited to get going on our journey but quickly realized just how hard this hike would be. Even though it was quite cold outside, the difficulty of the trail made me quite hot. I had to take off some layers immediately and was breathing quite heavily.

I probably would have taken more breaks, but I felt like I wanted to get up as fast as I could to reach the top in time for sunrise.

It was quite dark for a while on our hike, so we didn’t see much at first. We just kept going up and up and up towards the little lights ahead of us in the distance.

Honestly, it was nice not to be able to see the trail ahead or else I may have been more intimidated by this hike. It was a little daunting seeing all the little headlamps in the distance though.

Two paths going up to the summit of Roy's Peak. One is straight ahead and much steeper while the other goes to the right and wraps around the mountain, rising more gradually. — Here’s the point where my dad and I accidentally went off trail as we neared the summit. We came from the left side of this picture where you see a shadow and saw everyone going up this middle path. The real trail actually wraps around the mountain and runs to the right. We took that trail back, and it was MUCH easier.

And even though it was dark, the trail was easy to follow for most of the way up as it’s quite wide and obvious where to go. As we neared the summit though, we later realized that we accidentally took a path up that wasn’t the trail. It was much more challenging, but we saw everyone else doing it and thought it must be the way.

After about 3 hours, including a few short breaks, we finally reached the summit.

Group of people crowded on a mountain summit with a cellular antenna on Roy's Peak at sunrise. — The first summit you see when you get to the peak is this one with the antenna shown here. It was a little crowded, so we hiked past it to a summit nearby to enjoy the sunrise.

Enjoying the Roy’s Peak Sunrise

The first peak that we saw was fairly full of people, so we decided to walk over to another peak that was close by. Overall, while there were a number of people on the top, it wasn’t too crowded.

There were spots for everyone to sit and felt so peaceful.

We watched the sun slowly rise up over the horizon and bathe the mountains and lake in a warm glow. It was absolutely stunning.

View from Roy's Peak of snow-capped mountains in the distance with pink skies. — On the side opposite of the lake, you can see these epic snow-capped mountains in the distance.

What amazed me about the summit area as well was that there were mountain views all around us and multiple areas to explore around the summit. I guess Roy’s Peak Track is part of a larger trail, the Skyline Track, which is 14 miles (23 km) and tends to take around 10-11 hours total one way.

This means that if you’re feeling adventurous while doing the Roy’s Peak hike, you can explore some of the Skyline Track as well if you’d like.

Mountain with trails to Roy's Peak bathed in golden light from sunrise with Lake Wānaka and other mountains in the background. — I love how golden this mountain looked from the Roy’s Peak summit at sunrise with Lake Wānaka and other mountains in the background.

I might have spent a little more time exploring, but I was feeling quite tired and really started feeling cold at the top, even though I had many layers on and the sun had started rising.

I was so cold that I couldn’t even put my gloves on. They were clipped together, and my frozen hands couldn’t unclip them.

So after taking in the views, we started heading back down to get out of the exposed mountain top and warm up.

Mikala standing with her hands and hiking poles in the air with mountains and the lake in the background but blocked by some other people. This is the famous viewpoint where people take an iconic photo like this. — Trying and failing to take the popular photo at the famous viewpoint on Roy’s Peak. Unfortunately at 9 a.m. there were way too many people just hanging out here to be able to take the photo.

That Famous Viewpoint and Photo Spot

I did leave the top feeling disappointed as I couldn’t find that famous photo spot where everyone takes the cool photos on Roy’s Peak where they look tiny in comparison to the epic landscape all around them.

I was determined to find it and did some Googling–yes, there was actually decent cell reception during this hike!

It turns out that famous viewpoint is NOT at the top of the mountain but actually a bit lower down. Who would’ve known?

Sign along Roy's Peak Track that says Roy's Peak is 1.5 km/30 min to the left, the famous viewpoint is 80 m/5 min to the right, and the toilet is 15 m/1 min straight ahead. — This is the sign marking the famous viewpoint to the right. This area is also where the only toilet on the mountain along Roy’s Peak Track is located.

As I hiked down, I found it. Thankfully this spot is marked with a sign as a viewpoint, but I just had no idea before that it was THE viewpoint.

Unfortunately, it was quite crowded by the time I made it there around 9 a.m. so I couldn’t get my epic shot, but you can see how amazing it might be if folks weren’t all around me…

So you don’t have to stress trying to find this viewpoint like me, I put together this Google Map for you. It shows the viewpoint and exactly where I had my dad take the photo (plus some other key points along the way) to help you out.

Note that my dad did have to zoom in quite a bit to get this shot–I imagine there are some spots closer on the trail to the viewpoint that could work as well.

Drop toilet surrounded by grass and trees with a mountain in the background. This is the toilet in the parking lot at the Roy's Peak Track trailhead. — This is the toilet in the parking lot at the Roy’s Peak Track trailhead. Most toilets in New Zealand’s national parks look similar to this.

Toilets on the Mountain

There’s only one toilet for the Roy’s Peak Track on the mountain, and it’s located just by the famous viewpoint. I used it before continuing my journey down.

Don’t count on it being anything special–it’s a drop toilet and has a bit of a smell. There may be toilet paper, but don’t count on it. There definitely isn’t soap, so you’ll want to bring hand sanitizer.

The parking lot at the trailhead also has a drop toilet.

Mikala smiling hiking down from Roy's Peak with Lake Wānaka in the background. — Enjoying the views from Roy’s Peak Track on the way down. It didn’t take long to warm up and start shedding layers again.

Hiking Back Down

As we continued hiking back down, it was fun to see what our surroundings actually looked like since we couldn’t see them in the early morning.

Wildlife started waking up and we saw some of the farm sheep. In my opinion, we didn’t see nearly enough of them, but we did hear them quite often. We’d be walking down and suddenly hear a loud BAHHH noise nearby.

Sheep eating grass alongside the Roy's Peak Track in New Zealand. — A sheep alongside Roy’s Peak Track enjoying eating some grass. The trail runs through a farm, so you often hear the sheep and can sometimes see them too.

We did get to see this cutie having a snack right on the side of the trail. And then shortly afterwards, we saw another sheep have a bit of a Lion King moment standing up on a rock as if he was surveying his kingdom.

Sounds of birds chirping surrounded us as well. It was really quite lovely.

While the views and wildlife were nice, the trail quickly became scorching hot. The trail has no trees to provide shade from the sun, so you’re really exposed.

Sun-exposed trail surrounded by grass and Lake Wānaka and mountains visible in the distance. — Here you can see just how dry, hot, and exposed Roy’s Peak Track is.

I really felt bad for everyone hiking up as we were descending. Many of them looked so hot and miserable. While I was hot, at least I was going down at that point.

With the hot sun, I kept frantically applying and reapplying sunscreen because I did NOT want to get burned. One of my biggest tips for traveling New Zealand is to make sure you’re serious about sun protection because the sun there is intense to say the least.

My legs and feet really started to hurt and feel so fatigued because I hadn’t done a hike like that in a while. And in some ways going down was even harder than going up since the trail is quite steep and you’re working against gravity more.

I tried to enjoy the descent as much as I could, but I really couldn’t wait to get back to town, eat lunch, shower, and lie in bed.

By the time we got down to the parking lot around 11:10 a.m., it had taken us about 7 hours in total, including breaks, and 5 hours and 39 minutes not including breaks.

View of Lake Wānaka and mountains from above, taken from Roy's Peak during the sunrise. — The views we got at the Roy’s Peak sunrise were absolutely unreal! This looks like a painting to me.

Is it Worth Hiking at Sunrise?

In my opinion, hiking Roy’s Peak at sunrise is absolutely worth it, and in more ways than I expected. I recommend hiking Roy’s Peak at sunrise because:

You’ll have incredible views of course
You can avoid the heat of the day while you ascend
You have a better chance of the clear skies around the peak
Psychologically, it’s nice not knowing how far up you have to go while ascending
It adds variety to a somewhat monotonous hike
Plenty of people hike at sunrise, so it feels safe in that regard
The path isn’t too difficult to follow in the dark

I’ve done countless hikes all over the world, and this one will forever be a highlight among all my hikes. Hiking at sunrise was a big part of making the experience so special for me.

And don’t just take my word for it. In researching this hike, it seemed like almost everyone recommended going at sunrise.

That said, some people choose to hike Roy’s Peak at sunset instead of sunrise. If you really can’t bring yourself to get up for sunrise but want an experience like that, then sunset is something to potentially consider.

I’d much rather hike at sunrise though because I think it’s much easier to go up in the dark than down. I am also so glad to have been able to go up before the sun because otherwise the ascent looked much more miserable in the heat of the day.

Tips for Hiking Roy’s Peak

As you think about hiking Roy’s Peak, here are a few tips to help you stay safe and enjoy the experience.

Bring Layers

As with any hike, it’s so important to bring plenty of warm and waterproof layers. Weather in New Zealand can be unpredictable.

Even though it turned out to be a warm day, I personally felt quite cold at the top of Roy’s Peak even with my many layers. Be prepared or you might find yourself wanting to skip sunrise from the summit and hike down early.

Take Your Time

Hiking to the top of Roy’s Peak is no easy feat. The hike can be really challenging if you’re not used to walking up or down steep inclines for long periods of time.

To make it a bit easier on your body, definitely go slow and take plenty of breaks along the way.

Steep dirt path along the Roy's Peak Track going up the mountain. — Here you can get a sense for how steep the Roy’s Peak Track is. The trail has an incline like this for almost the entire journey. There are very few flat sections.

Do Your Best to Follow the Trail

While the trail is generally easy to follow, there were several areas where I saw some small paths that had been created off the trail. Do your best to avoid these to protect the environment and also make the hike easier for yourself!

My dad and I accidentally took one of these offshoots shortly before reaching the summit, and it made it significantly harder. We didn’t see the main trail ahead and followed others. It turns out the main trail continued and just curved slightly around the mountain, which is why we didn’t see it.

If you suddenly find yourself on a much narrower and more difficult path, you’ve likely gone off trail. The trail stays fairly wide throughout the entire route, so try to keep that in mind and you should be fine.

Bring Lots of Water and Sunscreen

Since you’ll be hiking for several hours and could have some harsh sun exposure, be sure to carry plenty of water and sunscreen. I recommend carrying at least 2-3L of water.

You might consider bringing an electrolyte beverage as well to help replace salts you sweat out. I’m a big fan of Nuun electrolyte tablets and use them for both hiking and marathon running.

Don’t Forget a Headlamp

With hiking in the dark, you’ll want to bring a headlamp so you can easily see ahead hands free. Make sure to check that it’s fully charged the night before as you’ll need it for several hours if you hike to the summit for sunrise.

Mikala taking a selfie on the Roy's Peak summit at sunrise wearing her headlamp. — Enjoying Roy’s Peak summit at sunrise. By the time we reached the summit, I had only just stopped using my headlamp.

Use Hiking Poles if You Have Them

My legs felt like jello at the end of this hike and that was WITH poles. I can’t imagine doing the Roy’s Peak hike without them.

If you don’t have poles, don’t sweat it. Plenty of people do the hike without them. But if you plan to do other big hikes, definitely consider buying a pair as they will relieve much of the strain on your muscles.

Hiking poles don’t have to be expensive. I personally use this pair that sells for about $65. No need to spend hundreds of dollars.

Visit at the Right Time of Year

It’s best to hike this trail during summer months unless you’re an experienced winter hiker. The mountain gets snow and ice in the winter and an area towards the top typically has avalanche risks then.

Note that the trail closes October 1 through November 10 each year for lambing season.

Bright orange sun appearing over the horizon over Wānaka and Lake Wānaka, taken from the Roy's Peak summit. — View of the sunrise over Wānaka and Lake Wānaka from the Roy’s Peak summit.

Other Popular Hikes Nearby

If you’re in the area for several days and looking for additional hikes nearby, here are some popular ones:

Isthmus Peak Track: This hike just outside of Wānaka provides similar views but is often quieter than the Roy’s Peak hike.
Rob Roy Track: I heard amazing things about this hike where you can see glaciers, but it’s farther out of town and apparently has some fiord crossings that you have to drive through. If there has been heavy rain, it’s only possible to reach this trailhead with a 4×4 vehicle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions when it comes to hiking at sunrise for the Roy’s Peak hike.

How long does it take to walk up Roy’s Peak?

The average person takes about 3 to 4 hours to hike to the summit of Roy’s Peak. The track has a steep ascent, so it can take longer depending on how fast you hike and how many breaks you need along the way.

Is Roy’s Peak better for sunrise or sunset?

In my opinion, Roy’s Peak is better at sunrise because you can avoid the heat of the day for the challenging ascent up the mountain. I also think it’s easier to navigate the trail in the dark on the way up instead of on the way down.

What time to leave for Roy’s Peak sunrise?

The time you need to leave to see the sunrise from Roy’s Peak will vary based on the time of year and how long you think you’ll need to reach the summit. You can check sunrise times here. You will see the start of sunrise before the official sunrise time listed, so you’ll want to aim to reach the top a little before that time if you can.

Do I need hiking shoes for Roy’s Peak?

While the trail isn’t very technical, it is quite steep. It’s ideal to hike in hiking boots or trail shoes.

If you don’t have either, you can probably do the hike in regular athletic shoes, but you will need to be more careful on the way down. I don’t recommend this because it will make the already difficult descent even harder.

Are there toilets on Roy’s Peak?

There is one toilet near the famous viewpoint not far from the summit and one at the parking lot at the trailhead.

The famous Wānaka tree in Lake Wānaka on a sunny clear afternoon. — The famous Wānaka tree, also known as #thatwanakatree. It’s definitely a funny touristy thing to do, but I enjoyed walking along the lake from town to see this unique tree in the water.

Where to Stay in Wānaka

As a small but popular vacation town, it can sometimes be hard finding accommodations in Wānaka. I definitely recommend booking well in advance if you can. Here are a few places I recommend:

📍Budget Option: Haka House Wānaka has some of the best reviews among hostels in the area. It’s centrally located with a mix of shared dorms and private rooms. I didn’t stay at this Haka House location but stayed at another in Mount Cook and was really impressed with how nice it was.

📍Mid-Range Option: Clearbrook Motels Wānaka offers spacious and clean rooms with washers and dryers. This hotel has off-street parking for guests.

📍Luxury Option: Marina Terrace Accommodation Limited offers stunning lakefront views from many of its apartment-style rooms. This newer hotel has two pools and a gym. Guests rave about the comfort and design of the rooms.

Mikala taking a selfie with her hand up in the air in front of Fox Glacier while on a heli hiking tour in New Zealand. — Enjoying hiking on Fox Glacier.

Consider Adding a Glacier Hike to Your Itinerary

Doing the Roy’s Peak sunrise hike was so beautiful, peaceful, and one of those rare moments that felt totally worth it. I hesitated at first (because, hello, sleep), but I’m so glad I trusted my instincts and went. Watching the sky light up over Lake Wānaka was something I’ll always remember.

If you’re planning your New Zealand trip and love unforgettable views and challenging hikes, sunrise at Roy’s Peak is a moment worth chasing.

And if you’re craving more epic scenery? Check out one of my other absolute favorite activities on the South Island, just three hours away from Wānaka: a helicopter hike on Fox Glacier. Picture flying over alpine landscapes and exploring bright blue ice formations.

Roy’s Peak Sunrise: A Bucket List Hike Worth Waking Up For