Roys Peak is the most famous hike in Wanaka. But there’s a cool alternative to Roys Peak, Isthmus Peak.
It’d be fun to do both, but if you can only do one, the Roys Peak vs Isthmus Peak debate begins. Which one do you choose?
Roys Peak on top, and a beautiful sunrise on Isthmus Peak on the bottom.
That depends. And depends on you alone. But I’ll give you my two cents, along with the answers to common FAQs.
And yes, I’ve hiked both Isthmus Peak and Roys Peak (those links are my articles on each) multiple times so I’m not just guessing anything here.
MY THOUGHTS ON ROYS PEAK VS ISTHMUS PEAK
It doesn’t take long until you get awesome views of Lake Hawea on the Isthmus Peak Track
If I could only do one of them for the rest of my life I’d choose Isthmus Peak.
Why?
- The hike has more interesting terrain
- You get to see both Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea
- It’s not as popular
While I think Ben Lomond is way better than Roys Peak, it’s a closer call choosing between Roys Peak or Isthmus Peak.
Do you suffer from FOMO and really want that Roys Peak photo? Go do Roys Peak, you won’t regret it.
COMMON QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN ROYS PEAK OR ISTHMUS PEAK
The view walking down from Roys Peak
How far is each hike?
Roys Peak: To the famous viewpoint (most people do this), it’s 13km return. To the true summit of Roys Peak is a 16km return.
Isthmus Peak: It’s just under 16km return to the summit.
Which is harder Isthmus Peak or Roys Peak?
You can argue both ways as they’re a similar distance and elevation gain. I’ll go with Isthmus Peak as the harder hike.
The terrain isn’t quite as smooth as Roys Peak. You’ve got various types to get used to, and a couple of steep pinches.
What is the highest summit?
Roy Peak summit: The actual summit is 1578 metres above sea level, but most people get to the viewpoint which is about 1400 metres above sea level.
Isthmus Peak summit: The summit is 1386 metres above sea level, very close tot he same as the famous viewpoint above.
A couple of sheep and a view on the Isthmus Peak Track.
What’s the elevation gain of Isthmus Peak and Roys Peak?
Isthmus Peak: There’s about 1200 metres of elevation gain on the ascent, and 100 metres on the way down for a total elevation gain of 1300 metres.
Roys Peak: There’s about 1000 metres of elevation gain to the famous viewpoint, and 1200 metres to the summit of Roys Peak.
Is it worth doing both?
Yes. In a dream world, we’d do all the hikes, right?
I’ve heard of a few people who have hiked both on the same day. While that’s not feasible for most at an enjoyable distance, you can easily do them in two days.
Are they both open year-round?
Roys Peak is closed for lambing from the 1st of October to the 10th of November each year.
Isthmus Peak is closed for fawning from November 20th to December 20th each year. On the adjacent Glen Dene Staion, hunting takes place from March to May…this has never been an issue, just make sure to stay visible.
There’ll be times throughout winter when it’s not safe to hike either, usually in winter. Always have a chat with the local DOC centre before hiking in the winter.
What has the best views?
If you’re looking for the photo that’s going to get the most Instagram likes, you have to get that view from the famous viewpoint on Roys Peak.
But I’ll give Isthmus Peak credit for the better views on the way up. I love how you get to see Lake Hawea almost straight away. It’s such a gorgeous lake. But the summit view is not nearly as cool asRoys Peak.
What’s the easiest one to access?
Roys Peak. It’s less than a 10-minute drive to reach the carpark from Wanaka. Isthmus Peak is easy enough to drive to but is a 30-minute drive away.
The alternatives such as a shuttle, biking, and hitching are all much easier for Roys Peak.
There’s a lot more parking available at Roys Peak too.
Are dogs allowed on Isthmus Peak or Roys Peak?
No. There’s a full ban on dogs on both tracks.
Can I hike them safely in winter?
In short, yes. There are definitely periods in winter where there’ll be hardly any snow all the way to the summit making it relatively easy to get to the summit. But if there’s been a decent amount of snowfall, then things will get icy and dicey. So much so that you may need an ice axe and crampons to get to the summit. Roys Peak also has some avalanche terrain above 1000 metres.
If you’d like to hike these in winter, I’d visit the local DOC centers to get the latest advice. And if you do end up going in the winter, be prepared to turn back.
Are there any other good Isthmus Peak and Roys Peak alternatives nearby?
Roys Peak: The most popular alternative is Isthmus Peak, which some will say is better than Roys Peak. If you think Roys Peak might be a bit hard, then the Rocky Mountain and Diamond Lake walk is another awesome option. And of course, you can continue beyond Roys Peak and complete the Wanaka Skyline Track.
Isthmus Peak: The obvious alternatives are on the otherside of Lake Hawea. You could go up Breast Hill or Grandview Mountain Track.
But there are so many epic hikes in the Wanaka Region.
Whether you do Roys Peak or Isthmus Peak, you’ll have a blast. Once you’ve chosen one, commit!
If you’ve got any questions about which one is best for you, leave a comment below or email me jub@churnewzealand.com.
Alternatively, let me know which one you prefer 😉
Hey, it’s Jub here. I’m the guy behind Chur New Zealand, helping you have the best time hiking, trekking, walking…whatever you want to call it…in NZ. I’m based in Queenstown and am always out and about exploring trails, old & new. If you have any questions, reach out.