Bay of Many Coves Campsite
Backcountry campsiteLocated in Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area, MarlboroughOpen
- Booking
- Can book
- Cost
- from $10
- Power
- None
- Toilet
- Non-flush
- Drinking water
- Boil first
- Dogs
- No dogs
Getting there
We have not checked a road end or car park for this place yet, so we do not give driving directions to it. Check how to get there before you go. Some routes cross private land and need the landowner's permission.
How to get there, on doc.govt.nzWalking and mountain bike access only from the Queen Charlotte Track. It is a 3 hr walk from Kenepuru Saddle.
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Map and tracks
Track lines: DOC Te Papa Atawhai. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Topo map: LINZ, CC BY 4.0. 41.17168° S, 174.14187° E

About this place
Walk or mountain bike in to this backcountry campsite in the Marlborough Sounds. Access is from the Queen Charlotte Track. There is no drive in access.
On the way here
Queen Charlotte Track · 3-5 days
Camp Bay to Torea Saddle
Walk time: 8 hr (3 hr to Bay of Many Coves campsite, 6 hr to Black Rock campsite) 24.5 km The track passes through private land in this section. Make sure you have your Q.C.L.T.C. Pass. This is the longest and most arduous section of the journey. Most mountain bikers will need to push their bike in various places here. From the top of the ridge you will be well rewarded with magnificent panoramas of the Sounds. Climb out of Camp Bay to Kenepuru Saddle and follow the ridge separating Queen Charlotte Sound from Kenepuru Sound. Above Bay of Many Coves and Kumutoto Bay are two DOC campsites, Bay of Many Coves and Black Rock. Eventually the track descends to Torea Saddle between Portage and Torea Bay. There is a DOC campsite at Cowshed Bay and private accommodation in Portage Bay.
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Fees and bookings
The DOC Campsite Pass can be used at this campsite. Te Araroa – The Trail Pass Te Araroa Trail walkers should register and purchase the Te Araroa Trail Pass .
Bookings are open for stays up to 30 June 2027. If no availability shows online for your dates, the campsite is fully booked. No spaces are kept for campers arriving without a booking. Phone and in‑person bookings made at a visitor centre incur a $10 service fee. Same‑day bookings are available online until 8 pm if spaces remain. Book Bay of Many Coves Campsite online . Book well in advance for the peak period from 1 December - 28 February and for public holiday weekends.
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Nearby stops
Camp Bay Campsite
Standard • Marlborough • 4.9 km
Camp Bay Campsite is located in a sheltered bay in Marlborough and offers fishing, boating, walking, and mountain biking. A nearby lodge provides a bar, small…
Non-powered/tent sites • Shelter for cooking • Toilets - flush
Black Rock Campsite
Backcountry • Marlborough • 7.2 km
Black Rock Campsite is a walk-in or mountain bike-in campsite located in the Marlborough Sounds. It is accessed from the Queen Charlotte Track, as there is no…
Non-powered/tent sites • Water from tap - not treated, boil before use • Toilets - non-flush
Schoolhouse Bay Campsite
Backcountry • Marlborough • 9.7 km
Schoolhouse Bay Campsite is a sheltered, east-facing bay in the Marlborough region. It offers access to walking, boating, mountain biking, and fishing in the…
Non-powered/tent sites • Water from tap - not treated, boil before use • Toilets - non-flush
Cowshed Bay Campsite
Standard • Marlborough • 9.8 km
Cowshed Bay Campsite is located in the Marlborough region and offers a setting surrounded by native bush. It provides access to Kenepuru Sound by boat and is…
Non-powered/tent sites • Shelter for cooking • Shower - cold
Davies Bay Campsite
Backcountry • Marlborough • 19.1 km
Davies Bay Campsite is a large waterfront site on a shallow bay in Marlborough, suitable for boating and swimming. Campers can choose between waterfront spots…
Non-powered/tent sites • Shelter for cooking • Water from tap - not treated, boil before use
Walks nearby
Contact
Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough information
Regional DOC service centre.
Notes from people who have been
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Sources
- OpenStreetMap Campsites · ODbL (Open Database License)Contains information from OpenStreetMap, made available under the ODbL.
- DOC Campsites · CC BY 4.0Data sourced from the Department of Conservation (DOC), New Zealand.
- DOC Campsites (API) · CC BY 4.0Crown Copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai. Data sourced from the DOC Developer Portal (api.doc.govt.nz).



