Trekking the Milford Track, New Zealand will take you around deep blue waters surrounding tall mountains coated with lush trees. Your hiking boots stomp over the seldom even track while you go through chilly mountainsides and humid rainforests. Then, you discover beautiful streams and lakes that make you feel like you just stepped out of this planet. If you want to have the best hiking experience of your life, New Zealand provides you with the “world’s greatest walk”: the Milford Track.
Activity/Place Highlights
A 4-day trip
As you walk through the core of South Island’s fiord wilderness, you will cross native rainforests, icy valley systems, and high mountains. Eventually, you reach Mackinnon Pass, and then head down past rivers and cascades, such as the impressive Sutherland Falls. Next, you will be staring at the mesmerizing Milford Sound, and its imposing Mitre Peak.
Pick your level of difficulty
Before you start trekking the Milford Track, you get to choose how comfortable your experience is going to be. There’s an easy option of the trek, where you get guided walks, lodge accommodation and, therefore, hot showers. Besides, you get full meals and even a glass of wine at the end of each day.
On the other hand, if you take the hard option, you walk independently, staying in the little huts along the way. Not to mention you wil have to bring and cook your own food. For obvious reasons, I don’t recommend the latter for beginners.
Te Anau Lake
If you decide to experience the Milford Track on a guided walk, you start your trip in Queenstown. Guides will give you a few instructions before you take a coach to Te Anau. Here, you will be getting a boat ride to the head of the stunning Te Anau Lake. Meanwhile, the boat ride offers amazing views that reflect on the lake water, enhanced by high peaks in the distance covered with thick forest. After you arrive, you will walk a fern-lined trail for about 20 minutes to your next stop and first lodge, the Glade House.
Day 2 on the Milford Track
For the second day of the Milford Track, you’ll get your first taste of excitement thanks to a suspension bridge over the Clinton River. After that little rush of adrenaline, you’ll go through deep beech woods past Mackinnon’s cabin to the Wetland Walk path. This path will lead you to a one of a kind reserve area for ferns and mosses. Make sure to enjoy the even ground as you walk down the old workhorse trail, because then you have to climb to the western section of the Clinton Valley. Its 1220-meter walls will make you feel as small as an ant.
Source by david takes photos on Flickr – Under Creative Commons license
Your third day gets higher
You’ll spend your second night at the comfortable Pompolona Lodge. However, you’ll have to get up as soon as the sun starts to rise to have enough time for the intimidating climb to the 1073-meter high Mackinnon Pass. You’ll cross another wobbly, zigzagging suspension bridge before the actual climb begins
As you get higher, you’ll reach the Nicholas Cirque, a large natural amphitheater at the top of the Clinton Valley. Then, it will only take you one final push to finally get to the memorial cairn that honors Quintin Mackinnon and Ernest Mitchell, the two men who pioneered the trek back in 1888. Finally, you will be rewarded with a great sense of accomplishment and beautiful views of mountain peaks and valley systems stretching as far as you can see.
Source by david takes photos on Flickr – Under Creative Commons license
Source by Neil Hunt on Flickr – Under Creative Commons license
The Milford Track trails along the edges of the impressive Mount Balloon before you walk down another 6 km to Quinton Lodge. Try to get a grip on your surroundings; icy streams and towering cliffs will be all around you. However, the path is uneven and jagged so be careful as you go down. You’ll even find a lovely boardwalk that will allow you to walk through a valley of fascinating waterfalls.
The Sutherland Falls
If your body is still in good enough condition, try taking the 90-minute walk back from Quinton Lodge to the Sutherland Falls, the fifth highest waterfall in the world.
Source by david takes photos on Flickr – Under Creative Commons license
Source by david takes photos on Flickr – Under Creative Commons license
The end of your journey!
After these past three days of nonstop activity, the final part of this adventure will feel like nothing to you. Thankfully, the path steadily goes down and, by less than half of it, you’ll have some even ground to walk on. Lake Ada will announce that you are nearing Sandfly Point, where you’ll be finally able to take off your boots and get on a boat that will take you to majestic glacial Milford Sound.
The best way to finish your trip is to embark the Milford Mariner sailing boat and to take a quiet overnight journey to experience the sunset over the Tasman Sea. You will only have to stroll on the deck and enjoy the colorful landscape.
Source by david takes photos on Flickr – Under Creative Commons license
How to get there
A couple of airlines fly every day directly to Queenstown, including Air New Zealand.
Inside Information
The Dairy Guest House, offers comfortable accommodation in Queenstown before and after your trek. You can contact Ultimate Hikes to arrange guided walks, and then cruise with Real Journeys through Milford Sound on the Milford Mariner to finish your trip. And if you want to end your experience with a cherry on top, take a flight back to Queenstown and contemplate the breathtaking views.
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