Milford + Routeburn Tracks

• Coach from Queenstown to Te Anau Downs
  Your adventure begins in Queenstown. From the Ultimate Hikes Centre, you’ll travel by coach to Te Anau, with a scenic stop for lunch along the way. From there, the journey continues to Te Anau Downs.
• Lake Te Anau Catamaran Transfer
  At Te Anau Downs, you’ll board a RealNZ catamaran for a one-hour cruise across Lake Te Anau. Enjoy onboard commentary as you cross the lake and learn about the history of the region. The boat arrives at Glade Wharf, the official start of the Milford Track.
• Short Walk to Glade House
  From Glade Wharf, it’s a gentle 1.6 km walk to Glade House, your first private lodge on the track. Take your time and soak in the peaceful surroundings as you follow the path through beech forest alongside the Clinton River.‍
• Afternoon Nature Walk
  Once you’ve settled in at the lodge, your guides will take you on a 2km (roughly 1.5 hours) nature walk up the Glade Burn. This is a great introduction to the terrain and a chance to learn about the local environment.‍
• Evening at Glade House
  Relax in the lounge at the lodge with hot drinks and snacks. Wine, beer and soft drinks can be purchased at the bar from late afternoon. A three-course dinner is served in the dining room, followed by a briefing from your guides. It's a relaxed and social evening, giving you the chance to meet your fellow hikers and prepare for the days ahead. Please note the lodge generators turn off at 10pm.

• Breakfast and Departure
  Your day begins once the lodge generators start up, head to the dining room for a continental breakfast, followed by a cooked option. Make your lunch from the preparation tables provided. At the scheduled time, your guides will meet you outside the lodge to begin the day’s walk.
• Glade House to Hirere Hut (Lunch Stop)
  Cross the Clinton River via swing bridge and follow the well-formed track through beech forest. Watch for mile markers and take a short detour near the 2-mile marker to view the Clinton wetlands via boardwalk. You’ll pass Clinton Hut before continuing along the river to Hirere Hut (about 12 km), where you’ll stop for lunch and a hot drink
• Hirere Hut to Prairie Lake(Optional Detour)
  The track leads out of the forest into open grasslands and manuka bush. Weather permitting, take the side trail to Prairie Lake, a stunning alpine tarn where brave swimmers can dip into glacier-fed waters.
• The Prairie to Pompolona Lodge
  Return to the main track and begin a gradual climb through beech forest. The track winds uphill before reaching Marlene’s Creek, a wide usually dry river bed with very large boulders, this for many can be the most challenging part of the day as you navigate over the boulders until you reach Pompolona Lodge.‍
• Evening at Pompolona Lodge
  A lodge host will welcome you, show you to your room and point out the facilities. After a hot shower, you can rinse out your hiking clothes and hang them in the drying room. Enjoy afternoon tea in the lounge before the bar opens in the late afternoon. Dinner is served in the dining room, followed by a short guide briefing for the next day. Generators turn off at 10 pm.

• Pompolona Lodge to Mintaro Hut
  After breakfast and lunch preparation it is time to set off for day 3. The track begins behind the lodge, crossing a dry riverbed before rising steadily through beech forest. Look out for tree fuchsia along the way, its purple flowers are easy to spot. Take your time through this section. At Mintaro Hut, stop to refill your water bottle and use the toilets. This is the last rest point before the pass.
• Mintaro Hut to MacKinnon Memorial
  Cross a footbridge and begin the steady zigzag climb up the Ōmanui / MacKinnon Pass. The climb becomes steeper and more rugged after the 15-mile marker. Tree cover thins as you gain altitude, and the views begin to open up. Higher up, the zigzags stretch out across the exposed face of the pass before reaching the MacKinnon Memorial, a tribute to the first European who discovered this route.
• MacKinnon Memorial to Pass Hut
  Most of the uphill work is behind you. Take a break at the memorial and enjoy a warm drink with your guides. You’ll get sweeping views down into the Arthur Valley. From here, continue over a short final climb to reach Pass Hut, the highest and most exposed point on the track. This is your lunch stop and a chance to rest, change clothing if needed, and refill your water bottle.
• Pass Hut to Anderson Shelter
  Leaving Pass Hut, you’ll begin a steep and rocky descent. The terrain is rough and narrow in places, so take care and use hiking poles if you have them. The descent requires concentration and should be taken slowly. It is narrow in places and traverses the side of the mountain. You will pass the spectacular Anderson Cascades, which tumble beside a wooden staircase. Continue downhill until you reach Anderson Shelter, where you can rest, use the toilet, and have a snack.‍
• Anderson Shelter to Quintin Lodge
  The track continues across a bridge and down a final series of zigzags. Tree roots and large rocks become more frequent underfoot. At the 20-mile marker, you’re about 20-30 minutes from the bottom. Cross another swing bridge to reach Quintin Lodge, where your host will welcome you and show you to your room.‍
• Optional Side Walk: Sutherland Falls
  If time and energy allow, take the 1.5-hour return walk to Sutherland Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in the world. The track climbs gently and crosses two swing bridges. You’ll see the falls in the distance from the second bridge, but we highly recommend continuing to the base. The thunder of the water and the cool spray make this one of the highlights of the entire Milford Track.‍
• Evening at Quintin Lodge
  After a long and rewarding day, settle into the lodge for a hot shower and a well-earned drink. Dinner is served in the dining room, followed by a short briefing about the final day of your walk.

• Quintin Lodge to Boatshed
  Leave Quintin Lodge via the same swing bridge you crossed the day before. The trail follows a gentle downhill gradient, with glimpses of Sutherland Falls in the distance. Around the 22-mile marker, you’ll pass Dumpling Hut. Feel free to stop in and use the toilet, or continue on to Boatshed, your morning tea stop beside the Arthur River. Enjoy a hot drink and a snack, there is still a bit of walking to do before lunch..
• Boatshed to Giants Gate Falls
  After crossing a footbridge, you’ll soon reach Mackay Falls and Bell Rock, a hollowed-out boulder you can stand inside to view the falls. From here, the track continues for about 6.4 km through lush beech forest until you reach Giants Gate Falls, a stunning lunch stop beside the river. You can eat under the shelter or relax on the rocks by the water.
• Giants Gate to Sandfly Point
  After Giants Gate, the track skirts a large slip area created by the 2020 floods. On rainy days, a temporary waterfall often flows down the exposed rockface. The trail then flattens out, making for an easy final walk to Sandfly Point. Wait in the shelter for the Te Namu, your boat transfer to Milford Sound. (And yes, the sandflies here live up to their name.)
• Mitre Peak Lodge
  Your journey ends at Mitre Peak Lodge, located right on the edge of Milford Sound with sweeping views of the iconic Mitre Peak, rising straight from the sea. The lodge offers full electricity, hot baths, and a well-earned chance to rest. In the evening, gather in the lounge for a celebratory drink and your final group dinner.

• Wake up in the heart of Fiordland National Park
  Your day begins at Mitre Peak Lodge, the only accommodation located right on the edge of Milford Sound. Wake to the stillness of the fiord and watch the morning light shift across Mitre Peak, a view few others get to experience.
• Breakfast
  Enjoy breakfast in the dining room and prepare your lunch for the day. Your guides will collect your hiking gear and ensure everything is packed, labelled, and loaded onto the bus. Bring a small day bag with anything you’d like for the cruise and trip to Te Anau. Take the bus to the terminal or enjoy the short walk to the cruise terminal.
• Milford Sound Cruise
  Board a scenic Milford Sound cruise, which travels the length of the fiord out to the Tasman Sea. Along the way, your skipper will share commentary about the region’s geology, wildlife, and history. Keep an eye out for waterfalls, dolphins, seals, and, if you're lucky, Fiordland crested penguins. This cruise is a special end to your hike and a chance to see the landscape you’ve just walked through from the water.
• Bus to Te Anau
  When the cruise returns, your coach will be waiting at the terminal. The journey follows the dramatic Milford Road, through the Homer Tunnel and sweeping valleys of Fiordland, before reaching the lakeside township of Te Anau. You’ll arrive in the early afternoon with time to check into your accommodation and enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace. Please note: dinner this evening, and breakfast the following morning, are not included.

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• Te Anau to The Divide to Key Summit (Optional Side Walk)
  Start the day with breakfast (this is at your own cost). the bus will then pick you up from your accommodation by 9.00am. You'll meet your group at morning tea before carrying on to the Divide and the start of the Routeburn Track. Your guides will hand out picnic lunches and provide guidance on track conditions and help fit packs and poles.‍
• The Divide to Key Summit (Optional Side Walk)
  From The Divide, begin a steep, steady zigzag climb through lush forest. The track is well graded but rocky in places, so take your time. At the top, you’ll reach the Key Summit junction. Leave your pack and follow a boardwalk trail to the summit, an optional hour-long return walk with spectacular panoramic views across three valleys.‍
• Key Summit to Lake Howden
  Back at the junction, collect your pack and begin a steep and rocky descent to Lake Howden, where you can enjoy your packed lunch and a hot drink in the shelter. If you prefer to skip the Key Summit detour, you can head straight down to Lake Howden.‍
• Lake Howden to Mackenzie Lodge
  From Lake Howden, the track climbs gradually through beech forest toward Earland Falls, a stunning 174-metre cascade. Take a rest at the base and soak your feet in the cool, clear water if you like. Beyond the falls, pass through a regenerating forest known as the Orchard, then begin a steep descent into the valley. Watch your footing as the track becomes rough and rocky with large stone steps. Soon, you’ll reach the hebe garden clearing and spot Lake Mackenzie Lodge, your private accommodation for the night‍
• Evening at Mackenzie Lodge
  On arrival, your lodge host will show you to your room. For the adventurous, a refreshing dip in Lake Mackenzie is just a few steps away. Enjoy a hot shower, rinse your hiking gear, and relax in the lounge with snacks and drinks from the bar. A three-course dinner is served in the dining room, followed by a briefing from your guides. Lodge generators turn off at 10 pm.

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• Morning at Lake Mackenzie Lodge
  Generators will turn on to signal the start of your day. Lunch preparation tables and a continental breakfast with tea & coffee, followed by a cooked breakfast, will be set up in the dining room.  Your guides will be waiting outside the Lodge entrance at the scheduled departure time.
• Lake Mackenzie to Ocean Peak Corner
  The track begins alongside Lake Mackenzie, climbing steadily through ancient beech forest. It’s steep, narrow, and root-covered in places. As you rise above the treeline, the trail opens up to panoramic alpine views. Continue across a zigzagging path to Ocean Peak Corner, a scenic rest stop.
• Ocean Peak Corner to Harris Shelter
  From here, the trail follows the exposed Hollyford Face for 4.5 km. Enjoy sweeping views across the Hollyford Valley to Martin’s Bay on clear days. Cross a small stream (your last water stop) before tackling a short, steep staircase. Wind past alpine tarns before arriving at Harris Shelter for lunch and a hot drink.
• Optional Side Walk: Conical Hill
  Weather permitting, take the steep side track behind the shelter up Conical Hill. A lookout two-thirds of the way offers a great view, or continue to the summit for a full panorama over Fiordland to the Tasman Sea. This return walk takes 1.5 to 2 hours. Check with your guide before setting off.‍
• Harris Shelter to Routeburn Falls Lodge
  After lunch, the track skirts Lake Harris and reaches the highest point on the Routeburn Track. Begin your descent into the Routeburn Valley, passing waterfalls and alpine basins. Boardwalks and wide steps help guide you down, but take care on rocky sections — they can be slippery in wet weather. Follow the river down to Routeburn Falls Lodge, where a host will welcome you for another warm meal, hot shower, and relaxed evening in comfort.

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• Routeburn Falls to Routeburn Flats
  After breakfast and lunch making, your guides will see you off on your final day of hiking. The track begins with a steep, rocky descent, opening into a broad path with sweeping views over the Routeburn Flats, including a large open section created by a tree avalanche in 1994. Once on the valley floor, the walking becomes easier. A guide will meet you at the junction to Routeburn Flats Hut, where you can leave your pack and walk five minutes to explore the wide, grassy flats along the Routeburn River.
• Routeburn Flats to Forge Flat
  Follow the trail through red beech forest, with the river nearby. After around 4 km, you’ll reach Forge Flat, a scenic riverside spot ideal for lunch. If conditions are good and you’re brave enough, check with your guide and dip your feet (or more) in the icy turquoise water.
• Forge Flat to Routeburn Shelter
  The final stretch is a relaxed walk through lush forest. Keep an ear out for native birds and enjoy the sound of the river rushing through the gorge below. Take the short nature walk detour, where interpretation panels share insights about the area’s flora, fauna, and forest history. Cross the long suspension bridge and you’ll arrive at the Routeburn Shelter, marking the end of your Routeburn Track journey.‍
• Return to Queenstown
  Your coach will be waiting at the shelter. After collecting any borrowed gear and changing into clean shoes, board the bus for your return journey. Stop for a celebratory drink or snack in Glenorchy, before continuing along the shores of Lake Wakatipu back to Queenstown, arriving at the Ultimate Hikes Centre in the late afternoon.

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