Milford Track Guided Walk

The Walk
The History of the walk
Important Information

The Milford Track Guided Walk is an amazing 5 day / 4 night adventure, traversing the heart of Fiordland National Park on "the finest walk in the world" from Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound. We include the full length of it on our 14-day Manuka trips, and you'll be accompanied by experienced Milford Track guides for this section.

Day 1 Queenstown to Glade House - 1.6km/1 mile, 20 minutes walking

Your adventure begins at the rear of the Station Building, at the corner of Shotover & Camp Streets, Queenstown (9.15am check-in) where you'll catch a coach to Te Anau (departing 9.30am) arriving in time for a light lunch and a group photo. If you join the group in Te Anau, your briefing will be at 9.30am in the Centra Hotel. After lunch you drive to Te Anau Downs boat harbour, where a launch waits to take you up to the spectacular northern end of Lake Te Anau. From the wharf it is a short walk to historic Glade House, our first lodge, for a hot shower, a filling meal and a comfortable bunk.

Day 2 Glade House to Pompolona Lodge - 16km/10miles, 5-7 hours walking

After crossing the emerald green Clinton River, you follow it up the valley to the Hirere Falls lunch shelter. The beech forest gets more luxuriant the further you go, until it releases you on to the Prairie. From this meadow you can capture the true nature of the ice carved Clinton Canyon. It is a short climb to Pompolona Lodge from here.

Day 3 Pompolona Lodge to Quintin Lodge - 15km/9miles, 6-8 hours walking

This is the most demanding day, especially in inclement weather. The track leads to Lake Mintaro at the head of the Clinton Valley, before climbing the Mackinnon Pass in a series of zig-zags. Take your time. At the top you will be rewarded with endless views and lunch in Pass Hut. After the rocky descent into the Arthur Valley, you will welcome a hot cup of tea at Quintin Lodge. It should be enough to refresh you for the 90-minute round trip to the Sutherland Falls, the world's fifth highest cascade.

Day 4 Quintin Lodge to Mitre Peak - 21km/13 miles, 6-8 hours walking

Your final day on the track. You walk down the Arthur Valley to Boatshed for a cup of tea; on past MacKay Falls and Bell Rock, which was turned out of the river during a particularly violent flood, to the lunch spot at Giants' Gate waterfall. The final stretch of the track follows tranquil Lake Ada to Sandfly Point, where according to Maori legend the goddess Te Hine-nui-te-po released the sandfly to stop men lingering too long on the beauty of Fiordland. From here it is a short launch trip to Mitre Peak Lodge where you will enjoy a celebratory dinner.

Day 5 Milford Sound to Queenstown - No walking

After breakfast you will board one of the Real Journeys Milford Sound Cruises for a cruise on Milford Sound. Watch for dolphins and fur seals and pray for rain. (No-one believes us, but the waterfalls are absolutely incredible during a downpour!). Following the cruise, you start your spectacular journey through the heart of the Fiordland National Park to the Homer Tunnel and on to Te Anau. After a light lunch we continue to Queenstown arriving at approximately 3.30pm. A spectacular option for the return is a scenic flight back to Queenstown this afternoon, retracing your steps from a bird's eye view.

The Milford Track Guided Walk. In the Footsteps of History

Donald Sutherland, the first European resident of Milford Sound who discovered the Sutherland Falls in 1880, adding to Milford's reputation as the Eighth Wonder of the World. Sutherland started building a walking track up the Arthur Valley so visitors could be shown his falls, but the rugged Fiordland coast limited access to Milford and finding an overland route from the great lakes of the interior became an imperative.

In September 1888, Quintin Mackinnon and Ernest Mitchell set off to build a track up the Clinton Valley at the northern end of Lake Te Anau. Persistent rain soaked them to the skin, wetted all available firewood and eventually caused a flood that washed away their provisions. After beating a retreat to Te Anau Downs for new supplies, they returned to the valley and on 16 October, 1888 crossed a pass, which lead to the Arthur Valley, Sutherland Falls and Milford Sound.

The pass was named in honour of Mackinnon and the first track was completed within two years. In 1890 it was a lengthy expedition to Milford Sound. It could take days to row up Lake Te Anau. Mackinnon, who was the first guide, did his best with kaka (a native parrot) and pigeon stew, and his famous pompolonas (scones made from mutton fat candles). It was not uncommon to be hut-bound by flooding for several days at a time, and at the end of it all, you had to walk back the way you came.

Sutherland was reportedly rather piqued the pass had eluded him for 8 years and he insisted on calling it the Balloon Saddle, adding that he could have discovered it at any time if he had wanted to. He regarded Milford as his own, and his rather brisk attitude towards city folk (or "asphalters" as he called them) is noted by many of the walkers who signed the visitor's book in the chalet he built at Milford in 1891.

Your Fitness. Are You Up to the Challenge?

The Milford Track is neither easy nor difficult. It is a challenge that people of all ages and abilities will relish. To enjoy your walk, you need to be able to carry a medium sized backpack containing your personal belongings and a sleeping sheet (which is provided) for 6-8 hours over 15-21kms (9-13 miles) of mountain tracks each day. We encourage you to walk at your own pace. There is no pressure to walk with others or to keep up with the fastest walkers. There is always a guide at the rear of the party. The track surfaces vary from smooth well-formed paths to rough terrain broken by rocks and tree roots. There are steep rocky down hill sections and you may have to ford small streams and wade in deep water after heavy rain. We recommend you wear hiking boots, which provide firm ankle support. If you are not a regular walker, we suggest you begin a daily walking regime 6-8 weeks before departure. Gradually increasing the distance you walk, carrying a backpack and staircase or hill climbing will leave you even better prepared to enjoy your challenge.

Guides & Safety

Your guides are trained outdoor enthusiasts who will explain the natural and human history of the area you are walking through. They pride themselves on their safe, efficient and friendly service, and provide everything from a warming cup of tea at lunch to an evening briefing on the following day's walk. All guides are trained in first aid and are in portable radio contact with each other, the lodges and our Queenstown base at all times. Your safety is of paramount importance to us, and your guides' decisions must be adhered to.

Food & Lodging

When you arrive at our clean, private lodges at the end of your day's walk, you will be greeted by one of our friendly staff who will have afternoon tea waiting. After a hot shower, you can make use of our hand laundry facilities and efficient drying room, before joining your fellow walkers in a board game or sing-a-long accompanied by the piano or guitar. We provide you with a sustaining three course meal, catered to you dietary needs. New Zealand wine is served with the meal. You are welcome to provide your own liquid refreshments if you want a night cap before sinking into your comfortable bunk bed. Warm duvets and pillows are provided, but if they are not enough to take the edge of a cool night, you can warm your bed with a hot water bottle. The lodges have their own electricity supply. Hair dryers are provided, and flush toilets at the lodges add a little extra comfort. We start the day with a hearty breakfast and farewell you with a fresh cut lunch, which you carry.

The Briefing

You must attend an essential briefing on the evening prior to the departure of your guided walk. Here we can answer any of your questions, issue you with a sleeping sheet, lend you a backpack and raincoat if you need them, and arrange your departure details for the following morning. It is your chance to meet you travelling companions and confirm any special dietary or medical needs with the Milford Track Guided Walk staff.

Please meet at 4.00pm at the Ultimate Hikes office, Level 1, The Station Building, corner of Shotover and Camp Streets in Queenstown. If you are unable to attend this briefing it is essential that you advise us where you are staying in Queenstown so we can deliver a back pack, raincoat and briefing notes.

What You Need to Bring for the Milford Track Guided Walk

The following is a list of essential equipment. At the pre-departure briefing in Queenstown, you are welcome to borrow a raincoat, backpack, linens etc. for the walk, or you can bring your own if you prefer.

We do not recommend you walk in cotton garments, jeans or silk thermals. Perspiration means you are likely to feel damp and cold inside the best raincoat. We recommend you put all your clothing in plastic bags inside your pack liner for added rain protection. Keep your pack as light as possible while still taking the essentials. Hand laundry facilities (including drying rooms) are available in the lodges, so you really only need to wear one set of walking clothing and carry one set of clothes for the lodge. Remember, a lighter pack will enhance your experience.

Provided by Milford Track Guided Walk (free of charge, or you can bring your own)

• Waterproof raincoat with hood
• Backpack, 40-litre capacity
• Plastic pack liner
• Sleeping sheet with pillowslip
• Towel

For Walking

• Boots or strong walking shoes, preferably with ankle support
• Wool or polyproylene thermal underwear (top & bottom) is essential
• Warm hat
• Wool sweater or fleece top
• T-shirt for fine days
• Gloves
• Shorts for walking
• Wool socks - two pairs
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Water Bottle
• Camera & film

For Evenings

• Shirt or Sweater
• Trousers, skirt or sweat pants
• Underwear - two sets
• Sandals or lightweight shoes
• Pajamas or night wear (keep in mind you may be sharing a mixed-gender dorm)
• Handkerchiefs, not tissues
• Toilet requisites (soap, shampoo & conditioner are provided)

Optional items you may want to include

• Sun hat and sunglasses
• Swimsuit
• Spare laces
• Journal
• Second skin for blisters