Milford Track Adventure

We’ll spend most of today hiking the Inland Pack Track through temperate rainforest and limestone canyons in the footsteps of the gold miners who established this trail over a century ago. We’ll also follow the Truman Track to a rocky cove and check out the famous Pancake Rocks and blowholes – aptly named limestone formations that have been sculpted through relentless pounding by the Tasman Sea. The Punakaiki coastline is a magnet to marine wildlife, including little blue penguins and Hector’s dolphin (the world’s smallest) that can sometimes be seen close to shore.
Accommodation: Scenic Hotel Punakaiki
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 4 miles (6 kilometers), 2-3 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 425 feet (130 meters) ascent, 425 feet (130 meters) descent

We’ll travel down the coast to hike the Point Elizabeth track through native coastal forest and flax. The fibers of the flax plant are a traditional resource for Maori, used for weaving a variety of baskets, mats and clothing. Then it’s on to Hokitika where we’ll stretch our legs and check out local art galleries and pounamu-carving workshops (pounamu is Maori for jade). We’ll continue south and stop off in Okarito, a little-known beach community on the coast, for a relaxing hike through lush coastal forest or along the black sand beach.

We’ll then carry on down the windswept coast to Franz Josef. Nestled in the rainforest-clad foothills of the Southern Alps, Franz Josef is the heart of New Zealand's glacier country.

After dark, we can head out to look for the eerie lights of Arachnocampa luminosa – the native glowworm – and listen for some of New Zealand’s nocturnal birdlife such as the distinctive hoot of the morepork owl.
Accommodation: Rainforest Retreat, Franz Josef
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 2.6 miles (4.2 kilometers), 1-2 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 394 feet (120 meters) ascent, 394 feet (120 meters) descent

With some 140 glaciers making their way down from the Southern Alps, this area is fittingly known as glacier country. Few sights equal the spectacle of this giant frozen river (Franz Josef Glacier) imperceptibly grinding its way down through the temperate rainforest to just 820 feet (250 meters) above sea level. We’ll take a morning walk to the historic Tartare Tunnels, and then continue on to Franz Josef Glacier where we’ll walk to an incredible view of the terminal face.

From Franz Josef, we’ll travel down the coast through lush rainforest and inland to Makarora, a small village bordering Mt. Aspiring National Park, with incredible views of the snow-capped mountains.
Accommodation: Wonderland Lodge, Makarora
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tatare Tunnels Hike: 2.2 miles (3.5 kilometers), 1-2 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 395 feet (120 meters) ascent, 395 feet (120 meters) descent

Franz Josef Glacier Terminal Face Hike: 1 miles (1.7 kilometers), 30mins
Elevation Gain/Loss: 65 feet (20 meters) ascent, 65 feet (20 meters) descent

This morning we’ll hike the Rocky Mountain track, a spectacular circuit through an area carved out by ice-age glaciers, with stands of native forest and shrub land. We’ll enjoy lunch after our hike in Wanaka, then it’s a short but dramatic drive over the Cardrona Saddle to Queenstown on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, our base for the next couple of nights. You’ll have time to explore and plan your free day tomorrow before dinner. You'll sleep in this beautiful alpine town.
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Queenstown
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Hiking: 4.5 miles (7 kilometers), 2-3 hours OR 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers), 1 hour
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,230 feet (375 meters)  ascent, 1,230 feet (375 meters) descent

Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand (if not the world!) and all the comforts of civilization are packed into this tiny resort town: restaurants galore, stylish lounge bars, day spas, and boutiques. You’ll also find incredible optional activities here including horse trekking, fishing, winery tours, a historic steamship, bungy jumping, jet boating, and skydiving as well as some great hiking opportunities. Or you can just soak up the atmosphere at one of many local cafés.

Your guides will happily share their favorite haunts and point you in the right direction for your free day today.

This afternoon, there’s a pre-departure briefing for the Milford Track Guided Walk if you’ve chosen that option.
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Queenstown
Meals: Breakfast

DAY 7 OPTION A
Great Walks of New Zealand: Overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound
Variety is the spice of life and that’s exactly what this option is all about - hike three of New Zealand’s Great Walks and take an overnight cruise, all in five days - it’s unheard of! We kick things off with a relaxed breakfast, and a drive to the lakeside town of Manapouri, where our journey into Doubtful Sound begins.

We’ll board a boat for the cruise across Lake Manapouri, before a drive over Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove where we’ll board the Fiordland Navigator for our overnight cruise. Doubtful Sound is a large and remote wilderness area, where you’ll have the opportunity to take a kayak out on the water or hop aboard the tender craft for a guided exploration of the fiord, and in the right season, you may catch a glimpse of the rare Fiordland crested penguin.

Tonight, you’ll sleep in a private room with ensuite aboard the Fiordland Navigator.
Accommodation: Fiordland Navigator, Doubtful Sound
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7 OPTION B
Milford Track: Boat ride and hike Milford Track (extra fee applies)
The 5-day/4-night Milford Track is one of the first-established and best-known walking tracks in the country. It takes in glacial peaks, a mountain pass, New Zealand’s highest waterfall, and the dense rainforest of Fiordland. You’ll have four days of exercise, good food and great scenery as you walk 53 kilometers (33 miles) from Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound. Because you’re doing the guided walk, you’ll just be carrying a few essentials and a packed lunch each day, so your pack won’t be much heavier than what you’d bring on a regular day hike. Everything else is provided, including excellent meals at the lodges and on the trail, hot showers, bedding, specialist Milford Track guides, and even hairdryers in the rooms!

For the first three nights, you’ll stay in comfortable mountain lodges, in four and six-bed bunk rooms with shared bathroom facilities. If you prefer your own bedroom and bathroom, contact us for the latest private room rates. On the fourth night, you’ll stay at Mitre Peak Lodge, a hotel exclusively for Milford Track Guided Walk hikers.

From Queenstown, we’ll head to Lake Te Anau, stopping for lunch along the way. We take a boat to the head of the lake to the start of the Milford Track. It’s a short, easy walk to Glade House, where we stay our first night. (Note: The Milford Track option increases this adventure to a Level 4 on our Activity Level scale.)
Accommodation: Glade House, Milford Track
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 1 mile (1.6 kilometers), 0.5-1 hour

DAY 8 OPTION A
Great Walks of New Zealand: Cruise in Doubtful Sound, hike Kepler Track
You’ll wake in the middle of Doubtful Sound and after breakfast we’ll retrace our journey back to Manapouri. From there we’ll tick off a section of the Kepler Track. Interestingly, the Kepler Track differs from the Routeburn and Milford Tracks in that it didn’t actually evolve from a necessary Maori greenstone trail, but was custom-built for hiking. The section we’ll hike today passes over the control gates at the outlet of Lake Te Anau and meanders through ancient beech and podocarp forest.
Accommodation: Distinction Hotel & Villas, Te Anau
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 6 miles (9.5 kilometers), 2-3 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 165 feet (50 meters) ascent, 165 feet (50 meters) descent

DAY 8 OPTION B
Milford Track: Hike in beech forest
We start the day by crossing Clinton River and hiking through lush beech forest to Hirere Falls, where we’ll have lunch. After crossing the prairie, the track gets a little steeper as we climb up to Pompolona Lodge. Today’s highlights include spectacular flora and stunning views up the ice-carved Clinton Canyon toward McKinnon Pass.
Accommodation: Pompolona Lodge, Milford Track
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 10 miles (16 kilometers), 5-7 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 665 feet (200 meters) ascent 
(Note: The Milford Track option increases this adventure to a Level 4 on our Activity Level scale.)

DAY 9 OPTION A
Great Walks of New Zealand: Hike Milford Track, cruise Milford Sound
After an early breakfast, we’ll drive to Milford Sound where you'll have breathtaking views of New Zealand's most photographed mountain, Mitre Peak. We'll take a short boat ride across Milford Sound to hike from Sandfly Point to the Giant Gates waterfall, a spectacular section of the famed Milford Track. The forest here is lush and rich with mosses and ferns as we follow the Arthur River past Lake Ada. By hiking from the Milford Sound trailhead, you'll enjoy the majestic backdrop of the surrounding peaks.

Once we return to the Milford wharf, we’ll board a boat for a two-hour nature cruise to the head of this spectacular fiord. Later we'll head back to Te Anau enjoying the stunning native forest and mountain views along the way.
Accommodation: Distinction Hotel & Villas, Te Anau
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 6 miles (10 kilometers), 3-4 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 985 feet (300 meters) ascent, 985 feet (300 meters) descent

DAY 9 OPTION B
Milford Track: Hike McKinnon Pass
Today is the most spectacular day of the Milford Track! We climb a series of switchbacks to cross McKinnon Pass and from the top, the views of Arthur Valley and the surrounding peaks are just magnificent. We’ll lunch at Pass Hut, then head down to Quintin Lodge.

After some refreshments, a 90-minute round-trip hike will lead us to Sutherland Falls, the fifth highest waterfall in the world.
Accommodation: Quintin Lodge, Milford Track
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 9 miles (16 kilometers), 6-8 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss:  2,295 feet (700 meters) ascent, 2,820 feet (860 meters) descent
(Note: The Milford Track option increases this adventure to a Level 4 on our Activity Level scale.)

DAY 10 OPTION A
Great Walks of New Zealand: Hike Routeburn Track, Takahe Bird Park
This morning we’ll drive to the Divide, where we’ll hike part of the Routeburn Track, the third of the Great Walks you’ll experience. We hike through beech forest, subalpine shrub land and picturesque alpine tarns, before reaching Key Summit. Here you’ll be standing at the head of three different valleys (the Hollyford, Eglinton and Greenstone), with stunning views over the Great Divide, which separates west and east flowing rivers.

Afterwards we’ll head back to Te Anau and head for the Department of Conservation birdlife park. The centre takes care of injured or aging birds which would struggle to survive in the wild - it’s a great opportunity to see some of our rarest birds up close, so don’t forget your camera!
Accommodation: Distinction Hotel & Villas, Te Anau
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 4.2 miles (6.8 kilometers), 3-4 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1540 feet (470 meters) ascent, 1540 feet (470 meters) descent

DAY 10 OPTION B
Milford Track: Hike to Milford Sound
This is your last day on the Milford Track. It’s 13 miles (21 kilometers) of varied terrain, slightly downhill, with no significant climbs. The small waterfalls to be found alongside the track make for a delightful hike today. At the trailhead at Sandfly Point, you’ll be picked up for a short cruise across Milford Sound to the marina, and arrive at Mitre Peak Lodge for a night.

We’ll be staying at the only hotel in the area (Milford Track hikers have exclusive use of it), and with the memories of the last few days you’ll almost regret being back near civilization!
Accommodation: Mitre Peak Lodge, Milford Sound
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 13 miles (20 kilometers), 6-8 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 720 feet (220 meters) ascent, 720 feet (220 meters) descent
(Note: The Milford Track option increases this adventure to a Level 4 on our Activity Level scale.)

DAY 11 OPTION A
Great Walks of New Zealand: Gondola ride, hike Ben Lomond Saddle
Today we’ll drive back along the shores of Lake Wakatipu to Queenstown, and take a ride on the gondola to the top of a tree-covered rocky crag, known as Bob’s Peak, to start our alpine hike. We pass through open alpine tussockland to the Ben Lomond saddle and will be rewarded with panoramic views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu, surrounded by the often snow-covered Southern Alps. 

Tonight you’ll dine out on your own in Queenstown at one of the many excellent restaurants.
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Queenstown
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Hiking: 4.3 miles (7 kilometers), 3-5 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,704 feet (530 meters) ascent, 1,704 feet (530 meters) descent

DAY 11 OPTION B
Milford Track: Cruise Milford Sound
This morning, we’ll enjoy a cruise to explore the full length of Milford Sound and the ship’s captain will nose the boat right up to some magnificent waterfalls that plunge into the fiord. Keep your eyes open for native New Zealand fur seals relaxing on the rocks and the chance to spot dolphins swimming alongside us. An option when you return to Milford Sound village is to take a stunning scenic helicopter flight, which will have you back in Queenstown for a free afternoon to enjoy (scenic helicopter flight option approx. US$650 per person).

The rest will take the scenic journey back via Te Anau to Queenstown, where you’ll dine out on your own at one of the many excellent restaurants.
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Queenstown
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, we head out around Lake Wakatipu to the Mt. Crichton Scenic Reserve, where we’ll hike the Sam Summers Track. This area was mined for gold until the 1930s and there are still many relics to be seen along the way. After hiking, we’ll continue on to a local winery. This region’s dry and sunny climate is ideal for grape growing and is becoming well known for producing world-class pinot noir and other quality wines.

We’ll enjoy a glass or two and then head to Lake Ohau Lodge. Here we’re staying beside a beautiful alpine lake, with stunning views stretching across to Aoraki/Mt. Cook and the Southern Alps - an ideal spot to soak in the hot tub!
Accommodation: Lake Ohau Lodge, Lake Ohau
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 4.6 miles (7.4 kilometers), 3-4 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,165 feet (355 meters) ascent, 1,165 feet (355 meters) descent

A short distance away is Mt. Cook, named Aoraki or ‘cloud piercer’ by South Island Maori, the highest mountain in New Zealand. Directly opposite Aoraki/Mt. Cook, we have a stunning day hike to the main ridge above Mueller Glacier. This area has a unique alpine environment and includes endemic flora such as the Mt. Cook lily (Ranunculus lyallii), the world’s largest buttercup. Many of our clients have said this is the best hike they’ve ever done and it’s a fine way to finish off a great trip. It’s a bit of a hike, but you’ll remember the view of the glacier and the surrounding peaks forever! The weather conditions are very important in this area, as it’s a true alpine climate notorious for sudden weather shifts.

If we aren’t able to do the Sealy Tarns Hike, or you’d like to take it a little easier, there’s an impressive hike up to a glacial lake (complete with icebergs!) at the base of the Hooker Glacier.

After hiking, we’ll relax at our lodge nestled right in the heart of Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park.
Accommodation: Aoraki/ Mt Cook Alpine Lodge, Mt Cook Village
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Sealy Tarns Hike: 3.2 miles (5.1 kilometers), 4-5 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 2,132 feet (650 meters) ascent, 2,132 feet (650 meters) descent

Hooker Valley Hike: 5.6 miles (9 kilometers), 3-4 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 328 feet (100 meters) ascent, 328 feet (100 meters) descent

This is the last day of your trip and we’ll leave you refreshed and invigorated from the good food, exercise, rest, and great times you’ll have had with us in New Zealand!
Accommodation: Not applicable
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Note: If you're keen to extend your trip and see what the North Island has to offer (Maori culture, pristine beaches and geothermal areas) check out our 11-day Ultimate North Island Adventure (5-day options also available).