The Milford Track

Now we came to the highlight of or tour, the 33.5 mile Milford Track.

We left Franz Josef pretty early in the morning to make the long drive to Queenstown. The weather was brilliant, so we took the scenic route through Cardona and over a high pass, coming down through many switchbacks into the valley that Queenstown sets. On the way we stopped by Arrowtown, an old gold mining town, then into Queenstown.



Queenstown is a resort city, with plenty of action. During winter it serves several ski areas in the region, while in the summer, it sits on Lake Wakatipu, and is the gateway to the Southern Alps.

We spent the night in Queenstown, in a room overlooking the lake. Nice room but a terrible bed!

Next day, we were bussed to Lake Te Ahau. We boarded a boat which took us to the very northern tip of the lake, which is the start of the track. From there we had a short walk to Glade House, our first overnight lodge.

The Milford Track is in a National Park, and access is limited. There are “huts” for the guided tours, like ours, which are really more like lodges with showers and dining facilities. There are also huts for independent hikers, with bunks and cooking and bathroom facilities.

It’s a very nice way to hike. You carry just clothes and toiletries with you on the guided walks, the guide service provided all the meals.

The second day’s hike took us through rain forest and across rivers and streams. The third day was the most impressive, we walked over MacKinnon Pass and down to our next lodge, a pretty tough 9 mile hike. At the lodge, there was an optional side trip to Sutherland Falls, we decided we had just enough energy to make that, so off we went.

MacKinnon Monument at the Pass

It was worth the effort, the falls are over 1900 feet high, and the water falling makes a strong wind at the bottom of the falls, so you get quite wet from just standing near them! It was the wettest part of the whole hike. We had unbelievable luck with the weather, with virtually no rain, and great conditions over the pass. Even the guides remarked about our luck with the weather.

Sutherland Falls

Day 4 was the last day of walking, but also the longest at 13 miles. It was relatively flat, but were feeling the affects of yesterday’s climb and descent. We came to the trail’s end in the afternoon and were picked up by a small boat which took us across the Sound to our last lodge, a very large place with all the comforts of home.

The next morning we boarded a ship and took a cruise on Milford Sound up to its mouth at the Tasman Sea. We saw seals and even some rare penguins. After the cruise, it was back on a bus for the ride back to Queenstown. Our room was at the same hotel as before, but this time we had a better view and a better mattress!

Milford Sound

click here for Milford Track pix

I haven’t put too much detail into this account to keep it brief, so it may understate the awesome beauty of this place. Look at a few of the pictures I’m posting, that might help. But the point is, this was a fantastic experience. You enjoy some of the world’s best hiking, and also enjoy the company of fellow hikers from all over the world. I really recommend this hike.