From hiking across Spain to teaching English in Thailand, Caitlin has been a wanderer for most of her adult life. She is an expert in traveling around Southeast Asia and giving out travel tips. Her passions include making music, exploring new places, and eating waffles.
If you do a web search for “things to do in New Zealand,” Milford Sound will be one of the first results you see. And for good reason! Milford Sound is one of the country’s most beautiful areas. But the real gem of the Sound is Milford Track, which has often been described as the “finest walk in the world” and one of New Zealand’s Great Walks.
Filled with incredible views and stunning natural beauty, this 53 km long hike ending in Milford Sound is one of the most popular attractions on New Zealand’s South Island. It’s a great hike for both avid outdoors enthusiasts and newbies just looking to get into hiking. From sparkling lakes to snowy peaks and wooded trails, it’s got something for everyone!
Milford Track is frequented by hikers from all over the world. Each year, around 14,000 visitors come to explore the area.
Drawn by the chance to trek through some of the world’s most beautiful natural scenery, Milford Track attracts a wide range of travelers and adventurers. It can be a serious undertaking if you’re looking to do the entire thing, but portions of the trail are wide, flat, and perfect for beginner hikers, too.
The trail spans 53.5 km (or 32.2 miles), starting in Glade Wharf at the head of Lake Te Anau and continuing through scenic forests, peaks, and valleys before ending up at Sandfly Point in Milford Sound where boats, kayaks, and cruises are a popular means to explore.
One of the most unique aspects of this trail is that it winds its way through a wide variety of natural areas. If you walk the entire track, you will pass through wetlands, rainforests, waterfalls, and even an alpine pass. Few other locations offer such an impressive range of environments.
The trail was first used by the Māori people to collect, transport, and trade jade found in southern New Zealand. In 1888, Scottish explorer Quinton McKinnon discovered a pass that could be traversed by tourists, now known as MacKinnon Pass.
He began guiding walking tours through his route from Lake Te Anau, through MacKinnon Pass, the highest point on the track, and ending at Milford Sound creating what would become one of the best walking and trekking tracks in New Zealand.
Milford Track and Milford Sound are located in New Zealand’s Fiordlands, in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand’s largest national park. It is so beautiful that Rudyard Kipling even described the area as the ‘eighth wonder of the world’.
Due to the steep terrain, high rainfall, and dense vegetation, the Fiordlands have remained relatively untouched by development and seem an isolated haven in nature.
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Unlike certain popular treks, like the Appalachian Trail in the U.S., Milford Track isn’t a huge undertaking only suitable for trained hikers. It’s possible to do the entire track at a moderate pace in about four days. While the terrain is relatively flat for a lot of the route, there is a steep incline in the middle of the track.
You should be in good physical condition if you want to attempt to walk the entire trail. Conveniently, there are huts and shelters set up along the way with limited bunks to accommodate hikers.
The terrain on the track varies from smooth, well-formed dirt paths to rocky, sometimes uneven areas. The parts of the track that are well formed have sturdy bridges to cross small streams or rivers and may have steps to help you on the moderate inclines.
On the rougher parts of the track, you may occasionally have to cross over streams or deal with muddy areas and drainage during rain, and you will encounter several steep inclines and downhill sections. Never the less, this hike is considered one of the best things to do in New Zealand.
When is The Best Time to Go
The best time to go is during Summer which is known as the Great Walk Season. This runs from late October through late April. We recommend the team behind OnlyLuxe who has local guides who live and work in the area, making them really knowledgeable on the ins and outs of the track.
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One of the nice things about Milford Track is that you can experience the stunning beauty of the trail without having to commit to an entire four-day trek. You can walk the best sections of the track or stay on a cruise/luxury lodges in Te Anau.
As mentioned, you can even take a cruise around the area and experience the beautiful scenery of southern New Zealand from the water. These trips are great for getting away from the tourists that can overwhelm the area during the day, letting you experience the natural beauty in peace
If you want to see and explore more of the Fiorlands, you can also walk another four different tracks in the area like the Routeburn Track, Kepler Track, and Hollyford Track. Routeburn Track and Kepler Track are both Great Walks of New Zealand and are considered musts!
Other unique adventures in Milford Sound:
Luxury Milford Sound Cruise
Kayak Milford Sound
Milford Sound & Fiordland Guided Cycling
There are such a variety of fantastic options to choose from, you can customize your journey to the historic Milford Track and make it your own personal adventure. Now that you know what you’ve been missing, be sure and make plans to visit this unforgettable destination.
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