Routeburn Track - Queenstown / NZ

I am a person not planning much or hardly anything going on vacation. This time at least I planned that much to book my huts months in advance as the Routeburn Track is one of the Great Walks of New Zealand and the huts on its way are quickly fully booked a long time in advance.

I picked this track as the explanation sounded good to me. Now it comes, if I would have had a look in advance where it starts and ends I would have chosen a different track. Not that I didn't like it itself, but you need to keep in mind, it starts (or ends) at the Queenstown side and ends (or starts) at Milford Road.

This either means you park your car at one end and take a bus to the other end which is a 4hrs drive or you pay a fortune for one of the relocation companies who drive your car to the other end (e.g. http://www.easyhike.co.nz/ or http://trackhopper.co.nz/ ) 
Finally, I decided for myself to visit Milford the one day, camp and leave my car at "The Divide" and... 

I took a bus to Queenstown (I already had booked it in Te Anau, it is pretty packed), met a friend and stayed there for the day and night. 
On your way you need to make a stop in Mossburn and have a break in Bracken Hall it's a little shop and has fantastic homemade cakes, muffins, pies and good coffee. 
Short excursion about Queenstown:

Waiting for a burger at Ferg

The city is famous for all it's crazy activities I can't tell anything about them as I didn't stay long enough. 

Catching up with J. a friend from home and friends

Be aware, I hardly ever have booked anything in advance especially in cities known to back-
packers. But everything was fully booked, even the tents were rented out. I was so lucky right at that time a friend (Thank you Jessica) was working in Queenstown and she could borrow a tent from her hostel and I stayed at the campsite, freeeezzzzing.
You need to eat a great burger from Ferg. You will know you are right when you see a 20m and longer lining up (but it doesn't take too long) at the door. 
Have a fantastic icecream from Patagonia at the esplanade. Sit at the beach and watch the sunset and you need to listen to the great piano player (lovely story about him here). You won't feel anything different than life is perfect :-) 

The Piano man

Just a beautiful evening

On the way to Glenorchy

In the morning I took a bus to the starting point of the Routeburn Track which is near Glenorchy 48km from Queenstown. I decided to take the first bus to avoid going the track with too many day-tripper. 

Description of the Track

The Routeburn Track is a 33km Walk starting at the Routeburn Shelter (at 600m). I read that you can do it in 2 to 4 days. As I didn't organize anything beforehand, which I should have done, I wouldn't had decided to go it in 3 days, 2 would have been enough. Ok, walking on your own you are quicker and I had no idea if the Track is rough. I can tell they are very well "maintained" though no issue at all walking the track. 

At Routeburn Flats Hut

At Routeburn Falls Hut

After 6,5km quite flat walk, you get to the Routeburn Flats Hut. You can stay there or also camp, I was told you can do a nice walk further down this track. I just followed it a little bit and turned again to go up to the Routeburn Falls Hut. You will reach it after a little uphill walk of another 2,5km.
There are two rooms with each 24 bunks, above of the trampers camp a "lounge" is located, for guided groups only who have paid a few k for a guided tour and sky tv in the rooms (crazy).

Being at the hut at 12:30pm, mmmh, what to do. I left my sleeping bag and went on walking up the mountain to Harris Saddle.

I told you the Track is well maintained, they even work with explosives

 

From Harris Saddle you need to go up to Conical Hill (1515m). Especially when you have good weather conditions. It's a fantastic view up there!

On top of Conical Hill

View from Conical onto Harris Saddle

A bit windy on Conical Hill

Afterwards I went back and had a good night talking to families and couples at the Routeburn Falls Hut. 

As usual staying at a hut everybody is up early. Leaving at 8:40 in the morning up to Harris Saddle again and going on amazing nature around you. 
 

From Falls Hut to Lake Mackenzie Hut you need to walk 11,3km. First uphill to Harris Saddle, straight and downhill. Before the hut there is mossy forest part, I felt like being in a fairy tale.
The hut is located at Mackenzie Lake and definitely worth a rest. 
I had booked for this hut, but again I arrived midday though decided to walk on.
 

Mystic mossy forest

View on Lake Mackenzie

Earland Falls

Another 8,6km further going the same level and downhill, fantastic views you will pass Earland Falls. Another fantastic place and time for afternoon tea ;-) 
And then you will I reach Lake Howden Hut.

Green, green moss green

The Ranger of Falls Hut was so kind to rebook my stay from Mackenzie to Howden Hut. As it's near to the end / start of the Track chances are high to get a bunk.
Buuut, I was told by two rangers that I need to do the Gertrude Saddle hike at Milford Road. Walking on and getting to my car I would be able to do the walk next day :-)
Yes, I walked on.

Lake Howden

Consequently I walked on after bathing my feet in Howden lake.
Again, I couldn't just walk on without going up to Key Summit. Even getting tired and "climbin" up this hill it was a great view - again ;-) You can do a nature walk up there. This one I didn't do, having enough nature for the last hours. 

View from Key Summit

Seeing the parking lot at The Divide

Another 3,4km from Howden Hut I got to The Divide and therewith to my car at Milford Road at 5pm.

If you are used to walking (what I wasn't anymore after 3 lazy months in Asia ;-) ) you can do the whole Track in 2 days. You could even do it in one day, but enjoying the nature I would book one night at Mackenzie and jump into the lake in the morning and do it again in 2 days. 

"Big" Campsite at Lake Gunn

This night I stayed at the big campsite at Lake Gunn. Jumped into the river where it just got out of the lake itself. Refreshing after two days of tramping.
The night it started raining and raining and pouring and I didn't go up Gertrude the next day, though left the Fjordlands heading North.

Milford Road and Milford Sound / NZ

Inbetween Curio Bay and Te Anau I didn't do much. Short stop in Invercargill and up to the West via Lumsden, but just because I changed plans inbetween ;-). I would recommend to followo route 99 the Scenic route.

Milford Road

I stayed at Camp Fjordland Great Views Holiday Park nearby Te Anau and started at 8 in the morning down Milford Road.

Tip: there is no petrol station on Milford roaf, though you have to refuel in Te Anau, which is for sure more expensive than in other cities ;-)

I had booked a boat trip for Milford Sound already in Te Anau with "Go Orange". They are good and I got them recommended. The boat is not that huge as others, but also not the smallest. No idea, if other companies would be better or worth. Nevertheless, my boat trip was scheduled for 2pm, giving me a few hours to explore the stops at the road. 

Lake Mistletoe

My first stop was Lake Mistletoe. You really need to stop here. To the lake itself you walk just about 10 min and nobody has been there, as a 30min walk is mentioned on the sign, too long for many tourists especially buses ;-)
The round walk is not that exciting, but the lake looks fantastic.

Lake Mirror

Next, I really stopped at Lake Mirror as all busses and tourists do. It's a walkaway along a kind of bridge, starting at one point at the road and no 50m later they get picked up from their bus at the other end. This lake is more a pond and nice, maybe the weather didn't make it that "mirrorlike" as it could be, but yeah, it takes you 5 min.

View from Pops View

At Pops View, I experienced the famous Keas for the first time. They are known for their intelligence and not just try to take everything apart they get in their beak. Why, does any adventure company parks their truck with all their bikes at a parking space where Keas are busy ;-) ?

Keas at work ;-)

Inside the Homer tunnel

Next you get to the Homer Tunnel. It's a one lane tunnel build in 1954 and an experience to drive through.

Chasm walk

You can make another stop at the Chasm Walk. It's not hilarious as other spots, but nice. About 15min, time you always have.

Milford Sound from Milford

Arriving at Milford Sound, which is kind of a little "village" with a restaurant an expensive hotel and a small airport to make flights over the Fjordland.
(When I got back to Te Anau, I watched a 30 min movie "Ata Whenna" in the cinema. It runs several times a day. After I watched it, I thought about doing a flight once).

I walked along the shore a little bit and took thousands of pics :-). Generally it's raining an average of 200 days a year around Milford and I had been lucky. Sunshine :-) !!! Otherwise, it read it must be even more fantastic when the rain fills up the waterfalls.

Tip: Bring your anti-mossy spray against the sand flies! 
I read, the sand flies are in the Fjordlands otherwise the people would never leave and they give them the reason to go back again ;-) 
I believe. 

One of the falls

Why is it called a Sound and Fjordland and what's the difference anyway? 
A Fjord was build by glaciers and a Sound by dropping water level. As Milford Sound had been called Sound all the time, they left the name, but the whole area including Doubtful Sound is renamed to Fjordland. You may guess, the whole area exists due to former glaciers. 

At 2pm I started my boat trip and it's great. You pass several waterfalls. Bowen falls is a 520 feet waterfall crashing into the fjord. 
You really need to do a boat tour, it's the best way to see the Fjord from the water.

Lazy seals

Bowen falls

One of the most beautiful places ever for afternoon "tea"

After my trip I left the sound again through the Homer Tunnel and did  a hike still early daytime.

I went up to Lake Marian. It's a fantastic hike, even going up and down the same way. Due to all the rain, it's just so green you can not describe it, if you haven't seen it. It's a path through the woods and when you reach the lake it's just worth every meter you walked. 

Next to the sound this was the best place on Milford Sound. 

At Lake Marian

Lake Marian

Lake Marian

Lake Gunn

I spend the night at Lake Gunn Campsite. There are two sites at Lake Gunn, a huge one and this very small one for approx. 5 cars/vans, tent sites - no campervans. Just a toilet not more, but a fantastic view on Lake Gunn. 
A lovely Dutch couple invited me to a good glass of NZ wine and with good mossy spray all over us we sat, chatted and watched the sunset and longer and life was just good :-)

 

Tip: I got recommended "Gertrude Walk". I was told it's nothing for people who do not hike. I really wanted to do it, but after my return to Milford when I had finished the Routeburn trail it was pouring, though I couldn't. Next time...

On Lake Gunn Walk

Furthermore I did the Lake Gunn Nature Walk after my return from Routeburn Trail. If you stay at the big Campsite of Lake Gunn, it starts there, just do it.