The Routeburn Track, situated on the south island of New Zealand, is a 32 km or 2-4 day track winding through beech-forested valleys, alongside pristine green rivers and snow covered mountains. The route takes you through New Zealand’s Southern Alps, passing through the varied landscapes of Mt Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks. The track is well managed with warm huts offering cooking facilities and clean drinking water; be sure to book well in advance.
There are several ways of doing this walk including starting with a boat cruise along Milford Sound followed by a bus back to the Divide Shelter. Start walking up the mountain to Lake Mackenzie Hut stopping over night, followed by a solid 5-6 hours trek hike to Routeburn Falls Hut. Day two offers the best views with a steep asset to the magnificent Lake Harris. Day three is another 5-6 hour trek to Routeburn Shelther where you pick up a bus back to Queenstown.
The Routeburn Track is a spectacular walk featuring a variety of terrain from raging rivers, misty forests, rugged mountainous paths and alpine lakes. The snow covered mountains in the distance provide a dramatic backdrop, however, make sure you take all the correct gear as we experienced torrential rain, snow, sunshine and wind in the middle of summer.
