Go for the finest walk through glacier-carved valleys and ancient forest of Milford Track, surrounded by towering waterfalls and mystical sceneries. Once a hidden land enclosed by the tall avalanche-prone mountains, Milford Track is now the most run-after, hardest-to-grab Great Walk of New Zealand.
Milford Track Great Walk Booking
All Great Walks in New Zealand require booking in advance for the huts and campsites. Off-site camping is not allowed on the Great Walk tracks. Here is the online booking site for all Great Walk accommodations. Lookout for the opening dates of bookings for each season as the popular great walks tend to get fully booked pretty fast, especially the Milford Track, which would sell out within the hour the season booking opens.
If the slots are fully booked and you are flexible with your dates, you can run through the site’s booking calendar regularly to lookout for any new slots, as people often cancel their booking days/weeks/months before the trip. This was how I managed to grab a spot for the Milford Track. Don’t simply book and cancel though, here are the cancellation fees in detail.
How Many Days To Walk Milford Track?
During Milford Track Great Walk Season (late October – April):
Due to its massive popularity and limited space, the Milford Track can only be done with the 4 days and 3 nights itinerary to maximize the accommodation slots usage. You cannot speedrun through it. There are three huts (Department of Conservation) that you must stay in each night. This makes the experience quite special, as you will meet the same group of hikers staying in the same huts for 3 nights, making new friends with a deeper connection.
If the independent, unguided Milford Track great walk booking is full and you don’t mind spending more for the walk, there is an option to book a guided Milford Track from Ultimate Hikes, where you will stay in their three luxury private lodges, with transports, backpack, food and snacks catered for you, plus a Milford Sound boat cruise. The private lodges are situated 1-1.5 hours before the DoC huts, so independent hikers get a head start. The track wouldn’t feel crowded as independent and guided hikers are less likely to meet each other on track.
Outside Great Walk Season:
Weather and hazards on the Milford Track are not monitored. Avalanche-prone bridges used for crossing major streams are removed and can be impassable. The environment can be extreme (cold, wet, icy, snowy, plus short daylight hours) and the risk of avalanches is very high. Only do it if you have proper alpine, river crossing and navigation skills.
Things I packed for MilfordTrack
- 40L Hiking Backpack from Decathlon with rain cover and a large strong rubbish bag lined inside as additional water protection
- PTT Outdoor’s HIGH PEAK Easy Travel Sleeping Bag (coupon code “MEOW” for RM10 off first time purchase with min RM100, within Malaysia only)
- TOMSHOO sleeping bag liner
- Quechua Hiking Raincoat
- Sun Protect long-sleeved running tee + Quick dry running shorts + Kiprun running socks (for the day)
- Quechua Hiking Fleece Jacket
- Ski base layers top + pants + warm hiking socks + gloves from Decathlon (as sleepwear)
- Extra down jacket (didn’t use but important to bring, just in case)
- Adidas Kampung (not from Adidas, Malaysia’s trusty rubber hiking shoes)
- Flip flops (for walking around huts)
- Sun hat
- First Aid Kit, Compass & Whistle
- Rechargeable headlight (red light recommended for kiwi bird spotting)
- Phone (with booking confirmation pdf file), powerbank & charging cables
- Food and snacks (avocado toasts, wraps, canned tuna, peanut butter shots, muesli, nuts, trail mix, energy bars), paper towels, rubbish bags
- Water bottles (1-2L)
- HydroBlu lightweight waterfilter
- CuloClean portable bidet, some toilet paper
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, soap, hairbrush
- Fire lighter (useful for lighting fire wood if staying in a hut)
- Folding scissors
Before you go, check the weather forecast for Milford Track.
Milford Track - Day 1
I stayed in Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park & Motels the night before the walk, as it is closer to the starting points, compared to the 3 hours drive from the city. I booked their cozy single bed private room as the price was the same as the shared dorms and campgrounds.
If you don’t have a car, tour operators such as CheekyKiwi and Fiordland Outdoors provide track transport services.
How To Get To Milford Track
As Milford Track’s starting and ending points are not connected to any accessible roads, the primary method to get onto the track is via water taxi from Te Anau Boat Launch jetty to Milford Track starting point at Glade Wharf. I booked my transport services (water taxi from jetty to Glade Wharf, water taxi from Sandfly Point track end to Milford Sound, bus shuttle from Milford Sound to jetty car park) with the family operated Cheeky Kiwi Travel.
An alternative way is to start your track at Dore Pass Car Park, taking the challenging 8-hour tramping track of Dore Pass Route to Milford Track. The route is not well-marked and there is a deep river crossing right at the start from the small car park. When it’s foggy, the route can be very difficult to find. Good tramping, navigation and river crossing skills are required for this track. You still need to book the water taxi for the track exit at Sandfly Point.
Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut - 5km
I booked the 2pm water taxi transfer and arrived at the starting point of Milford Track at 3pm. The track is flat and easy on day 1.
(+17)3.17pm: Passing by Glade House, the lodge where guide hikers stay for the first night.
(+5)3.22pm: Crossing the first suspension bridge.
(+5)3.27pm
(+27)3.54pm: Dore Pass Viewpoint. That’s the mountain pass you would climb over if you take the Dore Pass Route to the Milford Track.
(+5)3.59pm: A beautiful short side trip to Wetland Walk.
(+4)4.03pm: Wetland viewpoint.
Clinton river beside the track as you approach Clinton Hut.
A curious South Island Robin.
(+17)4.20pm: Arrived at Clinton Hut. A very short walk for day 1. It’s not a bad idea to bring some heavy weight food to have for your first dinner and breakfast. Someone even brought steak to cook in the hut!
Back to the track to explore some swimming spots near the hut. Also, there is a helicopter landing pad behind the hut with pretty good views around.
Milford Track - Day 2
Clinton Hut to Mintaro Hut - 17.5km
Starting my hike at 9am, I was actually the last to leave the hut as the others were eager to start their walk early. The walk on day 2 is still relatively flat and easy, with mild inclination at the last ⅓ section.
As the track follows along the side of the fast flowing and clear Clinton River, it is a good opportunity to try spotting for the rare Whio (Blue Ducks). These waterfowls are designed to navigate on fast flowing rapids to feed on aquatic insect larvae. Paradise ducks (picture above) are commonly spotted along the river too.
(+80)10.20am: There is a side track to a toilet on the track and the view there is pretty nice.
(+57)11.17am: Open view of the track that goes through Clinton Valley with soaring rock walls closing in from both sides. This explains the high avalanche risk in winter and spring, as large amounts of snow can fall from the steep rock onto the valley with high velocity.
(+15)11.32am: Hirere Shelter, where guided hikers have their lunch served here.
Some fish spotted in the river behind the shelter.
(+14)11.54am: The first view of Mackinnon Pass where you will climb over on the third day.
(+5)11.59am: A short side trip to the ‘Hidden Lake’ (it is signposted), with water flowing down the towering rock wall.
A cheeky weka roaming around the lake as a few groups were having their lunch break.
(+27)12.26pm: Another quick side trip to Prairie Lake and Prairie Falls.
(+8)12.34pm
(+24)12.58pm
(+6)1.04pm: Bus Stop Shelter (nope, there’s no bus around here)
(+4)1.08pm
(+15)1.23pm: A couple of Kākā (large native parrots) hanging on the branches.
(+7)1.30pm
A massive mountain wall with multiple waterfalls.
(+6)1.36pm: The track went a few times from being covered under the canopy, to being exposed to the hot summer sun, and back to the cool forest again.
(+8)1.45pm: The viewpoint of the 230m tall St Quintin Falls.
(+21)2.06pm: Even after a long dry spell, many waterfalls can be seen flowing down from the many steep mountains’ wall. I imagine the views would be epic during the periods of wet weather.
(+23)2.29pm: Back into the shaded forest. Two cheeky wekas spotted combing each other’s feathers.
There’s a gradual inclination on the last ⅓ section of the track before Mintaro Hut.
(+19)2.48pm: Lake Mintaro
(+2)2.50pm: Helipad viewpoint
The view from the helipad.
Mintaro Hut
(+19)3.09pm: Arrived at Mintaro Hut
Mintaro Hut interior
Close to the hut is a nice water hole to take a dip. Cold!
Out of the sudden, a whio (Blue Duck) just flew over a group of us hanging around the water hole, and landed and drifted on the water a few meters away. A rare encounter! Less than 3000 of population, these critically endangered whio can only be found in New Zealand. Appearance of whio indicates high quality of clean water.
Looking around Mintaro Hut, the area is really surrounded by soaring mountains and you can also observe this in Google Maps’ terrain mode (we’ve been walking through a narrow valley with very high mountains on both sides, and it’s a dead end further on, that explains the need to hike up Mackinnon Pass for our onward journey).
Kiwi Spotted!
At nightfall, I tagged along a group to walk the track near the hut to try our luck spotting kiwi birds. We heard their calls from a few different locations, so we knew they were around and active. After about an hour, we had yet to spot any kiwi, and the group went back to the hut to catch their sleep. I decided to stay a little longer and around 15 minutes later, a volleyball sized kiwi bird ran past my legs and then started calling loudly by the bush in front of me! Perseverance does pay out!
Milford Track - Day 3
The next morning, we got a group of loud keas on the trees surrounding the hut doing wake up calls for us. They sound so cute and magical!
Mintaro Hut to Dumpling Hut - 13km
8.03am: Started my day three journey after breakfast and warmups.
(+33)8.36am: A cloudy morning
(+1)8.37am: Hmm…
(+19)8.56am: The walk on day three starts with a significant climb all the way to MacKinnon Pass (1154m) from Mintaro Hut (around 600m), not too hard for casual hikers.
MacKinnon Pass (1,154 meters above sea level)
(+21)9.17am: Arrived slightly below MacKinnon Pass. The mountain pass is named after the explorer, Quintin MacKinnon. His memorial can be found over here.
A cheeky weka roaming around MacKinnon Pass.
A ‘fog bow’ or ‘white rainbow’ appeared over the misty cliff!
When I first arrived here, the views were fogged by the passing clouds.
9.24am: A few groups and I decided to wait for a bit. Less than 10 minutes later, the fog cleared up, revealing the majestic views!
9.53am: I lingered around for 30 minutes as the views were too good. Then, came the clouds again and I continued my way up towards the top of MacKinnon Pass.
Some tarns around the pass.
(+5)9.58am: Five minutes later, the sky cleared up once again!
(+10)10.08am: Reached the highest point of the track at MacKinnon Pass!
I stay around the pass for another 30+ minutes, taking in all the magnificent views.
MacKinnon Pass Shelter
10.50am: Arrived at MacKinnon Pass Shelter (gas stoves available) for a snack break.
(+8)10.58am: From here, the track drops steadily towards the valley floor.
(+5)11.03am: Walking down the beautiful alpine garden!
(+23)11.26am: The junction to the Milford emergency track. This track is used during high avalanche risk periods. It skips the high risk zone, cutting down into the valley and rejoining the track below.
(+20)11.46am: Don’t take the emergency track on a good, low risk day, or you would miss the top highlight of Milford Track up ahead!
Look how many waterfalls are pouring down from the mountains high above! Again, it had been unusually dry for the past 10 days, you can imagine how it would look if it had been raining!
(+8)11.54am
(+4)11.58am: The top leap of Sutherland Falls (New Zealand’s highest waterfall) can be spotted far ahead from here. We’ll be right under the waterfall next!
(+7)12.05pm: Back into the green forest.
Maureen Falls, Dudleigh Falls, Lindsey Falls
(+7)12.12pm: First of the many waterfalls you’ll see along the track is Maureen Falls.
(+54)1.06pm: Dudleigh Falls viewpoint.
(+14)1.20pm: Lindsey Falls
(+9)1.29pm: A day shelter by the side trip junction to Sutherland Falls. Good place to have lunch and regain some strength before heading to the epic falls.
1.43pm: You can leave your backpack at the shelter when you head to Sutherland Falls.
(+13)1.56pm
(+14)2.10pm: First view of the full stretch of New Zealand’s highest waterfall.
(+8)2.18pm: The impressive waterfall drops 580 meters from Lake Quill in three leaps.
Sutherland Falls - Highest Waterfall In New Zealand
(+6)2.24pm: Arrived at the bottom of Sutherland Falls.
Epic waterfall!
The force of the waterfall was strong and I got partially wet just from standing on the lake shore. It’s pretty amazing to have a small shallow lake under such an outstanding waterfall. Epic shower spot too!
Dumpling Hut
4.18pm: Satisfied with the waterfall, I returned to the shelter and headed to Dumpling Hut (<1 hour journey), the third night’s stay.
The water hole near Dumpling Hut. Everyone in the group agrees this was the best (and coldest) one among the huts’ water hole! (Look at that cheeky weka walking on the log haha)
The fast-flowing shallow part to dip just your feet (pretty numbing!) instead of a full body cold plunge.
Milford Track - Day 4
Dumpling Hut to Sandfly Point - 18km
6.50am: Starting early on my last day of the Milford Track to catch the early ride back to civilization.
A bunch of kiwi feathers? That doesn’t look good…
(+38)7.28am
(+33)8.01am
(+15)8.16am
(+15)8.31am: Arthur River suspension bridge
Views from both sides on the bridge
Beautiful, ay?
(+14)8.45am: Crossing the bride of Mackay Creek.
(+2)8.47am: Crawl inside the Bell Rock to see its unique bell shaped room. Try singing and feel the echo!
Mackay Falls viewing platform is just a minute away.
(+43)9.30am: Crossing the bridge of Poseidon Creek.
(+18)9.48am: Paradise ducks and their little footprints.
(+8)9.56am: Walking up the man-made rock track along the side of Arthur River towards Lake Ada. The last 3km of the track was dug by a labor gang of prisoners in 1890, to build a coach road through to Lake Ada. Eventually, severe rain, vicious sandflies and lack of meat and vegetables led to the loss of motivation and cancellation of the road building plan. However, they managed to cut a wide track through to Lake Ada.
Giant Gate Falls
(+48)10.44am: The spectacular Giant Gate Falls.
Far vs Closer
11.08am: After a break by the waterfall, I continued on. I walked past this rock formation where the people call it ‘The Refrigerator’. You’ll understand the name as you would feel a cool breeze flowing out of the gap.
(+32)11.40am: Walking through a big landslide / avalanche area.
(+34)12.14pm
(+9)12.23pm: Arrived at Sandfly Point Shelter, where you can keep yourself away from the sandflies if you arrive too early and have to wait for your water taxi pick up.
(+10)12.33pm: At the water taxi pick up point.
We hopped onto the water taxi at 12.45pm. We rode through Deepwater Basin to Milford Sound, and then the CheekyKiwiJourney bus transferred us back to Te Anau Downs car park.
The ride through the glacier-carved mountains of Milford Sound is too good to miss sleeping in the bus!
I rested for a night at Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers’ cozy shared teepee tent, before heading back to Milford Sound for the cruise tour the next day.
Have this guide helped you? Tag @meowtainpeople in your hiking stories & posts!
*Captain Planet passing by* Remember, please take care of our environment, and please don’t destroy the Nature. Leave no trash behind and take back only photos and memories (and also some trash if you can). Walk on the designated path and stay in the middle as much as you can, so that the exposed soil doesn’t spread/corrode further. BE ONE WITH NATURE *flies away*
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