Great Walk Series: Milford Return Track | Fiordland

My fifth Great Walk! Yay.

To think that a week before we departed for the tramp, we were still mulling over our chances of visiting this track before our visa expired.

So many factors were at play then – bad weather looming around the Fiordland for the rest of the week; our next job as Hops Trainer in Tapawera starts in ten days; meeting the minimum pax to charter a private ferry to the start of the track; and a fully-booked Milford Track throughout the Great Walk season, which would begin in three weeks.

But as the Chinese saying goes – 天時地利人和. We somehow got away with the tramp as luck was by our side. The bad weather came towards the end of our track, allowing us to at least enjoy the best parts of Milford in good weather. Our ferry company managed to find more people to meet the minimum number of six.

Yay! No need to pay quadruple the amount to walk the track or face the crowds. Not that we would be able to book anyway…

The Milford Track has been on my to-do list during our Tour de South Island in winter. But it was a challenge to find enough people to charter a ferry. In the end, we chose to do the administratively easier Kepler and Routeburn Tracks.

As with the Routeburn Track, a freak downpour and flood partially destroyed the Milford Track earlier this year. Only parts of the route were open. We had to return to the starting point to exit the track. Both Routeburn and Milford Tracks have now been restored, so you could complete the whole trail without worry.

Best Time to Visit

If you’ve read through my previous Great Walk posts, you’ll know that I’m biased towards tramping during the off-season. Pretty much all the Great Walks I’ve done were during the Winter/ Spring period. That’s when the accommodation prices are low, and the crowds are next to none.

But, as with all alpine tracks, proper care is required. Make sure you’re equipped for the mountains and understand the hazards involved. Avalanches’ risks are real. You would need to check with DOC on the weather condition before departing. Make sure you rent a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon)! You would never know when it will come in handy.

More About the Track

The Milford Track is a 53.5 km one-way route that may be comfortably completed within four days. The nearest town to the track is Te Anau.

However, unlike the other Great Walks, you would need an aqua taxi to get in and out of the track. Traversing through Dore Pass is an alternative best suited for highly experienced trampers.

And, unlike the other Great Walks, this track can only be completed in one direction. You cannot do it the other way around, i.e. Sandfly Point to Glade Wharf, during the season.

Getting There

There are actually two ways to get into the track.

The conventional and easier route would cost you at least NZD 90. Take the aqua taxi from a small wharf at Te Anau Downs, which is about 30 mins drive or 27 km away from Te Anau. It’ll take you about an hour to reach the start of the track, Glade Wharf. You would have to check and book the service beforehand during the off-season when trips are irregular.

Alternatively, if you think you’re strong and up for a challenge, why not attempt to cross Dore Pass and reach Glade House. Dore Pass is challenging during summer and deadlier during winter. Reserve at least eight hours to traverse it. River crossing experience is needed.

All companies offering aqua taxi services would be able to arrange for your water transport out from Milford Track at Sandfly Bay. Remember to organise a car relocation or shuttle service to bring you back to the start of the track or your home base since the end is at Milford Sound.

Accommodation

The Milford Track has more fancy lodges and shelters than the other Great Walks. It is, after all, advertised as ‘the finest walk in the world!’, according to several sources that you can google, but here’s a random example.

The fancy houses are for the all-in guided walks which could set you back by at least NZD 2000 per person.

For us budget-conscious trampers who are here for the wilderness rather than some fancy glamping, you have only the huts.

What about the campsites? Sorry folks, maybe it is the branding or the environment, but camping is prohibited on this track.

Huts cost NZD 15 per night during the off-season or NZD 70 during the peak period. There are three huts on the track, which must be reserved in sequence and in advance. Again, unlike other Great Walks, you must book all huts and stay in them in sequential order during the season.

The Track in Brief

Day 1: Glade Wharf to Mintaro Hut (21.5 km)

• Reached Glade Wharf around 10 am
• Easy, short walk to Clinton Hut through the forest
• Walking through the forest and a valley of waterfalls
• Lunch stop at Hirere Falls Shelter
• Gradual ascent to Mintaro Hut
• Several river crossings after the bus stop shelter
• Side trip: Hidden waterfall within the valley

Day 2: Sutherland Falls return (30 km)

• Tough and long day – started early as we had to cross Mackinnon Pass twice
• Gradual ascent to the iconic memorial
• Steady drop to the valley fall, through several waterfalls
• Trip to Sutherland Falls from the Quintin Shelter
• Reroute back to Mintaro Hut

Day 3: Mintaro Hut to Clinton Hut (16.5 km)

• As Day 1

Day 4: Clinton Hut to Glade Wharf (5 km)

• Torrential rain in the morning
• Spent the day nursing my blistered-covered feet from Day 2

Items to Note

• Reserve in advance. Hut and transport. Reserve the huts months before the season starts as Milford Track is a very popular track. Arrange for transportation early during the off-season since the schedule is irregular. You’d need to meet the minimum number to charter a private ferry or pay more to offset the numbers.
• Check the weather. Crucial during the off-season. Discuss Plan B with the ferry operator in case of bad weather.
• River crossing during bad weather. Never do it if you’re not confident. We’ve heard horror stories from DOC about people dying from crossing the turbulent Pompolona and Marlene Creeks. If not for the rainy weather on our 4th day, we would have planned to break the 2nd day into two days and tramp from Mintaro Hut to Glade Wharf on the last day.

• Fill up your water before night sets in. Especially during winter. Water freezes overnight and renders the tap useless. You might not be able to get any water the next morning.
• Crampons, ice axes, and a personal locator beacon (PLB) are necessary during the off-season. There could be heavy snow along the track. Rent them in Te Anau.
• Wear layers during winter. It can get warm on the ridgeline during midday.