The Milford Track – Everything you need to know

This article contains everything you need to know about the Milford Track, including the trip itself and the competitive booking process. Please note that this article also contains affiliate links, which means that any sales from these links will reward me with a small commission – at no extra cost to you! So if you like my content, trust my recommendations, and want to purchase any of the below items, then please use the links to do so to help me and this hobby blog out!

I’ve had the privilege of hiking the Milford Track twice in the past decade, and although the weather for each trip was completely different (rainstorm vs. rare four consecutive days of sunshine) I loved every second of it (apart from the sandflies). I know what questions you’ll have, and what information you need to know before completing the trip. So let’s get started!

What is the Milford Track?

The Milford Track is one of New Zealand’s ten (currently) Great Walks. It’s also arguably one of the most popular, with tickets selling out within minutes of opening each year. The track is a one-way hike over four days, from the shores of Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound, through the famous wilderness of Fiordland National Park in the deep south of New Zealand.

How long is the Milford Track?

The Milford Track is 53.5 km / 33.5 mi long (not including side-trips) and takes four days. You aren’t able to walk the track in a shorter time-frame (unless you’re planning on trail running the walk in a day). You can only book for one direction and for all three huts. Camping isn’t really permitted. You have to be 500m from the track, which is virtually impossible in most sections due to the narrow valleys and steep cliffs.

Do I need to have a lot of tramping experience?

No, but if you’ve never done any hiking before then you probably won’t enjoy it anywhere near as much. Some experience would make the trip more enjoyable and safer.

You don’t need to have completed a four-day hike prior to hiking the Milford Track, but it would be helpful to have done at least a few overnight tramps before. That way you’ll have a better idea of what to expect in terms of huts, gear, food, fitness, and carrying a pack.

The track itself is very easy to follow (unless you have extremely poor weather). So you don’t need to be an expert in route-finding either. However, ultimately your safety and decision-making comes down to you and you alone. The rangers can help by providing you with information. But you still need to have the knowledge and skills to determine whether it is safe for you to go on, and what to do if you get into trouble. This includes stream crossing if the rain really sets in and water levels rise.

Should I book a guided walk, or hike independently?

There are two ways to hike the Milford Track – independently using the DOC huts and carrying all your own food & bedding. Or guided, carrying only your clothes + lunch, and staying at the fancy Ultimate Hikes lodges with comfy beds, private rooms, hot showers and chefs cooking you delicious meals each evening.

Your pack will be lighter if you decide to go guided (since you only have to carry your clothes and lunch for the day). It is often easier to get guided tickets. But you’ll still have to walk the same distance on the track. And in my opinion the DOC huts are actually better spaced along the track. The guided walk ends with a long 21km on the last day from Quinton Lodge, compared with 18km from Dumpling Hut. And on top of that, there’s the price tag for the guided hike – NZ$2,230+ per person.

But you do what’s right for you and choose the way that you’ll enjoy the most. You’re still hiking the same amount of distance.

What level of fitness is required?

You’ll need to be able to carry a full pack over (at times) semi-rough terrain for 6+ hours each day. The level of fitness that this will take varies depending on the person and their base fitness. If you’re not sure you can do that for four days in a row, then try a day hike of a similar time. Wear all of your gear and see how you feel during and afterwards. If you’re extremely tired, have painful muscles, or blisters are forming – then you need to do more training and reassess your gear and nutrition/hydration.

I have a blog post all about how you can get tramping fit (and stay that way) which you can check out here. This particular blog post was co-written with a friend who tramps practically every weekend and competes in ultras (including Godzone, twice!) and a lovely physiotherapist colleague, so they really know their stuff!

Map of the Milford Track

The talented Rachel Gamble-Flint has graciously allowed me to share her illustrated map of the Milford Track. Isn’t it amazing! You can check out her work here.

And if you’re wanting a more vanilla (but more accurate map) then here is a topomap of the Milford Track:

When is the best time of year to do the Milford Track?

The weather in Fiordland is unpredictable at best. So there isn’t really a “best time” to hike the Milford Track during the Great Walk season. And honestly the competition for bookings means that the best time will really just be the times that are available when you book your hut tickets. Bookings for the season normally open in June. The Milford Track season is from late October (Spring) to late April (Autumn).

You shouldn’t tramp the Milford Track out of season unless you have backcountry experience in winter conditions. DOC removes most bridges between May – October due to the risk of damage from avalanches. You’ll need to be confident crossing (or more importantly knowing when not to cross) icy cold rivers, as well as alpine passes. There have been fatalities in the past due to inexperience and poor conditions, so if in doubt, don’t go.

How do I book the Milford Track without missing out?

Bookings normally open in June for the following October – April season. The only place to book the Milford Track (for independent walkers) is through the DOC website here. Treat booking the Milford Track like you would buying tickets to a gig from your favourite mainstream artist. Because they sell out, fast!

Here are my top tips to grab a much sought after booking:

• Create a DOC Great Walk account and sign in before bookings open at 9.30am
• Have the names and birth dates of everyone in your party handy (although you can change these with no fee later on)
• Have a few trip dates in mind in case your first or second choices aren’t available
• Have your credit card details saved on your computer (or next to you)

You need to be ready at your computer the minute ticket sales open or you’ll miss out. And if you do miss out in June, keep checking back throughout the season as tickets do become available again when cancellations occur, sometimes very last minute.

The Milford Track isn’t a loop track – you will also need to book transport (both water and road) to get back to your starting point. You take a ferry or water taxi from Te Anau Downs (a 20 minute drive from Te Anau itself) to the trailhead at Glade Wharf. At the other end of the track you take a water taxi to Milford Sound, and then road transport back to Te Anau Downs. There are plenty of options for transport. It can get a bit confusing so I’ve listed all your options in more detail (including approximate costs) below.

How much does the Milford Track cost?

I’m not going to lie – the Milford Track is one of the most expensive hikes in New Zealand. This is in part due to it being a Great Walk (you pay more for the huts since they have better facilities such as cooking gas, lighting and flush toilets). But also due to the fact that you have to pay for boat transport at the start and end of the track. The Milford Track isn’t a loop track, so unless you have a lovely soul willing to pick you up, then you will also have to pay for road transport back to the trailhead on top of the water transport.

Here is a breakdown of the costs (current as of the 2020/2021 season) per person:

• Water transport from Te Anau Downs to the trailhead, and from the end of the track to Milford Sound:
  • Real Journeys: $149
  • Fiordland Outdoors Company: $154
• DOC huts: 3x $78 = $234 (for New Zealand citizens, $330 for visitors)
• Bus from Milford Sound to Te Anau Downs:
  • Tracknet: $65
  • Trips & Tramps: private charter by enquiry
• Car relocation from Te Anau Downs to Milford Sound instead of a bus:
  • Easyhike: $329 per car

What weather should I expect?

Rain

But in all seriousness, Fiordland is one of the wettest places in the world with an average 182 days of rain and 6,813mm of rainfall annually. That means 2/4 days of your hike are likely to be damp. Even in the summer months there is no guarantee of sunshine, and snow can fall on McKinnon Pass at any time of the year (although more likely later in the season). So go in prepared for every season (sometimes all in the same day)! The upside of all the rain though, is amazing waterfalls – the cliffs come alive! And if you’re lucky, you’ll get a bluebird day on the all-important third day for climbing up and over McKinnon Pass.

What do I need to pack for the Milford Track?

Bedding:

• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping bag liner
• Pillow (optional)

Gear:

• Tramping boots
  I absolutely love my Oboz boots. I’m on my second pair and I take them on all of my tramps. I honestly couldn’t rate them highly enough. They are my favourite piece of tramping gear I own.
• Hut shoes
  I grabbed some Croc lookalikes from Number One Shoes specifically for this trip and I loved them, especially the ankle strap so I could walk in the rivers with them.
• 40-60L pack
  My 36L Osprey bag didn’t fit all my gear for a four-day trip, so I used my old but faithful Macpac Esprit Pack which I was given when I was 15, still going strong!
• Hiking poles (optional)
• Bug repellant (NOT optional)
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Headtorch
• First aid kit including blister wool & plasters
• Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)
• Pot, plate and cutlery
• Toiletries

Clothes:

• Warm pants for around the hut or as emergency layer
• Merino / thermal leggings – I wore my quick-drying Lululemon tights with pockets because they’re just so comfy. But I had my thermal leggings as a backup (although never had to use them).
• Shorts (these are my absolute go-to tramping shorts)
• Waterproof over-trousers
• Merino / thermal singlet(s) & a long-sleeved top
• Warm polar fleece
• Waterproof rain-jacket
• Sunhat
• Beanie
• Gloves – merino or polypropylene gloves are warm and quick-drying. Don’t pack your heavy snow gloves unless you’re going to be encountering snow!
• Buff (optional)
• Gaiters (optional)

Food:

• Breakfasts x3 – porridge!
• Lunches x3 – crackers + salmon and soft cheese, as well as home-made savoury scones
• Dinners x3 – we used Back Country Cuisine freeze-dried meals, super light and tasty
• Snacks for four days

What do you NOT need to pack?

• Toilet paper
• Cooking gas
• Water purification (Fiordland water is generally crystal clear and pure)
• Sleeping mat

I have an entire blog post dedicated to what you need to take with you on hikes that goes into much more detail. You can check out here if you want to learn more.

Is the Milford Track New Zealand’s best Great Walk?

I’ve answered that heavyweight question over on my trip report for the Milford Track. (You couldn’t expect me to give away all my secrets in the one article!)

My Milford Track trip report also gives you a detailed break-down of the entire trip from Day 1 to Day 4, including all of the highlights such as McKinnon Pass and Sutherland Falls. So definitely check it out if you’re considering hiking the Milford Track.

I hope if you do decide to tackle the Milford Track, that you have perfect weather (rain or sunshine depending on your preference), and that you love the experience. I know I sure did, both times.

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