Hiking or Tramping in New Zealand – The Milford Track, Day 1

I have always dreamt of hiking in New Zealand, but have always been put off by visions of endless rain. A country does not get that lush, green and beautiful without lots of rain to make it so.

Plans by my local bushwalking club to string a few NZ trails together was just the nudge I needed to stop being such a big sook and commit.

I’m so glad I did.

Unlike many of my other hiking adventures, this time I chose to hike the Milford Track supported with a company called Ultimate Hikes. Oh, the decadence! 😊 Yes, I still had to carry my own clothes and snacks etc, but the shower, the comfortable beds, drying rooms, three-course dinner and BAR at the end of each day, had me almost skipping along the track. 😊 Who would have thought that this sort of hiking option was the norm for some people? 😊

Let’s go…

Day: 1

Date: Wednesday, 12 February 2025.

From:  Queenstown, NZ                  To: Te Anau & the start of the Milford Track

Distance (Official): 1.6km              Actual: 1.1km

Progress: 1.1km

Time: 15m44s

Ascent: 14m                                       Descent: 8m

Weather: Clear and hot.

Terrain: Level, sandy path (on an access road) through thick brush.

Stayed At: Glade House

General Comments:

• While I am usually up for a hike in whatever format, one of the things I was a bit nervous about on this trip was the size of the group – 50 people!! That is a lot of people to get from Point A to Point B, to get fed and watered etc, but any fears I had were soon allayed. The guides and staff of Ultimate Hikes operate like a well-oiled machine. They simply did not miss a beat.
• And it felt like we were a mini-United Nations all on the same tour bus. About a dozen Koreans, 10 x Americans, 10 x Canadians, a smattering of Aussies and Kiwis, and the rest from various parts of Europe. Obviously, the reputation of the beauty of New Zealand trails has stretched far and wide.

• Before even our boots hit the track, the trip was enjoyable. This was my first proper adventure in New Zealand and the 2.5hr bus ride to Te Anau showed the country at its prettiest. The Remarkables mountain range was a dramatic backdrop to various lakes, forests, grazing paddocks, lush crops and cute villages.
• I get the impression that, while still important, agriculture has been dwarfed by the contribution of the tourism dollar to the local economy. Every second vehicle on the road was a campervan, caravan or tourist bus, and each delivered its own particular obstacle on twisting, turning, narrow roads. Yes, it was a pretty slow trip to Te Anau.

Highlights & Tips:

• Other than the picturesque bus ride, the trip started with an equally picturesque boat ride. After lunch at Te Anau, we drove for another 20 minutes to reach the ferry wharf. As you can imagine, it was a mini-stampede to nab the best viewing points on the top deck of the boat and our number was increased with the addition of about 15 independent hikers. They were probably nervously wondering whether they would be stuck with us the whole way to Milford Sound!
• The boat ride was gorgeous – wind in your hair, sun sparkling on the water, and all that. The Captain spoke of the Māori history of the area as we motored to the very northern point of the lake (it’s 66km long) and then overlayed it with the more recent White/European history. Both were equally fascinating.

• After a very pleasant one-hour cruise, the ferry heave-hoed to the wharf and our walk could finally get under way. It felt weird to finally pull on our backpacks for the very short walk to our home-away-from-home for our first night – Glade House. The independent hikers gleefully shot off, happy to leave us in their dust.
• Dumping our packs in our assigned rooms (me in a four-bed share room), it was time for an optional nature walk through the beech forests. It was perfect for stretching the legs and was a very good introduction to the flora and forests we would be walking through over the next three days.

• A cold shower on our return was very welcome as it was darn hot, while some of our group preferred a dip in the crystal-clear river right in front of the lodge. Where was all the freezing rain I had been fearing?
• I also took advantage of the drying rooms to do some handwashing. Luxury! In fact, there are two drying rooms – one for clothes and one for boots. How decadent is that? And believe me they do the trick. I could only spend seconds in there draping my damp clothes before beating a hasty retreat. They were simply too hot for humans.

• The evening’s festivities started with happy hour. The bar opened (if you wished to purchase and partake), there were tasty nibbles, olives, cheese and dips, and then we launched into the first of our nightly three-course dinners. Entrée was a small chicken salad, then I had a slow-cooked venison with cranberry jus and vegetables, and finished with apple crumble and ice cream. OMG! There is no chance of losing weight on this hike!

Tomorrow we would get into the walking proper and I got the sense that we were all itching to get going. Yes, some people were a little nervous about the terrain and their fitness levels, but at least we had a day or two of gentler terrain and distances before we had to cross Omanui/McKinnon Pass.

Happy tramping everyone…

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