Wolfgang Reinelt - Milford Track New Zealand (2004)

outdoor @ wolfgang-reinelt.de	Milford Track, NZ, 2004

The finest walk in the world just to quote dozens of guidebooks regarding the Milford Track. What would you expect from that? Well, the walk covers some 54kms in 4days, where the first day is only a one hour walk. It basically goes through two valleys with a ridge inbetween. Landscape in the valleys is nice (vegetation, waterfalls, river) and the views on the ridge are amazing. But be aware that this walk is not at all an "alpine" walk (as compared to other walks in close proximity, for instance the Kepler track). It is mostly gently walking in a nice and flat valley with a 400m walk up the ridge and then 900m down again. Having done Tongariro, Hump Ridge and Kepler just before the Milford, I was a bit disappointed by the Milford (might correlate with my interest in more "spectacular" walks).
Since tourist office, travel agencies and the department of conservation do more or less heavy advertising on this walk (see, opening phrase "finest walk in the world"), the walk tends to be very very popular, hence has been restricted to 40 or so independent walkers per day. Plus guided walkers who do it in more days but without carrying their packs themselves. We made our reservation in august for the walk in november (and got one of the last spots, if you walk later -in peak season- you have to reserve even earlier). The price for the walk was 218NZ$ (including bus transport from/to Te Anau, two boat rides and a bunk bed and stove/gas in the hut), which is not really cheap for four days. Quite a few people in our party of 40 were not really used to walking, or even walked the first time with backpacks and therefore got to their limits even after walking 15kms straight ahead. This can be amusing, sad, dangerous - depends on the circumstances. One the other hand, the rangers in the hut were well used to this fact and are very helpful.
Would I do the walk again - I guess not. Would I recommend it to others? Well, depends on your personal expectations on terrain/company and your walking experiences. If you walk the first time and want to try: do it. Otherwise? I assume that you will meet some nice people in your party to have fun with these four days (as I did!). Just grab a guidebook such as Lonely Planets "Tramping in NZ" and read the tour-description, read some other reports and pictures to get an impression (or drop me a message if you need to discuss more details). Maybe my pictures inspire you to do it, even if the text does not really :-)

Some pictures are available. Please click on a thumbnail to view the fullsize image: