After arriving in Queenstown the previous late afternoon, we went directly to Kiwi Discovery to pick up our rental backpacking gear. We took the evening to pack, and had a short night due to having to take an unnecessarily early bus (06:45) to get to Te Aura, from where most things in the Fiords start.
The weather was already bad by then, rain and wind, and we had to get better rain jackets from a local rental shop and then wait for the second bus leaving at noon that would take us to the boat that would drop us off at the trailhead:
![](/blogimg/01/thumb1024_101_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![rainbow rainbow](/blogimg/03/thumb1024_103_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
rainbow
![our upcoming track our upcoming track](/blogimg/08/thumb1024_108_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
our upcoming track
![weather on the boat was already nice :) weather on the boat was already nice :)](/blogimg/17/thumb1024_117_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
weather on the boat was already nice :)
![](/blogimg/20/thumb1024_120_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![thankfully it was mostly clear when we started thankfully it was mostly clear when we started](/blogimg/26/thumb1024_126_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
thankfully it was mostly clear when we started
This wasn't a real backpacking trip because we were not going to sleep in tents, but in huts that had matresses, water, and cooking gas. That said, people for whom this is still too rough can pay way too much money to do a guided walk and end up in plushy cabins with showers, beds, and cooked meals. Bah, that's totally cheating!
Day 1: Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut: 5.8km, 1h34, from 200m to 230m
Day 1 was too short, just a short walk to the first hut.
![the first stop for people who can't rough it even a little bit, was almost right off the boat the first stop for people who can't rough it even a little bit, was almost right off the boat](/blogimg/31/thumb1024_131_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
the first stop for people who can't rough it even a little bit, was almost right off the boat
![supplies get delivered by heli supplies get delivered by heli](/blogimg/32/thumb1024_132_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
supplies get delivered by heli
![](/blogimg/38/thumb1024_138_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/46/thumb1024_146_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/56/thumb1024_156_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![this bird is shifty, hard to get good pictures of it this bird is shifty, hard to get good pictures of it](/blogimg/69/thumb1024_169_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
this bird is shifty, hard to get good pictures of it
![the robins are super curious and fearless the robins are super curious and fearless](/blogimg/74/thumb1024_174_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
the robins are super curious and fearless
![after checking me out, it came on my foot to look for worms in the holes :) after checking me out, it came on my foot to look for worms in the holes :)](/blogimg/76/thumb1024_176_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
after checking me out, it came on my foot to look for worms in the holes :)
![a ranger gave us a quick talk in the giant kitchen/common room of our huts a ranger gave us a quick talk in the giant kitchen/common room of our huts](/blogimg/77/thumb1024_177_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
a ranger gave us a quick talk in the giant kitchen/common room of our huts
![keeping warm keeping warm](/blogimg/79/thumb1024_179_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
keeping warm
The evening, I went out to see glow worms:
![see the strings see the strings](/blogimg/94/thumb1024_194_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
see the strings
![it doesn't look like much, but that's how they glow up at night. This cons insects into their traps it doesn't look like much, but that's how they glow up at night. This cons insects into their traps](/blogimg/99/thumb1024_199_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
it doesn't look like much, but that's how they glow up at night. This cons insects into their traps
Day 2: Clinton Hut to Mintaro Hut: 20.1km, 6h09, from 230m to 600m
The next morning, the weather turned from bad to worse, we had non stop rain between moderate and very heavy. This put our gortex rental rain jackets to the test for sure. Views that day were quite poor and each picture meant getting your camera pretty wet:
![](/blogimg/11/thumb1024_211_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/21/thumb1024_221_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![very wet birds very wet birds](/blogimg/29/thumb1024_229_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
very wet birds
![moss everywhere moss everywhere](/blogimg/30/thumb1024_230_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
moss everywhere
![](/blogimg/32/thumb1024_232_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![on the plus side waterfalls were flowing everywhere on the plus side waterfalls were flowing everywhere](/blogimg/34/thumb1024_234_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
on the plus side waterfalls were flowing everywhere
![](/blogimg/38/thumb1024_238_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![snow and boulder avalanche path snow and boulder avalanche path](/blogimg/48/thumb1024_248_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
snow and boulder avalanche path
![](/blogimg/55/thumb1024_255_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
Eventually all of us (about 40) ended up in the next hut, soaken wet:
![](/blogimg/62/thumb1024_262_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/63/thumb1024_263_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![each hut has a helipad for deliveries and getting staff in and out. That's so cheating :) each hut has a helipad for deliveries and getting staff in and out. That's so cheating :)](/blogimg/65/thumb1024_265_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
each hut has a helipad for deliveries and getting staff in and out. That's so cheating :)
![New Zealand Weka flightless bird, roams around a bit like a chicken New Zealand Weka flightless bird, roams around a bit like a chicken](/blogimg/75/thumb1024_275_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
New Zealand Weka flightless bird, roams around a bit like a chicken
![](/blogimg/83/thumb1024_283_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
Thankfully the rain subsided a bit in the evening, so we had at least a bit of view
![rain plus cold = snow rain plus cold = snow](/blogimg/82/thumb1024_282_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
rain plus cold = snow
![](/blogimg/88/thumb1024_288_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![remember that this is like snow in July remember that this is like snow in July](/blogimg/14/thumb1024_314_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
remember that this is like snow in July
![New Zealand duck, quite pretty New Zealand duck, quite pretty](/blogimg/00/thumb1024_300_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
New Zealand duck, quite pretty
![finally, we got to see what our crossing the next day would look like finally, we got to see what our crossing the next day would look like](/blogimg/14/thumb1024_314_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
finally, we got to see what our crossing the next day would look like
![](/blogimg/19/thumb1024_319_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![Kea, smart New Zealand parrot Kea, smart New Zealand parrot](/blogimg/23/thumb1024_323_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
Kea, smart New Zealand parrot
![](/blogimg/28/thumb1024_328_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
Day 3: Mintaro Hut to Dumpling Hut via McKinnon Pass (1140m): 20.2km, 8h23, from 600m to 110m
The third day, finally weather was non rainy:
![](/blogimg/38/thumb1024_338_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/62/thumb1024_362_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/63/thumb1024_363_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/66/thumb1024_366_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/71/thumb1024_371_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![we're lucky we got views at the top we're lucky we got views at the top](/blogimg/76/thumb1024_376_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
we're lucky we got views at the top
![](/blogimg/84/thumb1024_384_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![I happened to have some bird seeds :) I happened to have some bird seeds :)](/blogimg/90/thumb1024_390_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
I happened to have some bird seeds :)
![another kea another kea](/blogimg/96/thumb1024_396_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
another kea
![top hut/shelter for breaks or in caese of bad weather top hut/shelter for breaks or in caese of bad weather](/blogimg/05/thumb1024_405_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
top hut/shelter for breaks or in caese of bad weather
![the peak across had a few snow slides the peak across had a few snow slides](/blogimg/18/thumb1024_418_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
the peak across had a few snow slides
![](/blogimg/32/thumb1024_432_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/40/thumb1024_440_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/51/thumb1024_451_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/59/thumb1024_459_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/63/thumb1024_463_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/73/thumb1024_473_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
A little fork off the trail was to see Sutherland Falls, the tallest waterfall in New Zealand. It's 580m high and a very powerful fall at the bottom. The spray at the bottom was enough to get wet from a distance and get your camera instantly wet as soon as you try to take a picture:
![](/blogimg/88/thumb1024_488_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
After a bit more of a walk, we got to our 3rd and final hut, this time without being wet, a welcome change:
![](/blogimg/04/thumb1024_504_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/14/thumb1024_514_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/16/thumb1024_516_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
Day 4: Dumpling Hut to Sandfly Point: 21.0km, 6h12, from 110m to 0m
The 4th and last day was smooth sailing. We had to get on the trail a bit earlier since we had to arrive at the boat by 14:00 to get back to civilization via a boat and bus.
![](/blogimg/23/thumb1024_523_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/27/thumb1024_527_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![this turned over rock could fit multiple people inside this turned over rock could fit multiple people inside](/blogimg/29/thumb1024_529_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
this turned over rock could fit multiple people inside
![](/blogimg/37/thumb1024_537_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/38/thumb1024_538_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/43/thumb1024_543_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/49/thumb1024_549_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/57/thumb1024_557_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![fluffy fluffy](/blogimg/63/thumb1024_563_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
fluffy
![](/blogimg/66/thumb1024_566_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/68/thumb1024_568_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/93/thumb1024_593_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![and after 3.5 days, we got to the end :) and after 3.5 days, we got to the end :)](/blogimg/96/thumb1024_596_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
and after 3.5 days, we got to the end :)
![boat back home boat back home](/blogimg/97/thumb1024_597_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
boat back home
A few pictures from the boat and bus back home:
![](/blogimg/10/thumb1024_610_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/22/thumb1024_622_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/39/thumb1024_639_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/45/thumb1024_645_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
![](/blogimg/49/thumb1024_649_20150204_Milford_Track.jpg)
We finally got back to our room and enjoyed a nice dinner :)