The Milford Track

In 1888, Quintin Mackinnon, a surveyor and explorer was commissioned to cut a track up the Clinton river valley from lake Te Anau in southern South island of New Zealand.  He did this and discovered a pass through the mountains which is now named after him.  The track itself is named after its end point, scenic Milford Sound.  Within only a couple of years tourists started to arrive to walk what was described as the “finest walk in the world”.  Quintin Mackinnon served as the first guide on the track.

Over a hundred years later and the
Milford Track is still the most famous walk in New Zealand.  It is
53.5 KM long and takes 4 days to walk.  Nowadays though, people have the option of being guided or walking independently.  Guided walkers sleep in huts with showers and have their meals prepared for them, even getting wine with dinner.  Independent, or Freedom walkers as they are called, stay in basic huts with large bunkrooms to sleep and communal kitchens.  No showers.  They have to carry all their own food and prepare it at night. 

We signed up as independent walkers back in July.  But to be honest we didn’t even know that there was the option of having a guided walk.  There were plenty of times during the walk that we would have welcomed not having to carry our food and to have a nice shower.

The walk follows the Clinton river, an ice cold river of completely clear water, and then goes up over the
1100 meter Mackinnon pass and down to Milford Sound.  At the lower altitudes we walked through lush primary forest, moss clung to all the trees and rocks and there were pure water springs to fill our water bottles.  On the morning of day three, the windy and cold Mackinnon pass greets you after a rocky 600 meter ascent.  But the views of the valley and nearby snow capped mountains are breathtaking.

This was our first multi-day walk where we had to carry our food, clothing and sleeping bag.  We suffered a bit from the slow ambling pace we got used to in Asia over the last 4 months.  We were usually one of the last walkers to reach the hut every night.  But we were in no rush and took our time to enjoy the scenery and take lots of photos.  As a result we have 383 pictures!
Don’t worry though we’ve only put 16 in the New Zealand album.