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routeburn track
Experience New Zealand's second
most famous walk, which straddles the rugged spine of Fiordland's
Humboldt Mountains, and enjoy scenery even more varied than the
Milford Track.
The Routeburn Track has the
capacity to lift you way beyond the normal world of outdoor
experience. It is utterly sublime. A gloriously remote and
untouched wilderness pathway, that can lead you back from the
21st Century to view a pre-historic earth. The view from the
track’s highest point, Conical Peak near Harris Saddle,
holds you spellbound and lost for words. The panorama of
encircling snow-capped mountains extends to the Tasman Sea. The
exquisite serenity, stillness and loveliness of Lake Harris, will
remain a permanent image etched in your mind.
The 33 km track usually takes
3 to 4 days with a choice of 4 huts and 2 campsites that need to
be booked well in advance. The huts are located at Lake Howden,
Lake Mackenzie, Routeburn Falls, and Routeburn Flats. The track
can be walked from the Divide on the Te Anau/Milford highway, or
from the Routeburn Shelter at the head of Lake Wakatipu.
The variety of landscapes is
amazing. From the grassy river flats you climb through dense
beech forest to the snowline where alpine plants grow in
profusion. An exposed sub-alpine section is traversed on Day 2,
following the Routeburn to its outlet from Lake Harris. The
natural sounds of water tumbling, trickling, gushing and
cascading can be heard all along the track. The vegetation growth
is prolific, and you can see native birds and colourful
butterflies along the way. Great Walk hut or campsite passes can
be purchased at the visitor centres in Te Anau, Queenstown and
Glenorchy. Public transport is available at either end of the
track but needs to be pre-arranged.
The Routeburn is a one-off
experience. You will never forget the overwhelming accumulation
of natural beauty and the endless variety of forms, shapes and
colours.
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