I thought that this site did not need any additional reviews. I mean, it’s got heaps of testimonies already, and we all know it’s famous, iconic, and a well-managed site that boasts some of the most beautiful sceneries in the world. But it won’t hurt if this site gets another review, right? :D

The previous reviews had highlighted the OUV of this WHS already, so I would just focus on sharing my experiences visiting Milford Sound and hiking the Kepler and Routeburn tracks. Visits were on two separate occasions last March 2022.

1. Milford Sound/Piopiotahi

The night we arrived in Te Anau from Queenstown, my friend and I booked the tour for the following day, knowing that it would rain the whole day and the waterfalls would be spectacular. I wouldn’t say I like going outdoors in the rain, but this was one of the rare exceptions.

There were only about 20 tourists on the bus, and it was a typical tour bus where the driver also gave commentaries. We stopped at the designated tour spots such as the Mirror Lakes and Eglinton Flats despite the drizzle. We arrived at Milford Sound almost 2 hours later and were surprised that we were one of the only two buses there. COVID has drastically affected tourism in Fiordland—our driver lamented how they used to have a surplus of visitors pre-COVID. At the moment it was rare for their tours to even reach half the capacity, although I am pretty sure this would change soon when the border opens to international tourists in May 2022.

We set out to explore the fiord, but the rain had gotten worse. The boat skippers were enthusiastic about the downpour, even saying that we came when the fiord was at its most spectacular. Surely that was an attempt to make us feel better about the dingy weather, but there was truth in what they said: cascading waterfalls all over the surrounding mountains made the scenery dramatic. We went close to several falls and had the best time getting soaked. The entire experience was incredible, but I would definitely revisit Milford when it’s sunny, or more ideally, at the end of a long tramp through the Milford Track.

2. Kepler Track

The Kepler Track is within the Fiordland National Park, easily accessed through Te Anau. The Track is a sub-alpine loop and features gorgeous mountain and lake sceneries, river valleys, tussock, and rainforests. People usually start at the Lake Te Anau control gates, but some skip this by taking a boat ride to Brod Bay. Hikers would stay overnight at the Luxmore, Iris Burn, and Moturau Huts, making this Track a 4-day, 3-night hike. Some trampers would walk all the way back to Lake Te Anau control gates to finish the entire loop, but some would choose to culminate early at Rainbow Reach, where they would wait for their pre-booked transfer back to town. According to NZ DOC, the whole loop is 60km long, with an elevation gain of around 1,000m. My friend and I did the full-day Brod Bay to Luxmore Hut leg only as I was not able to secure any of the huts because they were “fully booked” at the time of research.

Pesky sandflies welcomed us at the start of our hike at Brod Bay. We quickly left the shore of Lake Te Anau and walked towards a thick forest of tree ferns (e.g., ponga, whekī), beech, and podocarp trees. The ascent was gradual at first but eventually became steep with lots of switchbacks. Halfway through the leg, we arrived at the limestone bluff, which was once part of a submerged reef system. We reached the tree line and the tussock field about a kilometer from the bluff. Here, we had to withstand strong winds blowing from the south while enjoying the views of Lake Te Anau and the mountains behind it. We arrived at the Luxmore Hut at around 11:30 am, where we had our quick lunch. We encountered only a handful of people in the hut, which wasn't surprising given that we arrived quite early. The views from the hut were fantastic, and I love how the clouds dispersed the sunlight over the lake. After finishing our lunch we decided to head back to Brod Bay. We bumped into less than 20 hikers during our descent. This was way below the capacity of the hut (max of 50 people), which made me think that several people might have cancelled their bookings on the day itself, unless there was an equal number of hikers coming from the opposite direction who would stay in Luxmore Hut for the night. The descent back to Brod Bay was punishing, and we had to stop several times before our knees got sore. Two and a half hours later, we arrived at Brod Bay and waited for the small boat that would ferry us back to the town.

3. Routeburn Track

Routeburn Track straddles two regions (Otago and Southland) and national parks (Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks). It is a 33 km sub-alpine track that can be completed in three days and two nights, although some keen, physically fit hikers would do it in two days. I would say that it’s got all of the things you’d like to see in a subalpine track: ice-covered mountains, craggy peaks and towers, river valleys, tarns and lakes, cliffs, creeks, waterfalls, rainforests, tussock fields, and flats, etc. Views are diverse, breathtaking, and just a tad beautiful. It’s constantly being pitted against Milford Track, but I would say that Routeburn is a better option for those who are new to tramping. 

I started the hike at Routeburn Shelter at 10 in the morning and ended the first day at Routeburn Falls Hut. The Track between the shelter and the hut featured dense rainforests and heaps of suspension bridges. A quick side trip halfway through the trail is the crystal clear pool at Forge Flat. From here the ascent was gradual until you reach the Routeburn Flats Hut. It is less popular than Falls Hut, probably because staying in the latter saves you an hour or so of ascent the following day. Halfway between Falls and Flats huts was the 1994 slip face that offers a magnificent view of the Humboldt Mountains. I arrived at Falls Hut at 4 in the afternoon, cooked dinner, chatted with fellow hikers, and waited for the ranger to give us the safety talk.

I began the second day relatively early as it was going to be a long walk towards Lake Mackenzie Hut. Negotiating the rocky steps just above the Falls Hut was tedious, but the Track went a bit level when I got to the top. I continued walking through the open tussock fields until I arrived at the stunning Lake Harris, which feeds the creeks and waterfalls below. Note that the Track along Lake Harris was narrow and exposed. Walking past the lake for less than an hour, I arrived at the Harris Saddle, which offers glorious views of the Hollyford Valleys and Darren Mountains (see photo). I ate my lunch here while watching other hikers negotiate the steep face of Conical Hill, a side trip from Harris Saddle that gives you spectacular views of the valley and even the Tasman Sea! Past Harris Saddle was the long traverse along the Ailsa Mountains. The trail is above the tree line and high cliffs, so caution should be taken when hiking this portion of the Track during bad weather. The seemingly endless serpentine appearance of the Track traversing the mountains was very picturesque. The hike ended with a steep descent towards Lake Mackenzie, where I encountered several juvenile keas happily swooping down on the tracks. Having a close encounter with these cheeky endangered birds was unforgettable. The vegetation and moss-covered forest floor just before Lake Mackenzie Hut had some cool LOTR vibe. I reached the crowded hut at 4 pm. I was so exhausted that falling asleep amidst the symphony of snores was easy.

The third day was spent navigating through the dense rainforests on the way to the end of the Track. Before leaving Lake Mackenzie, I went to Split Rock, an open field surrounded by mountains, which would have been spectacular during winter. I went back to the hut and had a brief rest before leaving at 10 in the morning (I was the last person to leave the hut). I proceeded through the forests for about an hour before I reached a forest clearing called The Orchard. About half an hour from The Orchard was Earland Falls, an excellent spot to take a quick break while marveling at the tall, gushing waterfall. A flood route is available in case of heavy rain. I continued walking for another hour before reaching Lake Howden, where I saw several hikers chilling and having lunch. I did not take a break at this point as I wanted to hike the Key Summit, a quick side trip with incredible 360-degree views of the surrounding mountain ranges! I could have stayed longer here, but I was worried that I would miss the 3 pm transfer back to Queenstown. At this point, my camera ran out of juice and my feet were already sore. Luckily, it was a quick and easy stroll from the Key Summit sidetrack to the end of the trail (The Divide). I reached The Divide at precisely 2 pm, and upon stepping at the very entrance of the trailhead I felt like I had accomplished something remarkable. What also made this tramp a great experience was the three straight days of sunshine with minimal cloud cover. I didn't think I would appreciate the scenery as much as I did if it was raining or the sky was overcast.

Visiting the Milford Sound/Piopiotahi and walking the Kepler and Routeburn Tracks look insignificant compared to what this place can offer. Still, I felt like these places adequately represent what we treasure about this site. I can’t wait to explore this site more—I’d possibly start with walks around Lake Manapouri and completing the Milford Track, before visiting the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers and the walks around Mount Cook/Aoraki.