Routeburn Track Day Hikes
It can be a logistical challenge to hike the Routeburn Track – here at New Zealand Walking Tours we live just a 45 minute drive from the trail-head (near the small town of Glenorchy, on the shores of Lake Wakatipu), yet we rarely hike the Routeburn in its entirety. The reason being, the Routeburn Track is a A to B hiking trail, taking you through the giant granite mountains of Fiordland National Park, and leaving you many hours of driving to get back to your car at the trail head. But there is great news, a guided hiking tour will take care of these logistics, and both ends of the Routeburn Track have stunning return hikes, also removing these troublesome logistics!
Read on to discover your hiking options on the Routeburn Track Great Walk.
The Routeburn Track at a glance:
- Starts near Glenorchy, Otago. Trailhead is 1 hour’s drive from Queenstown.
- Ends at The Divide carpark on the Milford Road, where Key Summit day hike begins.
- 32 kilometres long (19.9 miles).
- Typically takes two nights, three days to complete.
What we’ll do:
- Key Summit day hike – starts and ends at the Divide carpark on the Milford Road – around 3 hours round trip.
- Hike from the trail head near Glenorchy, towards huts at Routeburn Flats and Routeburn Falls.
Map of Routeburn Track day hikes:
Which trips include the Routeburn Track day walks?
Beautiful South – 10 days, Queenstown to Queenstown.
Pristine New Zealand – 13 days, Auckland to Queenstown.
Where is the Routeburn Track?
The Routeburn Track is close behind the Milford Track and the Tongariro Crossing as one of New Zealand’s most famous Great Walks. It is 32km (19.9miles) in length and begins at the Routeburn Shelter just outside the small town of Glenorchy in Otago, and ends at The Divide, on State Highway 94 – the Milford Road – in Fiordland National Park.
What’s so special about the Routeburn Track?
We’ve chosen to include sections of the Routeburn Track on our trips because it is an opportunity to experience a wide spectrum of different landscapes in the time it takes to do a few hours of walking. For example – the Key Summit day walk begins when you step out of the car park and in to the thick beech forest that blankets much of Fiordland National Park. As we continue to walk uphill towards Key Summit, we’ll pass a cascading waterfall and emerge from the forest into, initially, flax (a large native tall grass plant) scrub, and manuka bush. In turn, this less dense, low growing bush gives way to tussock grass, and eventually to alpine mosses and areas of wetland. So the journey to Key Summit offers a variety of different surroundings through which to walk, to achieve the stunning views from the top.
Key Summit looks out across the Ailsa, Humboldt, and Darran Mountains, and down to the Hollyford River Valley. It is a truly stunning day walk, and to be able to access such stunning panoramic views, and a sense of the scale of Fiordland National Park, on a relatively short day walk, makes this one too good not to include on our trips.
At the other end of the Routeburn Track – which is traditionally the start, whilst Key Summit is the end – we’ll walk the section alongside the Routeburn River. The track leads us through silver, red, and mountain beech forest, all the time following the beautiful, bright blue waters of the river, to Routeburn Flats Hut where we’ll eat a picnic lunch. It is amazing to see such beautiful, and well appointed ‘huts’ along the Routeburn Track, in a place that is so inaccessible and remote. It really needs to be seen to be believed, so don’t forget your camera!
For more information about the Routeburn Track, and to see how we explore it on our New Zealand Walking Tours simply request a free travel brochure below – or scroll down to see our trips.
Reviews
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Simon Potter
4 years ago
This was fantastic getting out in the outbacks. Our guide Ellie was amazing she knew so much about the Trees, Birds, Tracks etc. We were so lucky to have her as our guide.
This was fantastic getting out in the outbacks. Our guide Ellie was amazing she knew so much about the Trees, Birds, Tracks etc.<br />
We were so lucky to have her as our guide. Because I was the oldest there (79) she made sure I was ok for the steep part of the tracks.<br />
Not only was she great as a guide but also great driver and cook. She knew all the restaurants to go to for great meals. To have her come along on most walks and boat trip was a great help .read more -
Erina Potter
4 years ago
We were so looked after by Ellie: she treated us like her own family. The best thing of this holiday was that I didn't need to do any organisation, it was all managed so well.
We were so looked after by Ellie: she treated us like her own family.<br />
The best thing of this holiday was that I didn't need to do any organisation, it was all managed so well. We seemed to get the best places to stay, the best restaurants to go to, even the best 'home cooked' meals.read more -
Tina Alberg
5 years ago
This was our 2nd visit to New Zealand. The first, in 2001, was a month long self driven tour of both islands with emphasis on the South and included taking the full escorted Milford Track adventure. It was the lifetime trip, at that time.
This Active Adventure trip outdid it. And the reason is the tour guides and the truly magnificent job they did in following the Active Adventure plan and in making seamless changes to it as required by weather and other problems along the way. Clare and Emma were there every day in every way necessary to the success of the trip. Wonderful.......read more
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Lori Pickens
5 years ago
Ms. Holly and Ms. Claire were the guides of a lifetime. They made all the difference between an okay trip and very eventful.
Ms. Holly and Ms. Claire were the guides of a lifetime. They made all the difference between an okay trip and very eventful.read more
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Jan Seals
5 years ago
This was a bucket list trip for us, and it was wonderful! A great overview of both islands. Well planned, great food, good accommodations & wonderful guides.
This was a bucket list trip for us, and it was wonderful! A great overview of both islands. Well planned, great food, good accommodations & wonderful guides.read more
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Cheryl Langford
5 years ago
This trip was above and beyond anything we imagined. The personal contact that continued from the first moment of booking to each day of our trip was very helpful. Our questions were answered before we could think of them in the kindest possible way.
This trip was above and beyond anything we imagined. The personal contact that continued from the first moment of booking to each day of our trip was very helpful. Our questions were answered before we could think of them in the kindest possible way. We were treated like honored family by our guides (hosts), Holly and Claire. They completely tailored the trip to our needs and desires on a day to day basis, as necessary. As amazing as the natural beauty of NZ is, the people we met through Active Adventures were even more so!read more
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Don Gordon
5 years ago
I have long wanted to visit the Fiordland/Southland area. My AA trip gave me a great overview of it. A great mix of food, wine, fun, and fitness. Thanks.
read more
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Eric Nodiff
5 years ago
New Zealand is an incredibly beautiful country and we experienced many of the highlights of the south island. The tour guides, Clare and Emma, were fantastic in every way and ensured a terrific experience.
New Zealand is an incredibly beautiful country and we experienced many of the highlights of the south island. The tour guides, Clare and Emma, were fantastic in every way and ensured a terrific experience. The views of Kaikoura Peninsula and Lake Wakatipu and Milford Sound will be engrained in my head forever. The hiking was great and the food was delish throughout the trip. I highly recommend this trip!read more
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Karen Nodiff
5 years ago
A trip to expand your mind meeting challenges and wonderful new people
in a gorgeous country while eating great food! A trip to expand your mind meeting challenges and wonderful new people<br />
in a gorgeous country while eating great food!read more -
Claudia Jurowski
5 years ago
This was a lovely tour with many especially high quality amenities such as the superior guides, Ellie and Lauren, the extraordinary meals, great wine and quality adventures.
Because of an extreme weather event we were unable to follow our original itinerary but great efforts were made to include equal quality activities. The luxury of this tour is not in the hotels or transportation but in the personal attention from the guides and quality food and drink.read more
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