If you're short on time but big on adventure, this 5 day/4 night walking trip is for you.
All of the scenic walks you will embark on are located in the Fiordland National Park - a UNESCO World Heritage area. To start things off you will head out on a boat across Lake Manapouri before boarding the Fiordland Navigator for an overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound. Marvel at the lush forest of the Milford Track, stand at the top of the Great Divide on the Routeburn Track and meander through ancient Beech forest on the Kepler Track on this exciting walking adventure.
Package Inclusions:
- All Meals - Breakfast, lunch, dinner. (Except where indicated on the itinerary. Alcohol not included).
- All Guiding Services – 2 experienced New Zealand guides per trip.
- All Activities – Hiking, kayaking, cruising, more.
- All Accommodation – 4 nights. (A range of hotels, lodges, chalets, and overnight boat cruises).
- All Transportation for the trip from start to finish. (Includes airport transfer on the first and last day).
Itinerary:
Day 1: Overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound
For the first day of your trip, you’ll meet in Queenstown and head to Lake Manapouri where your journey into Doubtful Sound begins. You’ll board a boat for the cruise across Lake Manapouri, before a drive over Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove where you’ll board the Fiordland Navigator for an overnight cruise. You’ll have the opportunity to take a kayak out on the water or hop aboard the tender craft for a guided exploration of the fiord, and in the right season, you may catch a glimpse of the rare Fiordland crested penguin. Tonight you'll stay in a quad-share room aboard the Fiordland Navigator, though there is the option to upgrade to a private ensuite room.
Stay: Fiordland Navigator, Doubtful Sound
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Cruise in Doubtful Sound, hike Routeburn Track
You’ll wake in the middle of Doubtful Sound and after breakfast, retrace the journey back to Manapouri. From there you’ll drive to the Divide, where you will hike through beech forest, subalpine shrubland and picturesque alpine tarns on part of the Routeburn Track, before reaching Key Summit. Here, you’ll be standing at the head of three different valleys (the Hollyford, Eglinton and Greenstone), with stunning views over the Great Divide. You'll then take a short drive through the Homer Tunnel and emerge at the top of a spectacular glacier-carved valley for a memorable descent to the shore of Milford Sound.
Stay: Milford Lodge Chalets, Milford Sound
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Hike Milford Track, cruise Milford Sound
It’s worth getting up early today to take a photo of Mitre Peak, quite possibly the most photographed mountain in New Zealand. After breakfast, you’ll take a short boat ride across Milford Sound to hike from Sandfly Point to the Giant Gates waterfall, a spectacular section of the famed Milford Track. Once you return to the Milford wharf, you’ll board a boat for a two-hour nature cruise to the head of this spectacular fiord. You’ll then leave Milford Sound behind to hike some lesser-known tracks in eastern Fiordland before returning to Te Anau.
Stay: Te Anau lodgings, Te Anau
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Takahe Bird Park, hike Kepler Track
Today you'll head to a Department of Conservation birdlife park in Te Anau. The centre takes care of injured or ageing birds which would struggle to survive in the wild - it’s a great opportunity to see some of our rarest birds up close, so don’t forget your camera! Afterwards, you’ll tick off your third Great Walk in three days - the Kepler Track, where you'll walk through ancient beech and podocarp forest.
Stay: Te Anau lodgings, Te Anau
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Gondola ride, hike Ben Lomond
Today you’ll drive back along the shores of Lake Wakatipu to Queenstown, and take a ride on the gondola to the top of a tree-covered rocky crag, known as Bob’s Peak, to start the alpine hike. Pass through open alpine tussock-land to the Ben Lomond saddle and will be rewarded with panoramic views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu, surrounded by the often snow-covered Southern Alps. For those keen to press on to the top, Ben Lomond’s summit reveals views of Mt Earnslaw and Mt Aspiring - two of New Zealand’s highest peaks - and even a glimpse of Aoraki/Mt Cook on a clear day.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
