Routeburn Track

The Routeburn Track is the alpine Great Walk of New Zealand's South Island — a 32 km point-to-point that crosses two national parks (Mt Aspiring and Fiordland) and the Southern Alps' Main Divide. Where the neighbouring Milford Track is a valley walk, the Routeburn is the high-ridge alternative: from the Routeburn River near Queenstown over Harris Saddle at 1,255 m down to The Divide on the Te Anau–Milford Road. Three nights in DOC huts; most walkers take three days.

The classic direction is Queenstown-side to Te Anau-side. Day 1 climbs gently from Routeburn Shelter up the river valley to Routeburn Flats, then steepens into beech forest to Routeburn Falls Hut, beside a 110 m waterfall. Day 2 is the showcase: a sustained climb above the treeline to Harris Saddle, with side-trip options up Conical Hill (great views), then a long contour past Lake Harris and a balcony traverse with the Hollyford Valley far below to Lake Mackenzie Hut. Day 3 climbs again briefly through alpine herb fields at the Earland Falls track-junction, then drops through tall beech forest to The Divide on the Milford Road. Cumulative climb across the three days is around 2,100 m.

The Great Walks season runs late October to late April; outside it, the high section is unmaintained, avalanche-prone, and the huts unstaffed. Bookings are mandatory and open in mid-year on the DOC website — Routeburn slots fill within hours when they release. There's no camping permitted at the huts in season; alternative campsites exist at Routeburn Flats and Lake Mackenzie. Transport is the trickier logistic: the two trailheads are 350 km apart by road, so most walkers use shuttle services that pick up at one end and run them back. The weather is full-on Fiordland — pack rain gear that actually works, even in summer, and check the forecast: the alpine section between the huts is exposed and can be closed by weather in season.