Fiordland’s Classic Walks: Milford, Routeburn, Kepler & Hollyford - 6 Days
New ZealandFiordland

Fiordland’s Classic Walks: Milford, Routeburn, Kepler & Hollyford - 6 Days

6 Days
Challenging

Fiordland’s Classic Walks: Milford, Routeburn, Kepler & Hollyford - 6 Days

from $6,375 / person

Overview

This six-day guided walk spans four of New Zealand's most iconic tracks, the Milford, Routeburn, Kepler, and Hollyford, through glacier-carved valleys, pristine lakes, and ancient rainforest across the South Island's most extraordinary terrain. Each track brings its own character, and together they offer an unrivalled introduction to the finest walking New Zealand has to offer.

The itinerary includes a helicopter flight to a luxury lodge in Martins Bay, a boat cruise on Milford Sound, and a jetboat on the Hollyford River, adding a sense of adventure that extends well beyond the trail. Four-star accommodation throughout ensures every night is as rewarding as the day that preceded it.

Highlights

  • Guided day-walks on the Routeburn, Kepler, Milford and Hollyford Tracks
  • One-of-a-kind views over Milford Sound on a boat tour on the boutique luxury cruise ship The Fiordland Jewel
  • Forests filled with birdsong, lush rainforest gullies packed with majestic tree ferns and mountain peaks.
  • Stay in 4-star luxury in the unforgettable Waitai lodge
  • Helicopter flight and transfers into the remote Hollyford track
  • Jetboat on the Hollyford river
  • Cruise back to Queenstown on the historic steamer TSS Earnslaw
  • Day hike on the world famous Milford track

Itinerary

Day 1

Kepler Track
3-4h

The trip begins in Central Queenstown, where we'll pick you up at 9:30AM from Steamers Wharf coach park, opposite the Crowne Plaza. We will then head to Te Anau, our base in Fiordland National Park, for a tour briefing and lunch. Afterwards, we begin our first hike on the Kepler Track, starting at Rainbow Reach, crossing the Waiau River on an impressive swing bridge, and walking through lush beech forest with massive ferns.

Accommodation

4-star Hotel in Te Anau

Meals

Dinner

What's Included

Accommodation

4-star Hotel (4 nights), 3-star Hotel (1 night)

Meals

5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 5 dinners

Transfers

  • Private Vehicle Transfers
  • Cruise

Guidance & Support

  • Itinerary & Walk Notes
  • 24/7 on-trip support

Included Activities

  • Ferry across Lake Te Anau
  • Return Helicopter ride to exclusive lodge on the Hollyford track
  • Luxury cruise on Milford sound
  • Jet boat on the Hollyford river
  • Tour of Walters peak out station
  • Boat cruise to Queenstown on the historic TSS Earnslaw steamer

How We Rate This Walk

5

Auswalk Walking Grade

Challenging

Rated by our team — we walk every route before we recommend it.

Steeper climbs and longer distances. You'll need good fitness and some hiking experience to fully enjoy these walks.

View Fitness Guide

Days on the trail

Daily distance range

Daily ascent range

5/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

For most of this walk, the base is a centrally located hotel in the heart of Te Anau, a short stroll from Lake Te Anau and well placed for exploring Fiordland. The hotel has two on-site restaurants, including a popular café-style bar that is a favourite among locals and a good spot to unwind after a day in the field.

One night stands apart from the rest. A remote lodge near the mouth of the Hollyford River, close to the Martins Bay Spit, provides one of the most memorable overnight stops on any walk in New Zealand. Guests gather by the fire or soak in wood-fired hot tubs refilled daily, with the sound of distant surf carrying across the lowland flats. On a clear night, the stars here are extraordinary, the remoteness of Martins Bay and the absence of light pollution combining to produce a sky that is hard to forget.

What You'll Eat

All meals are included throughout this walk, with five breakfasts, five lunches and five dinners provided across the six days. Dinner on arrival in Te Anau sets the tone, with your accommodation offering two on-site restaurants, including a café-style bar with a loyal local following that is well worth returning to after a day in Fiordland.

Note: Please advise us of any food allergies or intolerances at the time of booking. If you have severe allergies, bringing some of your own snacks is recommended, as specialist ingredients can be harder to source in more remote parts of the walk.

More About This Trip

The walk starts and finishes in Queenstown, on New Zealand's South Island. Queenstown Airport (ZQN) has international connections as well as frequent domestic flights from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. A taxi from the airport to the town centre takes a matter of minutes. Those already in New Zealand can reach Queenstown by self-drive or bus, with excellent roads from Christchurch and further north.

Please note that you must arrive in Queenstown the night before the tour begins. The walk departs at 9.30am from Steamers Wharf coach park, opposite the Crowne Plaza. Please arrive at least 20 minutes before departure.

The walk returns to Queenstown, from where the same onward connections apply.

This walk is available from October to March, with no fixed start days. November and December bring the mountain lilies into bloom, with snow still dusting the surrounding peaks. January and February are the warmest months, with the best chance of clear skies and long daylight hours on the high sections. March brings more settled conditions, with fresh mornings and sunny days.

Fiordland's weather is famously unpredictable whatever the month; the rain that makes these landscapes so extraordinary can arrive without warning. Pack full waterproofs and warm layers. The waterfalls are at their most spectacular in the wet.

This walk is graded easy to moderate. The terrain is a mix of flat and undulating sections, so comfortable, supportive footwear with good cushioning is recommended. Distance and elevation demands are both modest; a regular walking routine with some hill climbs and light resistance training is sufficient preparation.


You must hold adequate travel insurance for your trip, including cover for personal liability and accidental injury and illness. For all trips involving international travel, your policy must also include emergency medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation cover. We strongly recommend your policy also covers trip cancellation and curtailment, and loss of or damage to luggage.

A cancellation fee usually applies if you cancel after your booking is confirmed. Travel insurance with cancellation cover will generally cover this fee, so it's worth arranging your policy at the time of booking.

Full insurance requirements are set out in our booking terms and conditions.

A detailed information pack and itinerary will be sent to you around six weeks before departure, covering everything you need to know for a seamless experience. In the meantime, our team is always on hand to answer any questions.

Please note, you will need to arrive in Queenstown the night prior to the tour to ensure that we are able to start our tour without delay.

Pre and post tour accommodation: There are many good hotels in Queenstown, however we pick up and drop off at one central point. The tour starts at 9:30am at Steamers Wharf coach park (opposite Crowne Plaza). Please ensure you are at the meeting spot at least 20 mins prior to our 9:30 departure so that we are not delayed getting you into the wilderness.

Day 4 and 5 on the Hollyford track have multiple options which will be chosen from depending on weather, tides and groups interest and abilities. Options include

Sandspit exploration- Waitai Martins Bay has rich early Maori and European history, and the sand dunes have been home to many isolated residents over the centuries.  A quick jetboat ride will have you across the river and then walking along the beach amongst the sand dunes.  Your guides will bring the stories of yesteryear to life.  Walk distance is 4-6km, 1-2 hours before being picked up by the jetboat and returning to Waitai Lodge.

Jamestown Podocarp Forest - The jetboat will take you inland up the Hollyford River and out onto the expansive Lake McKerrow.  In the 1860s a settlement called Jamestown was proposed on the shores of Lake McKerrow.  European settlers were enticed with promises of opportunity and easy-living - only to find life at Jamestown to be anything but.  The inhospitable environment and complete isolation from civilization doomed Jamestown to become a ghost town.  You will spend some time visiting this area before walking back along the shore of Lake McKerrow and into the ancient and awe-inspiring podocarp forest back towards Waitai Lodge.  Walk time 2+ hours, 7km.

The Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre in Te Anau houses a small natural and human history museum with displays on the geology, wildlife and Maori cultural significance of the surrounding landscape. Queenstown, the starting point for the trip, has Kura Gallery in the town centre, dedicated to Maori and New Zealand pounamu (greenstone), fine art and jewellery, alongside a growing arts scene of galleries concentrated around the lakefront.

Dates & Pricing

Choose Your Departure

Select a fixed group departure - places are limited

Prices shown are per person, twin/double share basis.

Fiordland reviews

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Elizabeth D
5 months ago

Everything about the tour was amazing from the guides to the hotels the food to the walks & also the other walkers. The guides were so good - our main guide Michelle was so knowledgeable & also friendly.

Tia N
5 months ago

Michelle is an excellent guide- the best! Such a lovely person & wide knowledge base.

Denise U
5 months ago

The itinerary was well balanced. The walks were different everyday. Easy with only one moderate day. All were spectacular. A highlight for me , and the most unexpected was the back road gravel drive to Walter Peak High Country Station. Just stunning.

Deborah W
5 months ago

All the guides were amazing, especially Michelle. She gave 110 % the entire trip. Accommodation walks and food were all fantastic.

Zoe K
6 months ago

The tour was absolutely well managed and extremely enjoyable. I wouldn't change anything. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and the walks were just right.

Lorri H
9 months ago

Guides were great. Excellent- amazing walks scenery organisation. From helicopter and jet boat trips to Milford Sound cruise all was excellent. Accommodation and food at Martin's was amazing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fiordland can be walked year-round, though January and February are the warmest months and July the coldest. That said, the weather here is famously unpredictable — the "Roaring Forties" westerly winds roll in from the Tasman Sea at any time of year, bringing heavy rain and occasional snow at higher elevations. Whatever month you visit, pack for all conditions.

Most itineraries are based out of Te Anau, where you'll stay at a central 4-star hotel — typically the Distinction Luxmore Hotel — with well-appointed rooms and two on-site restaurants. Queenstown stays are at a similarly comfortable 4-star property near the lake with a cocktail bar and daily buffet breakfast. On the group-guided Hollyford Track, the highlight is an overnight at Waitai Lodge — a remote luxury coastal retreat with ocean views, wood-fired hot tubs, and gourmet dining using fresh local produce.

All transfers to and from trailheads are included. Self-guided tours include a vehicle transfer from Queenstown to Te Anau (approximately 2 hours 45 minutes). Group-guided tours depart from a central pick-up point at Steamers Wharf coach park in Queenstown, opposite the Crowne Plaza — you'll need to make your own way there. Water transfers — including lake water taxis, Milford Track ferries, and a Milford Sound boat cruise — are also included. Some itineraries add a helicopter drop onto the Kepler Track or a scenic flight to Waitai Lodge.

No. Getting from Queenstown Airport to your pre-tour accommodation is a short taxi ride and is not included in the package. Group-guided guests must arrive in Queenstown the night before the tour begins. Self-guided guests should arrive before 3:00pm to catch the 4:30pm transfer to Te Anau — you'll need to provide your flight details in advance.

All Fiordland itineraries are designed as pack-free walking holidays. Your main luggage stays at your Te Anau hotel while you walk each day — you only carry a light daypack on the trails. Any transfers between Queenstown and Te Anau are handled during your scheduled vehicle transfers.

Your packed walker's lunch, at least two water bottles, wet weather gear, a warm layer, and any personal items such as a camera. A pack with padded shoulder straps, a chest strap, and a hip belt will make a significant difference on uneven terrain. Walking poles are worth considering — particularly for the Routeburn Track, which involves notable elevation gain and can be rocky underfoot.

Fiordland weather is notoriously changeable, so pack for everything. Essentials include broken-in hiking shoes or light boots with good grip, waterproof jacket, waterproof over-trousers, warm layers, sunhat, sunglasses, and sunscreen (SPF 15+). Also useful: a pack cover or heavy-duty plastic bag to keep your daypack dry, insect repellent, a camera, binoculars, and a thermos. If you're walking in January or February, a fly net is worth adding to the list.

Fiordland's forests and alpine zones are alive with native birdlife. Keep an eye out for the brown creeper, rifleman, and kaka, and at higher elevations, the kea — a large, highly intelligent alpine parrot and one of New Zealand's most entertaining trail companions. The tracks themselves wind through glacier-carved valleys, ancient podocarp forests, and temperate rainforest, with glacial waterfalls — including the impressive Giant Gate Falls on the Milford Track — along the way.

Yes. If you're on a self-guided trip, you must carry a complete first aid kit. On guided tours, your guide will carry group first aid supplies, but you should bring personal medications, a blister kit, band-aids, sunscreen, and insect repellent.

This depends on your itinerary. Self-guided packages include breakfasts only — you'll need to budget for lunches and dinners. A packed lunch is provided each walking day to carry on the trail. The group-guided tour includes all meals: breakfasts, packed lunches, and chef-prepared dinners throughout.

Yes — travel insurance is a condition of booking. Your policy must cover injury, cancellation, and loss of luggage. As New Zealand is an international destination for most guests, medical evacuation coverage is also required.

A solid level of fitness is recommended. The tracks are manageable but involve real terrain — the Kepler Track includes an 800m ascent to Mt Luxmore, and the Routeburn is rocky in sections with meaningful elevation gain. Focus your preparation on hill climbing and building endurance on uneven ground rather than flat distance walking.

Want to Know More?

The Fiordland experience

Wonder
Walk four of New Zealand's Great Walks in one journey: the Milford, Routeburn, Kepler, and Hollyford Tracks
A helicopter flight into the remote Hollyford coastline and a cruise on Milford Sound are included
Milford Sound's dramatic cliffs and waterfalls, accessible at the end of the Milford Track, are extraordinary
Wellness
Pack-free walking through Fiordland's 12,000-square-kilometre UNESCO World Heritage wilderness
The combination of alpine passes, ancient rainforest, and glacier-carved valleys is unmatched in New Zealand
Walking these four tracks outside peak season reveals Fiordland at its most elemental and uncrowded
Nature
Glacier-carved valleys, moss-draped beech forests, and pristine alpine lakes throughout Fiordland
Look out for native kaka, brown creeper, and riflemen birds along the Routeburn and Kepler Tracks
Fiordland's extraordinary silence, broken only by waterfalls and birdcalls, is its defining sound