Global Adventure - Backpack New Zealand’s Best “Great Walks” and Tramping Trails

Itinerary Highlights: Our main 18-day itinerary, all on the country’s South Island, will consist of 11 days of trekking hut to hut on three of New Zealand’s “Great Walks” in the Southern Alps featuring lovely lakeside and coastal views, stunning, view-rich alpine ridge walking, and lush native forest filled with towering tree ferns and the sounds of native songbirds.   Between the first two treks (the Milford and the Kepler track) and the last one we’ll have a fun driving, hiking and wildlife/birdlife viewing journey across the plains and mountains from Te Anau to the Otago Peninsula and along the south coast on our way to a third Great Walk (the Hump Ridge) that includes high alpine, southern ocean and tree fern forests.

The Kepler Track

• Day 1 of our 3-day Kepler Track will begin with a water taxi ride across Lake Te Anau to Brod Bay, from which we’ll climb through thick native forest to the treeline and then ramble high through the alpine tussock to Luxmore Hut, with 360-degree views of the lake and its many arms arrayed below us. (4.8 miles, 2821 feet gain, 95 feet loss, Moderate difficulty).
• Day 2 of the Kepler Track is some of the best ridge walking on the planet. We’ll climb to the ridge from Luxmore Hut, then follow successive open ridges for miles far above the arms of Lake Te Anau before descending steeply on steps and trail and walking through lush forest to Iris Burn hut.  (8.75 miles, 2174 feet gain, 4027 feet loss, Moderate difficulty)
• The last day of the Kepler track is a full immersion in New Zealand’s native forest, mostly flat walking, surrounded by the sounds of rare songbirds, and with a chance for a lunchtime dip in Lake Manapouri, before catching a bus back to our hotel in Te Anau. (13.7 miles, 951 feet gain, 1829 feet loss, Easy).
• See photos of the Kepler Track here from our 2024 New Zealand Global Adventure!

The Milford Track

• Our 4-day Milford Track will begin with a scenic bus and boat ride from Te Anau along huge Lake Te Anau to a wharf on the opposite side, from which we’ll walk on gentle trail along the Clinton river in lush riparian forest to the Clinton Hut (1 miles, 122 feet gain, 76 feet loss, Easy).
• Day 2 of the Milford Track continues up the Clinton River under steadily rising cliffs and gorgeous waterfalls, mostly in lovely native forest (listen for the songbirds here!) on still gentle but steadily rising trail, to the Mintaro Hut. (11.6 miles, 1656 feet gain, 324 feet loss, Moderate difficulty).
• Day 3 is the crux of the Milford Track as we hike toward the Clinton headwall and then steeply up and over 3790-foot Omanui/McKinnon Pass, discovered by Quintin McKinnon in 1888 on a search for a tourist route between the Clinton and Arthur River valleys from Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound. The ridge from the pass and the descent along the Arthur River headwaters to Dumpling Hut are magical  (11.1 miles, 2367 feet gain, 4022 feet loss, Moderate to Strenuous).
• The last day of the Milford Track is a peaceful, gentle walk along the Arthur River to Sandfly Bay on the majestic Milford Sound. We’ll cross on a ferry to Milford Village and catch a cruise boat to go up the sound (under majestic vertical granite walls gushing with waterfalls) to the Tasman Sea, with luck seeing fur seals, dolphins and penguins along the way!  After the cruise we’ll take a bus back to Te Anau for the night. (11.4 miles, 557 feet gain, 944 feet loss, Easy-Moderate difficulty).
• See photos of the Milford Track here  from our 2014 Global Adventure!

After returning from the Milford track, staying the night in Te Anau, and spending a morning there for laundry and resupply, we’ll set out for three days driving and day-hiking through the wild and dramatic Otago Peninsula and along the far-south coast of the South Island.  Along the way we’ll visit a Royal Albatross center and breeding area and a rehab center for Yellow-Eyed and tiny Blue penguins[1], and hike to remote Sandfly bay to look for penguins climbing a cliff from the sea and watch for endangered New Zealand fur seals, Hooker's sea lions, and Hector's dolphins.    From there we’ll drive east along the southernmost coast of New Zealand with potential hikes to a remote lighthouse at Nugget Point, a petrified forest at Curio Bay, and out to the furthest south point on the South Island at Bluff, and end at  Tuatapere, the gateway to our last trekking route – the Hump Ridge Track Great Walk. 

The Hump Ridge Track

• Day 1 of the Hump Ridge track takes us along a beach and then steeply uphill on rugged rooty trail and boardwalk to Okaka Lodge, on the treeline. After settling into the hut, we’ll explore high above the lodge (for sunset or the next morning’s sunrise) to loop around spectacular rock formations and alpine tarns, with panoramic views over the Southern Ocean.  (11.8 miles, 3491 feet gain, 650 feet loss, Strenuous to Very Strenuous).
• On Day 2 of the Hump Ridge track we’ll descend through gnarled southern beech forest with openings to views out over the Southern Ocean, and cross three historic wooden trestles following an old logging route, to Port Craig Hut with its abandoned wharf. (swim here with a pod of Hector’s Dolphins – if you care to brave the swarms of sand flies!)  (12.6 miles, 1108 feet gain, 3950 feet loss, Moderate-Strenuous).
• The final day of the Hump Ridge track is a glory of dappled tree-fern forest and beach walking on rolling terrain back to the parking area, where we’ll pick up our vehicle to drive 2.5 hours back to Queenstown for a last night before catching our flights home or onward through Auckland the next day. (12.1 miles, 1115 feet gain, 1083 feet loss, Moderate difficulty).
• See photos of typical scenes and terrain from a 2013 Global Adventure on the Hump Ridge here!

 Optional North Island Extension for Participants in the Main Itinerary

• An optional 8-day excursion on the North Island before the main itinerary will offer a chance to explore the lovely Auckland harbor district, to visit Rotorua and it’s colorful thermal areas (and huge lake with black swans!), to experience local Maori food and culture, and to complete a memorable four-day backpacking loop (31 miles, 6000 feet of total gain and loss, moderate difficulty) around a cluster of active volcanoes, volcanic dikes and surreal-colored lakes on the Tongariro Northern Circuit (carrying our food and overnight gear to camp along the way, because the Tongariro huts are small, crowded and noisy!).  See photos from the Tongariro Northern Circuit from a past Global Adventure here!
• Then, on the way back to Auckland for flights to Queenstown to join the Main Itinerary, participants with an interest will have the option to explore the unforgettable limestone caves and underground rivers of Waitomo on their own^[2] with glow-worms overhead (there are options for a low-stress float in inner-tubes or rafts through  the caves, or more exciting options involving rappelling into the caves and scaling waterfalls, all through a reliable third party company that takes care of safety and logistics).

Meeting Time and Place:

• Those signed onto the pre-trip extension will meet the group at the Auckland airport at a coordinated time (if possible) in the morning on February 1, 2027 for a shuttle together to the Auckland harbor area and check in to our hotel (night included).  (Note this requires a departure from Seattle on January 30, 2027 because we cross the international date line.)   Anyone who arrives at a very different time than the others or whose flight and/or bags are delayed will be able to get to the hotel easily on their own by taxi or bus.
• Everyone on the pre-trip extension will continue to the Auckland airport together, stay at a hotel near there (included), and board the same morning flight to Queenstown on February 9, 2027 (we will all buy our own flight tickets to Queenstown).
• Those on the Main Itinerary who are NOT on the pre-trip extension will need to depart Seattle on February 7, 2027 to arrive in Auckland in the morning on February 9, 2027 and catch a flight that same day to Queenstown. To the extent that everyone can arrive at the same time in Queenstown, a shuttle will be arranged for everyone to ride together to our hotel from the Queenstown airport.  Those who are delayed on the way to Queenstown can easily catch their own taxi or ride the easy public bus to our Queenstown hotel.
• We will all spend the night together at the same hotel in Queenstown on the last night (February 25, 2027) and shuttle together to the airport for flights out.

Trip Rating:   Easy to strenuous/very strenuous

Time of Year:   Our itinerary in February is high summer, with generally warm temperatures and a reduced chance of rainfall but also late enough to avoid the biggest crowds.  WARNING:  Though this is the best time of year for sun and dry weather in New Zealand, we’ll be traveling in mountain and coast environments where extremes of weather can still occur, so we will all need to be prepared for everything from heat to extended rain to snow.  Temperatures in the lowlands could be as high as the 80s at midday, but in the high country they could range from the 30s with snow to pleasant mid 70s and sun.  We should be ready for cloudy days and rain on multiple days of the trip, but I’ve also been there when it’s been sunny throughout.

Lodging:  In town we’ll stay in comfortable 3-star lodgings (twin-share basis with en-suite bath) within convenient walking distance of restaurants and local sights.  On the Kepler, Milford and Hump Ridge Great Walks we’ll stay in huts with basic dorm-style accommodations, toilets, running water (may not be purified) and gas cookers in the common area for cooking (food and pots not provided).  Dorm bunkrooms may be set up with bunkbeds and mattresses (up to 40 in a big room) or with platforms with mattresses set side to side, and we’ll typically be sharing space with trekkers of both genders including people from other groups.  Single-gender toilet rooms are down the hall, and showers are not available in Kepler and Milford Track huts but are available for a cost in the Hump Ridge huts.  During our Tongariro Circuit backpack we’ll be camping in scenic camps with running water (may not be purified) and toilets shared with a nearby (but hot and noisy) hut[3].  Cooking facilities at the huts can’t be used by campers so we’ll be bringing our own stoves and gas.

Food:  When we’re in town, breakfasts will be included at some but not all of our hotels (lovely cafes are in close walking distance for breakfasts at our own expense when they’re not provided at our hotels).  We’ll have a few included group dinners at some of the many fantastic local restaurants while in town, including a traditional Maori feast near Rotorua on the pre-trip extension and a welcome dinner buffet high above Queenstown at the top of a gondola at the start of the main itinerary.  You’ll be amazed and thrilled by the great food and wine you can find across the country!   Lunches and most dinners in town will be on our own to give us some space and a chance to try more different offerings.  (Most dietary restrictions can be easily accommodated.).   For our Great Walks we will provide and prepare our own food, generally purchased from one of the many excellent supermarkets and health food stores that can be found in our gateway towns; we will also purchase our own lunches and dinners on the drive to Otago and the South coast.

Leader:  Cheryl Talbert has been a hiking and backpacking leader since 2009, and a Global Adventures leader since 2013.   She has led a number of extended high-country backpacks in the US as well as successful international trips and treks including Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Madeira, Norway, Italy (the Dolomites), the Alps of Switzerland and France, New Zealand, Australia, Belize, Iceland, the Himalaya, southern and northern Patagonia, Jordan, Peru, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan, Sikkim and Nepal.  This will be her seventh trekking trip to New Zealand, and her fourth time leading in the country for the Mountaineers (it’s her favorite place to visit in the world!).

Maximum 12 participants, minimum 10 on Main Itinerary.  (This number may end up smaller depending on permit success.)

Participant requirements:  Participants must be Mountaineers members with a current waiver on file.  Because participants must carry ~20 pounds of gear and food for 3-4 successive days at a time on sometimes steep and rough, rocky trail, good conditioning and balance and recent multi-day trekking or strenuous hiking experience are required along with the appropriate gear for variable, potentially extreme weather.   In addition, this is a group trip so participants must be flexible and accommodating, have a positive attitude, and be able to amicably handle close quarters and the company of others for extended periods (though plenty of opportunities for solitude will be available).   Participants must complete and return a liability waiver and a detailed medical information form, and a doctor’s approval if the leader requests it based on current or recent medical conditions.   International medical and evacuation insurance coverage will be required (not included in the trip price).

• NOTE: Your leader makes most of the arrangements and provides logistics support during the trip, but is NOT a tour guide!  As a Mountaineers group we will operate as interdependent, capable travelers making our way together and helping one another succeed and be safe.  You must have the ability to navigate on trails with a map and compass.
• NOTE: Participants must be fully vaccinated to participate in the trip.  In addition, participants are expected to practice conservative covid behavior before and during transit to the trip including masking and avoiding crowded indoor spaces whenever possible; and that they will carry covid self-tests on the trip and use them in the week before or any time during the trip when they experience a symptom commonly related to covid.  Any positive test or contagious respiratory illness symptoms mean that the participant will need to mask up and isolate as much as possible until they are symptom free.  See the Mountaineers’ Global Adventures Respiratory Illness policy at this link.

Trip Price Detail:   $3700 for main itinerary based on at least 7 participants, and $1300 more for participants who choose to join the pre-trip extension based on at least 5 people adding the extension[4].  This includes all lodging, a few meals in town, ground transport, luggage transfers, all required hut permits, and major included tours.  Not included are the participants’ international airfare (~$1500), airport shuttles, required emergency evacuation and emergency medical insurance, all food for the tramping segments, all lunches, and some dinners in town, optional activities in town, alcoholic beverages, and any personal items (total ~$1900-2600 depending on the type and amount of insurance and your restaurant choices).

Registration Instructions:  Registration for this trip is unusual.  Applications are requested right away and an initial roster approved because names must be provided in order to book huts;  but we don't want to open the trip for registration until huts are booked and the itinerary and price are firm.   Spots on the roster cannot be held without payment of the deposit.  Because huts aren’t booked at the time the trip is posted, the itinerary could change significantly with a different mix and/or order of treks, but interested applicants will be informed of any changes before they are asked to register, and no cancellation fees will be due before that time.  Registration will close on September 1, 2026 or whenever the roster fills. The balance of the trip payment will be due in the fall of 2026.

APPLICATION

(Must apply and be approved in advance to be included in hut bookings!)

Cancellation Policy.  Because many of the required advanced bookings are non-refundable, there will not be the option for a refund once people have paid the deposit and joined the roster in late May.  The exception is that a refund may be granted less the minimum $100 Mountaineers cancellation fee if someone registers to take your place.

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[1] Called ‘OPERA’ for Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance – see https://theopera.co.nz/

[2] Cost extra, to be booked directly with the vendor.

[3]    I have chosen to organize this segment with camping near the huts, because I’ve stayed in these Tongariro huts before and they are very crowded, hot and noisy!

[4] The trip price may require a modest increase in the final payment if fewer people register, in order for the trip to proceed.

Those signed onto the pre-trip extension will meet the group at the Auckland airport at a coordinated time (if possible) in the morning on February 1, 2027 for a shuttle together to the Auckland harbor area and check in to our hotel (night included).  (Note this requires a departure from Seattle on January 30, 2027 because we cross the international date line.)   Anyone who arrives at a very different time than the others or whose flight and/or bags are delayed will be able to get to the hotel easily on their own by taxi or bus.    At the end of the pre-trip extension, everyone will ride together to the Auckland airport, stay at a hotel near there (included), and board the same morning flight to Queenstown on February 9, 2027 (we will all buy our own flight tickets to Queenstown).

Those on the Main Itinerary who are NOT on the pre-trip extension will need to depart Seattle on February 7, 2027 to arrive in Auckland in the morning on February 9, 2027 and catch a flight that same day to Queenstown. If everyone can arrive at the same time in Queenstown, a shuttle will be arranged for everyone to ride together to our hotel from the Queenstown airport.  Those who are delayed on the way to Queenstown can easily catch their own taxi or ride the easy public bus to our Queenstown hotel.  At the end of the Main Itinerary we will all spend the last night at the same hotel in Queenstown  (February 25, 2027) and shuttle together to the airport for flights out.