Milford Track Great Walk

Milford Track Guided Day Walk

Giant Gate Waterfall - Milford Track

Enjoy a taste of the 'finest walk in the world' with a half-day hike

Soak up the grandeur of the world-famous Milford Track with a guided walk to Giant's Gate Falls.  This New Zealand Great Walk is suitable for all keen hikers and there is much to see. From the ancient canopy trees towering above to the emerald-green ferns below and the birdsong that echoes through the trees, it is a unique World Heritage Area best explored by foot.

 

  • 3.5hrs
  • 50m
  • 11km
  • Medium
  • 4.5hr trip

Ex Milford

  • Adult NZ$159
  • Child NZ$115

Ex Te Anau

  • Adult NZ$215
  • Child NZ$140

Morning Guided Walk

Departing from Milford Sound, we begin with a short boat ride to Sandfly Point. The guided walk meanders alongside the cascading Arthur River through lush rainforest to Giant Gate. This spectacular waterfall is best viewed from the large swing bridge spanning the river.

Giant Gate Falls on the Milford Track, Fiordland National Park

Walking in a small group, your knowledgeable, friendly Trips & Tramps nature guide will point out the native plants and birds inhabiting this lush environment, and share the track’s stories, bringing the history of the area to life.

Local guides share their knowledge on the Milford Track, Fiordland

Outstanding hike!

Geoff Barnes was outstanding. It is always best to have someone who grew up in the area as a guide, but Geoff is more than just a local. His work experience and natural curiosity came through in explaining geology, flora, fauna, even bird calls. And a really nice guy to top it off. I keep remembering more of what he said as while we hiked along the lower Milford Track as I explore other parts of the island. The day was a real high light of the south island.

Tom, USA

Loved the trek!

Loved the trek with Ross who was very pleasant to visit with as well as knowledgeable.

Marlene and Don

I had a great experience!

"I had a great experience discouvering a small but significant part of the Milford Sound with our guide. He was both really nice, a good group manager and a great resource on the area. We walked together a few times and he shared extra insights I found very interesting. There never was enough time but we did a good job! ;-)"

Donna
  • Giant Gate Waterfall
  • Milford Sound, Deep Water Basin
  • Milford Sound Terminal
  • Milford Track
  • Sandfly Point
  • Te Anau

Meals

A hot drink is provided on the guided walk.  We recommend you bring hiking snacks with you and a reusable bottle of water. 

Departure Point

Ex Milford Sound

If you have selected to depart from Milford Sound, meet your Trips & Tramps guide at 8.30 am.  You will meet your guide at the Mitre Peak Cruise counter in the Main Visitors Terminal at Fresh Water Basin.

Milford Sound is a recommended 2 hour drive from Te Anau plus you need to allow time to park, so we recommend a 6.00 am departure from Te Anau.  Milford Sound Tourism has implemented paid parking in the main Milford carparks. The cost is set from $10.00 per hour. This fee is payable by credit card only. On Deepwater Basin Road there is free parking on a gravel carpark. We recommend you be at Milford Parked up by 8.00 am if you wish to have free parking. From here it is a 25 minute walk to the main terminal building where we meet you.

The Milford Road is steep, windy and narrow in places - less confident drivers should consider taking the transport option. There is limited cell phone coverage along the way and at Milford Sound.

Ex Te Anau

If you have selected our transport option for the Milford Track Guided Walk, we will collect you from your Te Anau accommodation so please be ready waiting for us outside at 6.25 am good to go! Please note on most occasions you will need to wait at Milford Sound while the group cruises on the fiord. There is time to get some lunch and do the foreshore walk, and maybe even find the Milford Sound swing.

Schedule

8.30 am Meet guide at the Milford Sound Boat Terminal

8.45 am Depart by Water taxi to Sandfly Point

11.15 am Wilderness tea break at Giant Gate Waterfall

1.00 pm Water taxi departs Sandfly Point

1.15 pm Milford Sound Boat Terminal

Transport Option: 6.30 am Pick up Te Anau accommodation, return 5.30 pm.

Availability: Late October to 30th April.

What to bring

What to Bring - we recommend guests bring comfortable walking shoes, day pack containing warm top (synthetic or wool), waterproof jacket, warm hat and gloves, insect repellent, snack food and camera. Jeans and street wear are not suitable clothing, please ensure you wear suitable outdoor, activewear for the walks. We also recommend you have a change of clothes and dry shoes in case it is a wet day. Rain jackets are available if requested prior to the day of travel. Bring lunch with you or preorder a packed lunch. 

We Provide

We provide a professional nature guide, water taxi transport from Deep Water Basin to Sandfly Point, Milford Track and return, safety gear, and hot drinks.

Difficulty

Good fitness required, the hiking pace is set around 3 km per hour, 50 metre vertical gain, 11 km walk total, walking time aproximately 3.5 hours. There are some areas where terrain is rocky or rough underfoot. On occasion, wet weather may make conditions more challenging when puddles or streams may be encountered. We operate in mostweather conditions, so guests need to be suitably prepared. Not recommended for children under 8 years.

Trip Add-ons

Round off your day with a Milford Scenic Boat Cruise, explore more of Milford Sound with a full day package Milford Track and Cruise.

Children

This excursion is suitable for children 8 years +. The child rate applies for ages 8-15 years inclusive.

Unfortunately we are unable to take infants or young children on the track for health and safety reasons. The major concern is the weather and the pace set. We cannot guarantee fine weather, and should it be raining on the day (which Milford Sound is prone to) young children do not have the ability to keep warm enough.  Also infants will be sat in backpacks for up to 4 hours getting wet, cold and unable to warm up as they are too young to be able to keep up with the pace as set by the guide which is approximately 3km - 3.5km per hour. 

The owners of Trips and Tramps, Steve and Kate, have 4 children of their own and so this age limit has been decided based on their own personal experiences.

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