Top 10 Fiordland Hiking photos

20 Jan 2016

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We’ve had a cracker of a summer season here in Fiordland so far with some incredible weather.  Guests have been sending through some stunning photos of their time on tour with us and our guides have some great shots too. To celebrate the start of the New Year, we’ve picked our top 10 favourite Fiordland hiking photos to share on our blog. Enjoy, and get inspired – will 2016 be the year you visit stunning Fiordland on holiday?

1. Key Summit Day Walk, Routeburn Track

The hike up to Key Summit has got to be one of Fiordland’s best day walks. This photo was taken by our guide Douglas, and the weather was stunning – clear, sunny skies meant that the huge views of Fiordland National Park were extra spectacular. This is an easy to moderate half day hike, which we offer as a guided day experience or as part of our 3 Great Walks in 3 Days package.

Fiordland Hiking Routeburn Track

2. Kepler Track Heli-hike

What do you get when you mix a helicopter flight with one of New Zealand’s Great Walks? An epic day out in Fiordland, that’s what! This photo was taken of Mary and Bianca just before reaching the summit of Mount Luxmore, looking out along the length of the Kepler Track and out towards the mountains of Fiordland National Park. These guests were on our popular Kepler Track Guided Day Heli-Hike experience.

Mt Luxmore, Kepler Track Guided Heli Hike - reward for effort

3. Wilderness tea break

We reckon a hot drink and a biscuit tastes so much better in the middle of the Fiordland wilderness! We heat the water over an open fire, then take a break from exploring to put our feet up, have a chat and enjoy the scenery. This photo was taken on our Milford Coach, Cruise and Walk experience, the best Milford Sound day trip!

Quintessential kiwi brew - "billy tea", best enjoyed in the Great Outdoors!

4. Routeburn Track during Springtime

The months of October and November are a magical time to walk the Routeburn Track on a Routeburn Track Guided day walk or for those on limited time in conjunction with our Milford Sound Coach, Cruise and Walk. The forest is awakening from its winter slumber; and the contrast between the last of the snow and the new green growth of the trees is something pretty special. 

Routeburn Track Key Summit Spring walking in the mountains

5. Milford Track

Huge, emerald-green ferns, lush hanging moss and native bird song…it must be the Milford Track! We love the big grins on these guests’ faces. This part of the Milford Track looks like a lot like Middle-earth – look out for hobbits, orcs and wizards (not pictured). Our Milford Track Guided Day Walk is a great way to get a taste of one of the world’s most spectacular walking tracks in a shorter amount of time.

Jurassic Park? No, the Milford Track!

6. Luxmore Hut, Kepler Track

The alpine tussock fields of the Kepler Track are a botanist’s delight – there’s some truly incredible plant life up there. Here’s a picture of Kate from the UK descending after the helicopter flight to Luxmore Hut, with stunning views of Fiordland’s mountains, lakes and the National Park. They’re on our Kepler Track Guided Day Heli-Hike.

Fiordland Hiking above bushline on the Kepler Track

7. Key Summit, Routeburn Track

Key Summit has got to be one of the best photo opportunities in all of Fiordland! This view looks out over the Humboldt and Darran Mountains. We usually spot plenty of birdlife when hiking up to Key Summit – tomtits, robins, New Zealand pigeons and bellbirds are prolific here.  These guests are on our Milford Sound Coach, Cruise & Walk experience. Guests can either choose to hike up to Key Summit or enjoy a number of short walks in the area after cruising Milford Sound in the morning.

Fiordland Hiking Key Summit Routeburn Track

8. Another wilderness tea stop

In this photo we’re heating the water for another wilderness tea stop on our Milford Coach & Cruise experience. It’s a lovely time for guests to stretch their legs and take photos.

Fiordland Hiking another wilderness"billy tea"

9. Routeburn Track, Early Spring

September is early spring time in Fiordland and a magical time to walk the Routeburn Track on a day walk. Senthil from Malaysia joined us on our Routeburn Track Guided day walk, on one of the first trips of the season.  Staff training time too, so they recieved get lots of special attention, on this day we had guides Ross and Toni leading the way. Depending on the weather, there may be thicker snow the closer we get to Key Summit.  These crisp, blue-sky spring days are our favourite!

Fiordland Guided Hiking Routeburn Track in winter

10. Spaniard Grass Flower, Key Summit

Found only in New Zealand’s South Island, the Spaniard Grass Flower thrives in open mountain shrubland. This year’s hot and dry Fiordland summer suits this plant just fine! The yellow flower stems grow 1.5m in summer and make for a beautiful foreground for photos atop Key Summit on the Routeburn Track. This guest is on our Routeburn Track Guided Day Walk.

Fiordland Hiking grass flower in bloom - Key Summit Routeburn Track

A big thank you to all of our guests who have shared their stunning holiday photos with us - we’re excited for the second half of the summer season. Get in touch to book your own Fiordland outdoor experience with Trips & Tramps. See you out on the trail!