Routeburn Track Hiking Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Routeburn Track is the second shortest hike out of all New Zealand's Great Walks. Read our hiking guide on Routeburn Track including tips on how to get to the trailhead, how to relocate your car, how much things cost, how to make a reservation, when is the best to hike the trek when traveling on a budget - you'll find here everything you need to know to successfully finish Routeburn Track.
Routeburn Track is one of the most rewarding hikes in New Zealand, but it is also one of the most tricky-to-plan treks in the country. Despite its length (the hike is only 33 kilometers long), travelers need to deal with many obstacles such as booking the accommodation along the trail well in advance and with the fact that both Routeburn Track ends are located almost five hours drive apart.
All avid hikers who want to fulfill their dreams by hiking the second shortest (the shortest one is Rakiura Track on Stewart Island) New Zealand's Great Walk might find discouraging, that prices of huts and campsites along the trail have increased significantly in the past few years, and trekking Routeburn Track is by no means a budget-friendly activity anymore. But no worries.
We've created this post to help you out with planning this hike, and we share with you tips and tricks we gained while hiking Routeburn Track on a budget.
As we were living in New Zealand for 15 months, when exploring the country's incredible nature, we were not that much limited by time, but by our budget.
That's why we decided to do all three Great Walks in Fiordland National Park in May when booking the huts was much easier and much cheaper (and weather conditions much colder).
Routeburn Track was the last hike in New Zealand's South Island we did before winter arrived, and before we moved to Lake Tekapo, where we had a job promised for the next four months.
And for those four months, we treasured our memories of Routeburn Track which kept us working hard so we could make money and start traveling again the next spring.
ROUTEBURN TRACK LENGTH & DIFFICULTY
33 kilometers long Routeburn Track will take you through spectacular alpine scenery from Mount Aspiring National Park to Fiordland National Park or vice versa.
Because of the exceptional settings and the fact that the trek is doable in two days when walking in pace, Routeburn Track is one of the most popular hikes among both locals and foreign visitors.
The trek is moderately difficult, and although you will have to climb some hills, we did not find it extremely demanding. Actually, a group of 60+ years old people hiked Routeburn Track simultaneously with us, and they did not have a problem to finish it.
Everything also depends on your level of fitness and weather, which can make the hike more challenging, but overall Routeburn Track is for sure doable and is one of the easier ones out of the New Zealand's Great Walks.
On our list, we would say it was the second easiest Great Walk we've done right after Abel Tasman Coast Track.
ROUTEBURN TRACK TRAILHEAD
As Routeburn Track is not a circuit, you can choose from which trailhead you'll start the trek. One trailhead is close to Queenstown and Glenorchy and is called Routeburn Shelter in Mount Aspiring National Park, while the other one is closer to the famous Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park, near a town Te Anau. This trailhead is called The Divide.
Generally, the most important thing you should factor in is your New Zealand itinerary.
Being only one-way trek is a bit a problem here because unless you want to hike Routeburn Track there and back (as we did), you need to arrange your transport from one trailhead to another after you finish the hike, as those trailheads are 324 kilometers apart, and there is no public transport.
The Divide is 85 kilometers (1 hour and 30 minutes) from Te Anau and Routeburn Shelter is 25 kilometers from Glenorchy or 71 kilometers (1 hour and 15 minutes) from Queenstown.
But more about it later.
HOW TO MAKE RESERVATION FOR ROUTEBURN TRACK
Trekking in New Zealand is divided into two seasons, and some treks during this time have different rules and different ways how to book the stay, and Routeburn Track is one of them.
October 29 - April 30 | The main hiking season in New Zealand lasts six months, and if you plan on visiting the country during this time, we advise you to make all your reservations for Great Walks as soon as possible, because the most popular dates are often booked out within a couple of days.
The booking system usually opens at the end of June for the next hiking season.
Generally, hiking Routeburn Track is free, but you have to pay for your accommodation on the trail.
Rates for accommodation on the Great Walks have increased lately, so when hiking Routeburn Track during the main season, be ready to pay NZD 130 per night per person for staying in a hut and NZD 40 per person per night when camping.
These rates are valid for international visitors, Kiwis pay significantly lower rates, but if you are not a local but have for example working visa, you are also eligible to get a discount, so check the official booking site.
May 1 - October 28 | Low hiking season brings more tolerable prices, but you should be better equipped and well-experienced because weather conditions can be more challenging.
During the offseason, you do not need to make your reservation online in advance as huts and campgrounds during this time serve on a first-come-first-served basis.
When all bunk beds are taken, you can sleep on the floor if you want, that is not possible during the high season.
During the low season price for the hut is NZD 15, and you'll pay NZD 5 for the campground, but as the conditions can be icy and wet, we recommend you to stay inside.
To pay for your stay, you need to either buy Serviced Backcountry Hut Ticket in advance in any visitors center, or you can use Backcountry Hut Pass.
We used this hut pass a lot, and it really pays off if you plan to hike in New Zealand a lot as a year pass costs NZD 122, so at the end, we figured that each night in a hut cost us approximately NZD 3.
Our Tip: If you decide to do any of the Great Walks out of season, this is completely fine, we did all hikes in Fiordland National Park (Routeburn, Milford, and Kepler) when the main season finished, but try to avoid May 1st, the first day when the huts are cheaper and booking is not required.
Hundreds of people wait for this date, and the situation in the huts is crazy. People sleep on the floor, there is no space to cook, and toilets are insufficient for the number of hikers.
WHERE TO STAY ALONG ROUTEBURN TRACK
Unless you are able to finish Routeburn Track in one day without the necessity to stay overnight, you will have to reserve either hut or campsite.
There are four serviced huts on 33 kilometers, but only two campsites.
Before you book your accommodation, it is necessary to check out how far from each other huts or campgrounds are to make sure you will be able to walk the distance in one day.
During the hiking season huts are serviced, which means there is a ranger, who can tell you more about the trail and has up to date information weather-wise, and there is running water, heating, gas, and flush toilets.
Outside the main season services are greatly reduced - you need to find wood outside in case you want to make fire, bring your own gas for cooking, there is no ranger present, and only pit toilets are available.
On the other hand, the price is much cheaper.
What does not change is that you will find mattresses in a hut (it is dormitory-type accommodation) and picnic tables in the campgrounds all year round, and you need to bring your sleeping bag (tent and mattress when sleeping in a campsite), cooking utensils and food.
Our Tip: If you decide on staying in a tent, make sure you have good equipment, and also that you are able to carry extra kilograms on your back all the way.
WHICH DIRECTION SHOULD YOU WALK
Honestly, it does not matter in which direction you'll choose to hike.
Either from Routeburn Shelter or The Divide, you have in front of you a grueling climb to Harris Saddle, and then you need to descend, which can be quite hard for your knees.
You should choose your starting and finishing point of Routeburn Track according to your New Zealand itinerary and according to huts or campsites availability.
HOW MANY DAYS YOU NEED TO FINISH ROUTEBURN TRACK
Officially, Routeburn Track requires three to four days to finish, but everything depends on your level of fitness.
Routeburn Track is quite popular among light trek runners who are able to finish the trek in one day without staying on the trail overnight, but we believe most of us will need at least two to three days to finish the hike.
One of the reasons why we would recommend you not to hurry are for sure the epic views of soaring mountain peaks, glacier-carved valleys, and crystal clear lakes.
We slept three nights on Routeburn Track, but only because we were returning back the same way for our car, otherwise two nights would have been completely sufficient.
On the other, the possibility to sleep in three or four huts is great for the elderly or families with kids who cannot walk that fast and need to make more breaks.
BUDGET & SAFETY TIPS
When traveling on a budget, your the only option to keep cost low is to hike Routeburn Track out of season, between May 1 and October 28.
During this time you can enjoy the hike for the fraction of the normal price.
We really appreciated it as thanks to it we could do some of the well-known New Zealand hikes out of season, but we must admit we've done most of them at the beginning of May when the weather was still not that challenging.
If you plan on hiking Routeburn Track closer to winter, it is always necessary to ask in any information center in the area how's the current situation on the trail.
The winter environment in Fiordland, and therefore on Routeburn Track is wet, snowy and icy, some bridges can be removed during this time and there is a hazard of floodings and avalanches.
That's why it is always better to think first about your safety, whether you are well-experienced and well-equipped, and not to try to save several hundreds of dollars instead.
When hiking Routeburn Track in the winter, you should pack the following items: Avalanche Transceiver | Avalanche Probe | Snow Shovel.
Our another tried and tested budget tip is not to walk Routeburn Track only one way unless you don't mind paying for a car relocation or a shuttle bus.
Simply put, we walked Routeburn Track twice.
We started from The Divide, walked to Routeburn Falls Hut, and then back to The Divide. It took us one day more than it normally would have, but we did not have to arrange transport from Routeburn Shelter.
ROUTEBURN TRACK TRANSPORT
The most tricky part when hiking Routeburn Track is to get from one end of the trek back to the place where you began. In case you do not have a car parked either in The Divide or Routeburn Shelter parking lot, you still have to get either to Te Anau or Queenstown. Here we will outline several options you have.
Shuttle Bus | If you do not have a car parked on either end of Routeburn Track, the easiest option is to book a shuttle bus from one of many companies running the service between The Divide and Routeburn Shelter.
You can usually reserve the following routes: Queenstown - Routeburn Shelter - The Divide - Queenstown (or the opposite direction) or Te Anau - The Divide - Routeburn Shelter - Te Anau (or the opposite direction).
This service costs around NZD 125 per person. We believe there must be also an option to be picked up for example in Te Anau, and dropped off in Queenstown in case this suits your itinerary better.
Hitchhiking | If you have plenty of time, it is possible to hitchhike from each end of Routeburn Track back to your car or your next destination.
Hike Routeburn Track there and back | As we mentioned above, this is what we did. We started at The Divide and returned to the same point where our car was parked.
Car Relocation | As most of the visitors get around New Zealand by rental car, you might be interested in this option called car relocation. This option is a bit pricier (around NZD 285 plus fuel), but you won't have to backtrack either to Routeburn Shelter or Te Anau.
The only thing you need to do is make a reservation and give a company's representative your car keys.
Tour | In case you are short on time but still want to see the best scenery Routeburn Track has to offer, you can take a one-day tour either Routeburn Tour from Te Anau or Routeburn Tour from Queenstown.
ROUTEBURN TRACK ITINERARY
There is no right or wrong Routeburn Track itinerary. Everything depends on your level of fitness, available huts, and the time you have in New Zealand allocated for hiking.
This is exactly the itinerary we followed.
Get inspired, and adjust this itinerary to your likings.
DAY 1: TE ANAU - THE DIVIDE - LAKE MACKENZIE HUT
Although the weather forecast for the day we wanted to start Routeburn Track was not the best, we decided to set off anyway, as the second day was supposed to be the most picturesque, and the forecast looked promising.
From Te Anau, we drove approximately one hour and a half to The Divide, where we left our car and started the hike.
From the very beginning, the trail ascended through silver beech forest and alpine wetlands with scattered views of Fiordland mountains.
Before we reached the first hut on the way, Lake Howden Hut, we could do a side trip to Key Summit (approximately an hour and a half return), but because it was raining, we decided to continue.
Not that long time after we reached stunning, 174 meters high Earland Falls, and then we gradually ascended via open grassy area to Lake Mackenzie Hut.
Despite the rain, the first day of Routeburn Track was very nice, mostly because the large part of the hike walked in the forest, which is very thick in New Zealand, so we were covered for the big part of the trek, and the impressive waterfalls was for sure the highlight of the day altogether with Mackenzie Lake right next to the hut.
The night was incredibly cold in the hut as there was no wood left in the hut, and the wood outside was wet.
DAY 2: LAKE MACKENZIE HUT - ROUTEBURN FALLS HUT
From Lake Mackenzie Hut a series of switchbacks took us to our favorite part of Routeburn Track.
Once we conquered the switchbacks, the trail was incredibly scenic until we reached Routeburn Falls Hut.
From the path, we had great panoramic views of the Darran Mountains and Hollyford Face.
The trail here is mostly flat, so you'll have plenty of time to admire alpine scenery and excellent flora.
Once we reached Harris Saddle, officially the highest point on Routeburn Track, we decided to make a side trip to Conical Hill which was yet another climb uphill, but we left our bags in the shelter, so the hike was much easier.
If you have time and enough energy, we recommend you to this side trip, as views from the top are out of this world.
It snowed for a while, but we were lucky with the views anyway.
Then we got back on the main trail and the path led us through stunning alpine scenery and around Lake Harris, one of the most beautiful lakes in New Zealand, to Routeburn Falls Hut from where we had amazing views of the valley, and of course, the falls.
DAY 3: ROUTEBURN FALLS HUT - LAKE HOWDEN HUT
We did not walk the last three hours of Routeburn Track to Routeburn Shelter, because we had to walk back to The Divide parking lot, but we did not mind it at all, because we had a chance to see the absolutely stunning hike one more time.
This day we stayed in the first hut on the trail when hiking from Te Anau's side, because the next day, we had another hike planned.
DAY 4: LAKE HOWDEN HUT - LAKE MARIAN - TE ANAU
In the morning, we descended to The Divide, from where, before returning to Te Anau, we drove for a while to another parking lot, from where we did a short one day hike to stunning Lake Marian.
If you have time, we definitely recommend this place as it is not that well-known, and the lake is super beautiful.
ROUTEBURN TRACK - GREENSTONE-CAPLES TRACK EXTENSION
If you do not have enough of hiking and the incredible scenery between Mount Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park, from the Howden Hut close to The Divide, you can connect Routeburn Track with Greenstone-Caples Track which is a 61-kilometers long loop.
We've done this trek, so if you are hesitating, we can only encourage you to do it, but the truth is we took a break between Routeburn Track and Greenstone-Caples and did not hike it straightaway - here we only wanted to inform you about the possibility.
When you check the map of Greenstone-Caples Track, you can also find out that there is no need to do the full loop, but you can from Howden Hut walk only to Greenstone Wharf which is a place close to Glenorchy. From this parking lot, you need to arrange transport to Glenorchy.
This is a great option if you do not mind to extend Routeburn Track for two or three days, plus you will save on transport from Te Anau to Glenorchy or Queenstown.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
FOOD AND DRINKS ON ROUTEBURN TRACK
When hiking in New Zealand’s South Island, we almost never carried extra water, as we usually could drink water from streams or the water tanks near the huts.
Not only it was much better for our back, but we did not have to buy plastic bottles.
When it comes to food, pack as light as possible. The most weight-wise, but quite expensive option is to buy dried food. We usually packed muesli, nuts, cheese, tuna fish and couscous with some fruits and vegetables.
It is good to have teabags, so you can make a good cup of tea and stay warm in the hut or a tent in the evening.
WHERE TO STAY BEFORE OR AFTER HIKING ROUTEBURN TRACK
Routeburn Track can be hiked in two directions, so it is only up to you whether you'll start your hike from a trailhead called The Divide close to Te Anau or from Routeburn Shelter near Glenorchy or larger town Queenstown.
We've handpicked the best reasonably priced accommodation on each side of the trek.
Glenorchy | Glenorchy Lake House - Beautiful cozy hotel right on the lake's shore offers comfortable, spacious rooms, well-equipped kitchen, tasty breakfast, and a hot tub.
Queenstown | Heartland Hotel Queenstown - Clean and modern hotel is right in the center of Queenstown and boasts with magnificent views.
Te Anau | Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers - This hotel on the shore of Te Anau Lake offers several types of accommodation options for every type of travelers.
Alternatively, search for your accommodation via Hostelworld.
WHAT TO PACK FOR HIKING ROUTEBURN TRACK
The high hiking season in New Zealand lasts from November to March, but the weather is quite unpredictable all year round, and you can experience four seasons in one day only.
Summer from December to February is usually warm with chilly mornings and evenings and occasional showers.
Winter is cold, and snow is not uncommon in this part of the country.
No matter what season you will choose to hike Routeburn Track in, you should always pack warm layers and extra clothes in case of rain so you keep yourself dry.
Sunscreen | Sunglasses | Mosquito Repellent | Hand Sanitizer
The rule number one for hiking Routeburn Track is to be ready for all types of weather.
Shorts | Short-Sleeved T-Shirt | Waterproof Jacket | Fleece Jacket
To make your multi-day hike more comfortable, make sure you have the following items:
Here are packing essentials for sleeping in a hut or a tent.
Tent | Mosquito Net | Sleeping Mat | Sleeping Bag | Stove & Gas Cans | Stove Screen |
When you sleep in a hut, you do not need a tent, mosquito net, and sleeping mat.
Foldable Knife | Headtorch | Cooking Set | Dried Food | Travel Towel | Filtered Water Bottle
We've also created an in-depth New Zealand Packing List where you can find more information and useful tips.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
