Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks
Routeburn Track
Glenorchy (Queenstown side) or The Divide (Te Anau side)
Distance
32 km
Duration
3 days 2 nights
Elevation gain
1,100 m
Difficulty
ModerateAdvance booking required
NZD $30 per person per night hut fee + transport to/from trailhead (~NZD $50 each end)
Book nowBest season
Late October to late April
Check current trail conditions
Track closures, snow conditions, hut availability, and safety alerts update daily. Always check before departing.
About this trail
Many experienced walkers consider the Routeburn the finest of New Zealand's nine Great Walks. The track crosses from Mount Aspiring National Park into Fiordland National Park via the Harris Saddle (1,255m), with panoramic views of the Forbes Mountains, Lake Harris, and the Darran Mountains. Two huts (Routeburn Falls and Lake Mackenzie) are located in exceptionally beautiful spots. The track is shorter and less physically demanding than the Milford Track but arguably more scenic.
Highlights
- ✓Harris Saddle (1,255m) — the main pass with panoramic views into Fiordland
- ✓Routeburn Falls Hut — waterfall directly outside the hut window
- ✓Lake Harris — an alpine tarn at the saddle
- ✓Lake Mackenzie — a perfect mountain lake surrounded by beech forest
- ✓Earland Falls — a 174m waterfall visible from the track
🚌 Getting there
The track is one-way between two trailheads. Glenorchy end: bus or transfer from Queenstown (1.5hrs). The Divide end: bus from Te Anau (1hr). Shuttle transport between Queenstown and Te Anau required to complete the one-way route.
🛖 Huts & accommodation
Routeburn Falls Hut
48 bunks
Gas cooking, toilets, cold water, great waterfall views
Lake Mackenzie Hut
50 bunks
Gas cooking, toilets, cold water, lake views
Facilities
- ·Great Walk huts with gas cookers, cold running water, toilets
- ·No camping (Great Walk — huts only)
- ·Warden at each hut
🎒 What to bring
- ·Full waterproofs — Fiordland and Mount Aspiring NP receive significant rainfall
- ·Tramping boots
- ·Sleeping bag liner (huts have mattresses)
- ·Insect repellent — sandflies at Lake Mackenzie
- ·Warm layers for Harris Saddle — strong cold wind even in summer
Hazards & safety
- ·The Harris Saddle section is exposed to severe weather. In strong winds and poor visibility it can be very challenging.
- ·Sandflies at Lake Mackenzie Hut are severe — apply repellent before stepping outside.
- ·Flooding can close the track — the Routeburn River can rise extremely fast in heavy rain.
📋 Know before you go
- 1.Bookings open in June for the following season and sell out very quickly for January–February.
- 2.The Greenstone/Caples Track can be combined with the Routeburn for a 5-day circuit returning to Queenstown.
- 3.Both directions of the Routeburn are equally beautiful — walking from The Divide gives the dramatic Falls Hut first; walking from Glenorchy gives the Lake Mackenzie ascent first.
🚨 Emergency contacts
NZ Emergency
111
DOC Te Anau
+64 3-249 7924
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Official sources
Trail information here covers stable facts — distances, difficulty, gear, and what to expect. Current conditions (closures, snow levels, hut availability, permit quota) change regularly and must be checked at the official source before you depart.
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