Milford Track And Abel Tasman Coastal Path – From £3,995

Arrive and be met by your Silver Fern representative at Auckland airport before your private transfer to your hotel. Explore the City of Sails, visit the Botanic Gardens, cruise the harbour and Hauraki Maritime Gulf.

Grand Millenium Hotel

Transfer to Auckland’s domestic airport for a short flight to Nelson on the north coast of the South Island. Nelson is the South Island’s sunshine capital, and a vibrant arts, crafts and festivals area.

Prepare for the commencement of your track walk tomorrow. Your overnight luggage will be transported to each lodge by boat . Any items not required for the track walk can be stored at the Trailways Inn for your return. You will only require a light day pack – 30 litre capacity – in which you can carry your lunch and personal requirements for the day (this will be supplied by the Track Operators, if required.)

Trailways

After an early breakfast , drive with your guide to Marahau to commence your walk on the coastal path. This is an easy first day on the track which weaves in and out of the picturesque coastline. The area consists of many little bays in which French explorer Du Mont D’Urville spent time exploring in 1827. Most of the names in this area relate to this expedition. An hour or so is spent at lunchtime enjoying one of these bays before continuing to the Beachfront Lodge at Torrent Bay for your overnight.

Marahau to Torrent Bay: 8 miles / 13 km (229 ft / 70m ascent)

Leave Torrent Bay to follow the track through pine trees. The track winds around two attractive valleys and above a beautiful inlet to the Park’s biggest river, the Falls. Continue to Bark Bay for lunch with time to relax, explore or swim in the crystal clear lagoon or sunbathe on the golden sands. From Bark Bay cross the all-tides track around the estuary and climb to a saddle. Here you lose all sense of the sea below and journey quietly through strands of manuka. The trail then returns to the shore at Tonga Quarry, where blocks of granite remain from an old quarrying operation. Tonga Island sits offshore surrounded by marine reserve. A short distance on is Onetahuti Beach and your accommodation at the Meadowland homestead.

Torrent Bay to Awaroa: 10.5 miles / 17 km (492 ft / 150m ascent)

Your final day on the coastal path takes you across the Awaroa Estuary before re-entering the forest to emerge at Goat Bay. Climb to a lookout above Skinner Point and descend to the beach at Totaranui. At Totaranui, board the boat launch for a cruise along the coastline to Kaiteriteri where our coach will meet you for the short transfer to Nelson.

Awaroa to Totranui: 4.5 miles / 7km (328 ft / 100m ascent)

Trailways Inn

Today is at leisure for you to enjoy the scenic setting of Queenstown, situated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. In recent years it’s gained a reputation as the ‘Adventure Centre of New Zealand’ so there’s a wide range of adrenalin activities for you to engage in from bungee jumping, jet boat riding, parapenting and white water rafting. Alternatively you might like to take a boat cruise on the steamer TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak sheep station or simply enjoy short walks through the town’s attractive gardens and along the foreshore.

In preparation for the Milford Track walk you’ll need to divide your luggage into that required whilst on the track (see recommended list), clothing that you may need for use at Milford Sound (Mitre Peak Lodge) and that which can await your return to the hotel in Queenstown.

Copthorne Hotel

Board the coach for the scenic drive past the Remarkable Mountains and the small township of Kingston to Te Anau where you’ll join up with other walkers commencing the trip from there. Enjoy lunch together before your launch cruise to the head of Lake Te Anau, the beginning of the track. From the wharf it’s a short walk to the historic Glade House, where you will be greeted with afternoon tea. Afterwards your guides will take you on a short nature walk to explore the surrounding area.

Afternoon walk to Glade House: 1 mile / 1.6 km ( level walking)

Glade House

Wake to the dawn chorus of native birds – bellbird, tui, native pigeon, fantail, falcon, morepork and the inquisitive kea. Cross the Clinton River and walk through the beech forest for lunch at Hirere Falls. Continue onto a grassy plain known as the Prairie to gain spectacular views of Clinton Canyon. A rocky climb takes you to Marlene’s Creek after which you’ll arrive at Pompolona Lodge.

Glade House to Pomplona Lodge: 10 miles / 16 km ( 492 ft / 150m ascent)

Pomplona Lodge

This is the most demanding day, especially in inclement weather. We’re still in the upper reaches of the ClintonRiver with the St. Quintin Falls visible on the side of the Canyon. Pass Mirror Lake and Avalanche Creek before the slow climb to the Mackinnon Pass in a series of long zigzags, resting whenever you wish to enjoy the impressive views. Stop at the memorial to Mackinnon and Ernest Mitchell, early explorers of the area – edge to the ’12 second drop’ for a view of Quintin Lodge. After lunch at Pass Hut we continue around the base of Mount Balloon under the sheer face of the Jervois Glacier and across Roaring Burn and Moraine Creek. We then pass through the rainforest of Arthur Valley to the Quintin Lodge. It’s well worth an extra walk to the Sutherland Falls, the highest falls in the Southern Hemisphere, a 90 minute round trip.

Pompolona Lodge to Quintin Lodge: 9 miles / 15 km (2460 ft / 750m ascent; 2624 ft / 800m descent)

Quinton Lodge

This is the last day on the track – easy walking down a steep hill named Gentle Annie through Lady of the Snows, Dumpling Hill, Sandy Flat and Racecourse Flat. There’s morning tea beside the Bell Rock and Mackay Falls before continuing to the Giant’s Gate Waterfall for lunch. The final stretch of the track follows tranquil Lake Ada to Sandfly Point on Milford Sound. From here it’s a short boat trip to Mitre Peak Lodge for evening ‘post-track’ celebrations.

Quintin Lodge to Mitre Peak: 13 miles / 21 km (492 ft / 150m ascent; 164 ft / 50m descent)

Mitre Peak Lodge

Relax this morning on the Milford Sound cruise past Lady Bowen Falls, beneath Mitre Peak, Copper and Dale Points to the Tasman Sea. There is a good chance of seeing dolphins and seals during the trip. Following the cruise head back to Queenstown through the heart of Fiordland National Park. In the evening take the gondola lift to the Skyline Restaurant for an evening meal high above the town. With spectacular views of the Remarkable Mountains and Lake Wakatipu, this is the perfect setting for the conclusion to your stay in this area.

Copthorne Lake Resort

Time to relax after your Track Walk. Enjoy a final day of sightseeing and leisure activities.

Copthorne Lake Resort

Flight schedules permitting there may be time this morning for some last minute souvenir shopping before transferring to Queenstown Airport for flight home.