Can you confirm New Zealand's Milford Track options?

High Perfo

I'm considering walking the Milford Track. So far I can only find 2 options for doing this:

Either:

1 - I carry everything I need, including bedding & food, and stay in in a bare-bones lodge without a shower option. This is the cheapest option, but requires carrying quite a bit of weight (problem for me right now with a foot injury (yes, I can do the hike, but should keep the weight pressure to a minimum).

or

2 - Pay for a guided tour, where the hiker (I) don't carry more than what I want, and have food & bedding provided (among other things). This costs more (the cheapest I've seen is $2,000/person, at $400/day), but easier on the body.

I'm stuck in the middle. Not the guided tour type at all, but probably shouldn't carry so much weight on my feet (such as bedding & lots of food). Got any solutions, insight & ideas?

Thank you.
Thank you all so much for the insights. How could I pick a best answer?...I don't know...

I can manage carrying around 15 pounds (approx. 35 kilos) for 4 days straight, but not more. Have Plantar Fasciitis in both feet, comes & goes, but sure to be an issue if I stress them for days in a row. I'm considering trying to find a series of day hikes around Fiordland to be able to break up the stress on the feet by alternating days.
Would anyone have any ideas on good 1-day hikes, particularly in the Fiordland area, but anywhere in NZ is helpful as I'll generally be driving around much of both islands?

I'm also hoping for a 1-day hike near Fiordland that allows me to gain elevation similar to the great experience of McKinnon Pass...but in a day...up then down...due to me feets :)

Thank you.

Answer
Hello!
When are you planning to go? If you go in summer you can easily pack light but if you go in winter is a different story...
Anyway, I've done the Routeburn track in January last year (summer) and I carried a small pack keeping my things to a minimum. I had one lightweight sleeping bag, one change of clothes and waterproof clothes(just in case!), camera and videocamera, utensils for eating, dried food, snacks and I kept it to less then 5 kg...The track was 3 days but I had food for an extra day I spent in Milford area.
I don't know how much weight you can carry without hurting your foot so if 5 kg is too much you should consider a guided tour: you don't have to walk with them, you can follow your pace and enjoy the nature (the Milford track during high season is one way only so you won't meet anybody!)
By the way if you want to do the Milford track you have to book well in advance!
Whatever you decide to do enjoy New Zealand, I loved and it is my favorite country!


I don't know any day walk in the Fiordland but I've done a really nice one in Arthur's Pass, the Bealey Spur track, it's a day walk around 4 or 6 hours, with amazing view of the mountains, it's not on the Lonely Planet so there's no crowd!
But anyway wherever you go in NZ you can buy the small brochures of parks with all the day walk, it's very well organized, plus the guys working there will help you choosing one, they are experienced and very concerned about people safety so they will help you properly!
Obviously another great one is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in the North Island (Mount Doom if you are a LOTR fan) you won't meet elves and other little creatures but you'll spend an amazing day through volcanos, craters, blue lakes and lush forests! It's 19.4 k but easily done in 6 hours.
Please when you are in NZ visit the Catlins, most of the people don't go there but it is an amazing area where you'll have the chance to see amazing wildlife!
One last thing, if you go to Waitomo to see the caves (North Island) spend the night there and ask the locals where to see glowworms in the night, there is a place in a forest where there a milions of them and they look like stars and it's really a great feeling when you are there (also not in Lonely Planet!!!)
I really really love it!!!
Ciao

what to take on a hiking trip?

Nicole

I have a 14 month old, 2 year old and a 5year old
I have ibuprofen,benedryl, first aid, sunscreen, hats, cut up fruits and vegetables ,water and pb and j's and an umbrella.this is their first hiking trip and I want to be prepared. Thank you!

Answer
What to Pack
The following is a list of food and equipment u may take for a 4 day hike.
Warm clothing as the weather can turn bad in the mountains at any time of year.

Clothing
Its all to do with layers when keeping warm. Air gets trapped between the different layers of clothing and warms up.

pile/fleece jacket
waterproof seam-sealed jacket
lightweight fleece top/woolen jersey
2 t-shirts
polypropylene top (couple if winter)

waterproof seamed-sealed pants - or just wear shorts if it is raining
pair of lightweight trousers - or not, I put them on when I get to a hut
pair of shorts
underwear
polypropylene bottoms

3 pairs of warm woolen socks
warm hat
warm gloves

lightweight pack towel
Good sturdy tramping boots
jandels < NZ term for sandals. A lot of hikes you will need to cross rivers so something dry to put on when you get to the hut. A guy from Czech I met hiking a few years ago just brought along a pair of soles which he put inside his socks.

Food
Use small zip-locked bags to store some of the food in. Don't get to fancy as anything tastes good after a days walking.

Although the dehydrated food you buy in a bag tastes OK and is convenient, it's expensive and like most packet food "serves 1" means one rabbit.

Breakfast
5 big cups of muesli (I usually take extra just in case I get stranded)
chocolate chips to add to my muesli
4 cups of milk powder

Lunch
loaf of bread / pita bread if doing a longer tramp
couple of tablespoons of Vegemite
couple of tablespoons of butter

Dinner
4 packets of pasta and sauce
6 tablespoons of butter
8 strips of bacon to add to pasta and sauce
extra pasta to add

Extras
12 muesli bars
12 teaspoons of coffee
10 tablespoons of sugar
couple of packets of soup

Gear
good sleeping bag. I prefer down for its size/warmth ratio. They say that sleeping bag liners add around 5 degrees of warmth i.e a -2°C sleeping bag will become a -7°C
cooking equipment - MSR, Primus etc
fuel for cooker
1 plastic cup
1 plastic tablespoon
1 lightweight pot (I eat out of it as well)
torch - headlight
pocket knife
map
small first aid kit and insect repellent (sand flies are murderer in places)
camera - for me this is my heaviest item a digital SLR so I can take nice pics for you people Smile
backpack and pack-liner

umm I think thats about it...hope it would help :)

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