Routeburn Track: visitor guide

The Routeburn runs between two road ends in the South Island high country: the Routeburn Shelter at the end of a gravel road from Glenorchy, and The Divide on the Milford Sound highway. It crosses a saddle between the Darren and Routeburn valleys, passes a waterfall and a lake basin, and finishes in beech forest. It is one of New Zealand's Great Walks, so the track is benched, bridged and marked, but it is still alpine terrain with river crossings and exposed sections above the bushline. Confirm the current track status and any closures on the DOC page before you go (check).

Most people walk it east to west, from the Shelter to The Divide, because that puts the climb to Harris Saddle on the second day and leaves an easier descent to the road. The reverse works just as well and can suit people coming from Milford Sound. Either direction, the middle day over the saddle is the one that matters.

The Great Walks season, roughly late October to late April, is when the huts have wardens, the bridges are in and the track is at its safest. Confirm the exact dates and booking opening on the DOC page, because they are set each year (check). Book as early as you can: the popular dates around Christmas, New Year and the first half of February go first. Outside the season the huts are still there but unstaffed, fees drop, and you need to be able to handle snow, ice and short daylight on your own.

The weather does not follow the calendar closely. Fiordland and the Routeburn catch a lot of rain, and the saddle can be in cloud or snow in any month. Build a spare day into your itinerary so a washed-out crossing does not wreck the rest of the trip. February and March often give the most settled conditions, but they are also busy (check).

There is no public transport to either end of the track (check). Most walkers use a shuttle or private transfer from Queenstown, Te Anau or Glenorchy, booked in advance and timed to the start and finish of the walk (check). A one-way transfer between the two road ends is the usual arrangement: leave a car at one end and get picked up at the other, or book a shuttle at each end and skip the car entirely.

The Routeburn Shelter is about an hour's drive from Glenorchy on a partly gravel road, and The Divide is on the Milford Sound highway, roughly two hours from Te Anau (check). If you are combining the walk with Milford Sound, do the cruise first or last and use the road end as your connection point. Driving yourself means a long shuttle or a second vehicle; most people find the transfer simpler.

In season you sleep in Great Walks huts: bunk rooms, mattresses, gas cookers, water and toilets, with a warden on site. You carry your own sleeping bag, food and stove fuel. Beds must be booked through the Department of Conservation, and the fee is higher for international visitors than for New Zealand residents. Fees are set by DOC and change; check the current fee schedule on the DOC page before you pay (check).

Camping rules and where camping is allowed are set by DOC and change with the season; check the current rules before you plan to camp (check). Outside the season, huts are still usable but you need to be self-sufficient: no gas, no warden, and you should expect to carry a tent as backup. Book early, and if your dates are full, look at the day-walk options instead of turning up and hoping.

This is a wet, changeable mountain environment, so waterproofs and warm layers matter more than light packing. Bring sturdy boots you have broken in, a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm mid-layer, a hat and gloves for the saddle, and a headtorch. Sandflies are bad in the forest sections, so repellent is worth the weight. Water from the huts and streams is generally treated as safe to drink in New Zealand, but a filter or tablets are cheap insurance.

Food is the other thing people underestimate. There are no shops on the track, so carry all your meals plus a little extra in case a river is high and you are delayed. A first-aid kit, blister treatment and a personal locator beacon or satellite messenger are sensible for a route with patchy phone coverage.

The Routeburn is a managed track, not a walk in a park. River levels can rise fast after rain, the saddle is exposed to wind and snow, and help is hours away. Tell someone your plan, check the forecast at the visitor centre before you start, and be ready to turn back. If a river is running high, wait; do not wade it.

Follow the usual backcountry rules: carry out everything you bring in, use the toilets at huts and designated sites, do not light fires, and keep to the track to protect the alpine plants. Dogs are not allowed. If you are walking outside the Great Walks season, log your intentions with the Department of Conservation and carry avalanche gear if you plan to cross the saddle (check).