The Routeburn Track is one of New Zealand's 10 Great Walks and arguably the most spectacular. Stretching 33 km across the Southern Alps between Mt Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park, the Routeburn packs more variety into 2-3 days than most multi-week treks anywhere in the world. Beech forest, alpine tarns, hanging valleys, snow-capped peaks, waterfalls, and views that genuinely defy description. The photos throughout this page are from one of our contributors who recently completed the track and kindly shared their images.

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Routeburn at a Glance
Length33 km point-to-point
Duration2-4 days (most do 3)
Highest PointHarris Saddle (1,255m)
DifficultyIntermediate
SeasonLate Oct to early May
TrailheadsRouteburn Shelter / The Divide
Hut Fee (intl)~$140/night
National ParksMt Aspiring + Fiordland
Lake Harris alpine lake panoramic view on the Routeburn Track New Zealand
Lake Harris — sitting in a glacial bowl just below Harris Saddle. This is the kind of view that makes the climb worth every step. Photo from one of our contributors.

Why the Routeburn Is Special

The Routeburn is the only Great Walk that crosses two national parks — starting in Mt Aspiring National Park and finishing in Fiordland. This means you walk through dramatically different landscapes in a single trip: dense beech forest at the lower elevations, then sub-alpine tussock and tarns above the bushline, then back into ancient mossy rainforest as you descend the Hollyford side. Most trampers will tell you the Routeburn has the highest proportion of "wow" moments per kilometre of any NZ Great Walk.

The track tops out at the Harris Saddle (1,255m) with an optional side trip up Conical Hill (90 minutes return) for panoramic views that on a clear day stretch to the Tasman Sea. You'll cross numerous swing bridges, walk past alpine waterfalls, and pass through some of the most pristine native bush left in New Zealand.

Perfect mountain reflections in calm river on the Routeburn Track New Zealand
A perfect morning on the Routeburn — when the river runs glass-still and the mountains reflect like a mirror.

The Direction Debate

The Routeburn is a point-to-point track — you start at one end and finish at the other, then need transport back. Both directions are popular and there's no "wrong" way, but they offer different experiences:

Routeburn Shelter (Glenorchy end) → The Divide: The most popular direction. You start with the steady climb up the Routeburn Valley, spend night 1 at Routeburn Flats or Routeburn Falls, cross Harris Saddle on day 2, then descend into the Hollyford. Generally considered the more dramatic build-up because the climb to Harris Saddle is the highlight on day 2.

The Divide → Routeburn Shelter: Less crowded direction. Starts with the long climb up to Lake Mackenzie via Earland Falls, then traverses Harris Saddle on day 2 before descending the Routeburn Valley. The advantage is you get the alpine views earlier in the trip.

If you can't choose, go Glenorchy to Divide. It's the classic direction.

Crystal clear Routeburn River with massive boulders and snow-capped mountains
The Routeburn River — the water is so clear you can count the stones on the bottom. The light catches the snow on the peaks beyond.

Booking the Routeburn — How to Get a Spot

This is the part that catches most people out. The Routeburn during Great Walks season (late October to early May) is incredibly popular and bookings sell out fast. Here's how the system works:

Bookings open in early May for the following Great Walks season (which starts in late October). The Department of Conservation (DOC) releases all hut spaces at once on a single day. Peak dates (December–February) sell out within minutes, especially for the more popular Routeburn Falls Hut. Shoulder season (October-November and April-May) has more availability.

How to book successfully:

Cost: Hut fees are around $140 per person per night for international visitors during Great Walks season ($102 for NZ residents). A 3-day, 2-night trip costs roughly $280pp in hut fees alone, before transport and gear.

If huts are full: Set up cancellation alerts on the DOC site, consider shoulder season dates, or look at guided walks with companies like Ultimate Hikes who use private lodges and often have availability when DOC huts are sold out (premium price: $1,800–$2,500+).

The Huts

The Routeburn has four DOC huts during Great Walks season, each with bunks (no bedding — bring your own sleeping bag), gas cookers, running water, flush toilets and a warden. You sleep in shared bunkrooms with up to 48 other trampers.

Routeburn Flats Hut (20 bunks, 6.5 km / 2-3 hours from Routeburn Shelter) — the lower of the two Routeburn huts. Sits at the edge of an open grassy flat with great mountain views. Less popular than Routeburn Falls, so often easier to book.

Routeburn Falls Hut (48 bunks, 8.8 km / 4-6 hours from shelter) — sits dramatically perched above the Routeburn Falls with views down the valley. The most popular hut and the hardest to book. The waterfall right outside is spectacular at dawn and dusk.

Lake Mackenzie Hut (50 bunks) — sits beside the stunning Lake Mackenzie in a hanging valley below Emily Peak. Probably the most photogenic of the huts. Often where night 2 lands if you're walking Glenorchy to Divide.

Lake Howden Hut (28 bunks, 8.6 km / 3-4 hours from The Divide) — the closest hut to The Divide trailhead. Smaller and quieter than the others. Always check current status with DOC as it has had periods of closure.

Mist clinging to mountain slopes above lake on the Routeburn Track in moody weather
Routeburn weather can change in an hour. This kind of moody mist actually adds to the experience — Fiordland is one of the wettest places on earth.

Day-by-Day Walking Guide (Glenorchy to Divide)

Day 1: Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Falls Hut (8.8 km / 4-6 hours)

The track starts at the Routeburn Shelter at the end of the road past Glenorchy. You begin with an easy walk through silver beech forest along the Routeburn River, crossing several swing bridges. After about 6.5 km you reach Routeburn Flats Hut in a beautiful open meadow.

From Routeburn Flats, the track climbs more steeply for the next 2.3 km through bush, with the river running below in a series of cascades. You'll arrive at Routeburn Falls Hut with the spectacular Routeburn Falls roaring just below the hut. Drop your pack, take photos, then explore the falls area before dinner.

Looking down on the Routeburn Flats from above showing braided river through the valley
The reward for the climb up to Routeburn Falls — looking back down on the Routeburn Flats with the braided river snaking through the valley.

Day 2: Routeburn Falls Hut to Lake Mackenzie Hut (11.3 km / 4-6 hours) — THE BIG DAY

This is the highlight day. The track climbs steeply out of the bush, through alpine tussock and tarns to Harris Saddle (1,255m). The view from the saddle is one of the great moments in NZ tramping — a panoramic sweep of the Darran Mountains, the Hollyford Valley below, and on a clear day, the Tasman Sea in the distance.

Side trip recommendation: If conditions are good, take the Conical Hill side trip (90 minutes return, 290m climb). The 360° view from the top is even better than the saddle and is widely considered the single best view on any Great Walk.

From Harris Saddle, the track sidles around the Hollyford Face — a stunning section with sheer drop-offs (the track is wide and safe but feels exposed) — before descending to Lake Mackenzie Hut. The descent through ancient beech forest beside the lake is magical.

Alpine tarn with perfect mountain reflection on the Routeburn Track between Routeburn Falls and Harris Saddle
An alpine tarn between Routeburn Falls and Harris Saddle on a perfect still morning. These tarns appear suddenly as you climb above the bushline — and on a calm day the reflections are unreal.

Day 3: Lake Mackenzie to The Divide (12 km / 4-6 hours)

The final day descends through some of the most beautiful native rainforest you'll see in New Zealand. Highlights include the spectacular Earland Falls (174m, you'll get sprayed walking through the mist) and The Orchard — a flat clearing of ancient ribbonwood trees that look like an enchanted forest.

Earland Falls one of the tallest waterfalls in New Zealand on the Routeburn Track Fiordland
Earland Falls — at 174 metres, one of the tallest waterfalls in New Zealand. The track passes right through the spray zone (look for the tramper at the bottom for scale).

You'll pass Lake Howden Hut partway through (good lunch stop), then continue down to The Divide on the Te Anau-Milford Road, where buses pick up trampers throughout the day.

Crystal clear stream with snow capped mountain on the Routeburn Track
One of the countless small streams along the track. The water is so clear it looks invisible — and it's safe to drink straight from most of them.

Transport Logistics

Because the Routeburn is point-to-point, transport logistics are the trickiest part of planning the walk. Your options:

Option 1: Bus shuttle (most common) — Several companies run shuttle services from Queenstown or Te Anau to either trailhead. Info & Track, Trackhopper, and Tracknet are the main operators. Typical cost: $80–$150 per person each way. Most trampers leave their vehicle in Queenstown, take the shuttle to the Routeburn Shelter, walk to The Divide, then catch another shuttle back to Queenstown via Te Anau.

Option 2: Self-drive + relocation service — Some companies will collect your car from the start and drive it to the end of the track for you. Convenient if you have lots of gear, expensive ($200+).

Option 3: Helicopter — Yes, really. Helicopter transfers take roughly 20 minutes vs 4+ hours by road. Around $300–$500 per person depending on numbers. Spectacular flightseeing as a bonus.

Helicopter departing from beside the Routeburn Track with snow capped mountains New Zealand
A helicopter departing the track — used for hut resupply, emergency evacuations, and occasional trampers who choose to fly in or out.

Fitness, Difficulty & Hazards

Crystal clear shallow river with driftwood and beech forest on the Routeburn Track
A typical scene on the lower sections — clear shallow river running through the beech forest.

The Routeburn is rated Intermediate by DOC. This means it's suitable for people of average fitness with some hiking experience, but it is genuinely challenging in places. You'll be carrying a 12-15 kg pack, walking 4-6 hours per day, and climbing significant elevation on day 2. The track is well-formed and signposted throughout, but the physical effort is real.

If you can comfortably walk for 5-6 hours with a full pack and have done at least one long day hike previously, you'll manage the Routeburn. If you've never carried a multi-day pack before, do at least 2-3 training walks with a loaded pack before you commit.

Hazards to know about:

Cascading waterfalls and streams in misty conditions on the Routeburn Track
Mist rolling in across one of the alpine cascade sections — the kind of conditions that can develop in an hour.

What to Pack

Here's the essential list. Use our packing list generator for a more detailed customisable version.

The Routeburn as a Day Walk

Emerald green pool with swing bridge on the Routeburn Track New Zealand
An emerald green pool with one of the track's many swing bridges in the background. You don't have to walk the whole track to see beauty like this.

If you can't get hut bookings, can't commit to a multi-day walk, or just want a taste of the track, both ends offer excellent day walks that don't require booking:

  • eSIM or local SIM card activated (no coverage on the track itself, but useful in Queenstown/Te Anau — see our eSIM guide)

    • Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Flats and back (13 km, 4-6 hours return) — the easier of the two day walks. Beautiful beech forest, swing bridges, and the open meadow at Routeburn Flats.

    Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Falls and back (17.6 km, 6-8 hours return) — more challenging but rewards you with the dramatic Routeburn Falls.

    The Divide to Key Summit and back (6.5 km, 3 hours return) — the easiest taste of the Routeburn from the Te Anau end. Climbs to a sub-alpine summit with views of the Hollyford Valley and Mt Christina.

    Where to Stay Before and After

    Glenorchy is the closest town to the Routeburn Shelter (14 km from the trailhead). It's a tiny lakeside village with limited accommodation but a beautiful base.

    Queenstown (45 km from Glenorchy) is where most trampers actually base themselves before and after. Full range of accommodation, good restaurants for the celebratory post-track meal, and most shuttle services start here.

    Te Anau is the closest town to The Divide trailhead and is the standard base if you're walking Divide-to-Glenorchy direction or doing the Routeburn as part of a Fiordland trip.

    Routeburn vs Other Great Walks

    vs Milford Track — Milford is more famous and is longer (53 km / 4 days) but more rigid (you must walk in one direction, must do it in 4 days, must stop at specific huts). Routeburn is shorter, more varied, and the alpine scenery is arguably more dramatic. Most experienced trampers prefer the Routeburn.

    Mitre Peak rising from Milford Sound at the end of the Milford Track New Zealand
    Mitre Peak from Milford Sound — the iconic finish to the Milford Track. The Routeburn ends near here too (at The Divide on the Te Anau-Milford Road).

    vs Kepler Track — Kepler (60 km / 3-4 days) is a loop track from Te Anau, easier to do without transport logistics. The Kepler has its own incredible alpine sections but lacks the Routeburn's variety.

    vs Abel Tasman — Completely different experience. Abel Tasman is coastal and beach-focused, family-friendly, easier walking, swimming opportunities. Routeburn is alpine and mountain-focused, more challenging.

    vs Tongariro Northern Circuit — Tongariro is volcanic landscape (the same area as the day-walk Tongariro Alpine Crossing). Completely different feel — moonscape vs alpine forest. Both spectacular.

    Routeburn River framed by beech trees with peak in the background autumn colours
    Looking out from the bush — the Routeburn rewards you with these framed mountain views around almost every corner.

    Insurance: The Routeburn crosses remote alpine terrain where helicopter evacuation is the only rescue option. Make sure your travel insurance covers tramping and mountain rescue — most standard policies don't.