The Routeburn Track is a Great Walk that connects Fiordland National Park and Mount Aspiring National Park on the South Island of New Zealand. The track is 33 km/21 mi between the Divide Shelter (near Milford Sound) and Routeburn Shelter (near Glenorchy). Despite its short length, the scenery is incredibly varied with panoramic mountain views, lush forests, meadows, and alpine lakes.

The track is usually backpacked in 2-3 days, but can also be done as a very long day hike. It can be hiked in both directions. If doing it in more than 1 day, designated campsites and huts are available. The huts are vastly more popular and need to be booked far in advance.

Basics

Distance 21 mi
Gain 4,878'
Duration 2-3 Days
Type Point-to-point
Trailhead(s) Divide Shelter → Routeburn Shelter
Trip Date
Routeburn track map
See more detailed map in the DOC Routeburn brochure and on AllTrails

Itinerary

The Routeburn Track can be hiked in both directions. Routeburn Shelter to Divide Shelter is the more popular direction because Routeburn Shelter is easier to access. It’s only 1 hr from Queenstown whereas Divide Shelter is 3.5 hrs from Queenstown.

Both directions are about equal in terms of difficulty and views. If you consider both, that gives some additional flexibility when creating itineraries with limited hut/campsite availability. I’ve included some common itineraries below.

Notes:

  • I calculated the time estimates by taking the lower bound of the DOC (Department of Conservation) estimate if the segment has more downhill, and taking the higher bound of the time estimate if the segment has more uphill.
  • If your hiking speed is on the faster side, you will find that DOC estimates for Great Walks lean conservative.

In 2 days:

For a 2-day hike, it is considerably easier to start the track at the Divide Shelter because it means your longer day is mostly downhill rather than mostly uphill.

Starting at Routeburn Shelter

Day 1: Lake Mackenzie (21.1 km, 10 hrs)
Day 2: Divide Shelter (12 km, 4 hrs)

Starting at Divide Shelter

Day 1: Lake Mackenzie (12 km, 5.5 hrs)
Day 2: Routeburn Shelter (21.1 km, 8.5 hrs)

In 3 days:

For a 3-day hike, add a night at either Routeburn Falls or Routeburn Flats hut. I would recommend Routeburn Falls as it breaks up the days more evenly than staying at Routeburn Flats hut, but both huts are wonderful.

Starting at Routeburn Shelter

Day 1: Routeburn Falls (9.8 km, 4 hrs)
Day 2: Lake Mackenzie (11.3 km, 6 hrs)
Day 3: Divide Shelter (12 km, 4 hrs)

Starting at Divide Shelter

Day 1: Lake Mackenzie (12 km, 5.5 hrs)
Day 2: Routeburn Falls (11.3 km, 6 hrs)
Day 3: Routeburn Shelter (9.8 km, 2.5 hrs)

Routeburn track Harris Saddle
Views near Harris Saddle

Transportation

Since the Routeburn track is a point-to-point hike between 2 trailheads that are 3.5 hrs of driving from each other, logistics can be tricky. You have 2 main options: car relocation services, and shuttles.

Drive and Pay for Car Relocation

If you have a car and want to drive to the trailhead, you will need to arrange for your car to be relocated to where you finish your hike. These services are expensive, but since they are per car rather than per person, they could be worth it if you are traveling with a group.

Shuttling To The Trailhead

There are a few private shuttle companies that operate routes from Te Anau and Queenstown directly to the trailhead. Make sure to look up the shuttle schedules to make sure that your hiking itinerary can line up with those times.

I booked all my Great Walks shuttles with Tracknet because the cost of a car rental + car relocation was much higher than 2 shuttle tickets. (We booked 2 “single journeys” here rather than the Routeburn packages since we were starting in Te Anau and ending at Queenstown).

Making a Loop with the Greenstone or Caples Tracks

The Routeburn Track can be linked with either the Greenstone or the Caples Track. The Greenstone and Caples Tracks also start at the Divide and end near Glenorchy, so you can do the Routeburn Track one way and the Greenstone or Caples track back. There will still need to be a shuttle or hitchhike involved because the Greenstone/Caples trailhead is a 22 km drive from the Routeburn Shelter, but it will be cheaper and easier since it’s much closer than 324 km.

Luggage Transportation

If you have extra luggage with you that you are not hiking with and that you need transported, Tracknet also offers this service. In Dec 2023, we paid 15 NZD per bag and all we had to do was drop it off at their Te Anau office before we boarded our bus. When we finished our trip, we picked up our bags from their office in Queenstown.

Huts

The Routeburn Track has 3 huts: Routeburn Flats Hut, Routeburn Falls Hut, and Lake Mackenzie Hut. We only stayed at Lake Mackenzie, but we passed by every hut and found them all to be incredibly scenic and well-maintained.

Great Walk huts have additional amenities compared to the typical DOC hut, which have mattresses, toilets, and running water.

These include:

  • Hut wardens that can answer any questions or concerns you may have
  • Flushing toilets
  • Toilet paper
  • Soap dispensers in the bathrooms
  • Gas stoves (bring or borrow a lighter. I don’t think they all had igniters)
  • Fireplace heating

They do not include:

  • Power outlets
  • Sheets
  • Food
  • Paper towels
  • Trash cans (pack it in, pack it out!)
  • Hot water
  • Showers

Lake Mackenzie Hut

This hut is right next to Lake Mackenzie which is jaw-droppingly gorgeous and great for icy swims. The main hut building has the kitchen and an upstairs bunkroom, and there is an additional building with a second bunkroom. Some of the beds are on a long platform or quad bunks rather than individual bunks (the preferred option since you’re not right next to someone.)

Routeburn Falls Hut

This hut is built right above the treeline and it has amazing views of the valley from above. Routeburn Falls is nearby. The bunk rooms looked very packed though.

Routeburn Flats Hut

This hut is located in Routeburn Valley right next to the river. In addition to the usual cooking room, there are picnic tables and a huge open-air shelter that serves as an additional cooking/hangout space.

Camping

Lake Mackenzie Hut and Routeburn Flats Hut also have designated camping next to them. Camping is a great option if you are on a budget or prefer more solitude. You still need to book a campsite to camp, but the spots are less coveted than hut spots.

Note: while non-designated or “freedom” camping is allowed on a Great Walk if you are 500 meters away from the trail, in practice, it is difficult to achieve this unless you are comfortable tackling off-trail objectives.

Cost

Because of the additional resources that are required by Great Walks, Great Walks huts and campsites are more expensive than on other trails.

The nightly cost of a hut on the Routeburn Track is 132 NZD (international)/88 NZD (NZ residents) per person during the Oct - April 2025-2026 Great Walk season. The nightly cost of a campsite on the Routeburn track is 42 NZD (international)/28 NZD (NZ residents). See the current pricing on the DOC website.

When to Hike

The best time to do the Routeburn Track is during Great Walks season from Oct to April. Outside of the Great Walks season, the huts are much cheaper but also have fewer amenities. The track also can be much more technical and dangerous due to avalanche risk, steep drop-offs, and harsh winter conditions.

Booking Huts

Once you have your dates and itinerary figured out, it’s time to log on to the DOC booking site. The Great Walks have their own section of the site that is separate from the booking system non-Great Walks huts.

If you don’t have flexible dates, it is best to reserve your itinerary as soon as bookings open for the season. This usually happens sometime in spring of each year before the Great Walks season starts in October.

If there is no availability, remember to check back frequently for cancellations (I took the below screenshot during peak season, and you can see that there’s a viable itinerary for Routeburn Falls Hut + Lake Mackenzie Hut 2 weeks out.)

Visit the site here.

You select every night that you need for your trip before clicking “Reserve”. The availability grid makes it pretty easy to see if you have a viable itienrary.

Packing List

This is my packing list for staying in a Great Walk hut (not camping). I have a much more comprehensive packing list with tips for a lighter pack in another blog post here!

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While Hiking

At the Hut

  • Sleeping bag - huts get warm from all the body heat. My sleeping bag was rated for 0°C.
  • Pillow - I just use my puffy
  • Hut shoes - Crocs or other sandals
  • Clean shirt and pants for sleeping in
  • Toiletries
  • Toilet paper - just in case they run out
  • Microfiber towel for swims and drying hands
  • Headlamp

Food

  • Cooking related: pot, spoon, lighter
  • All your food for the hike. Huts do not sell food. My favorite NZ freeze dried meal is this Thai Chicken curry. I wish they sold it in the states!

Misc

  • Ear plugs for better sleep in the dorms
  • Power bank and charging cables. Huts don’t have power for charging.
  • Water filter - I think it’s better to be safe than sorry, but a lot of people drink from huts and streams without filtering
  • Ziplocs/plastic bags to pack out your trash

Trail Overview

This trail overview is for the Divide to Routeburn Shelter direction. I’ll also cover points of interest and optional side hikes.

Divide Shelter to Lake Howden (3.4 km, 1.5 hrs)

The trail begins with well-graded uphill through beech forest.

After some ascent, there is a side trail on the right that leads to Key Summit. The nicely constructed boardwalk loop at the top takes you through the colorful alpine vegetation and offers panoramic views of Hollyford Valley. On a clear day, you can see Lake Marian, a popular day-hike destination, across the valley. It was not a clear day for us, but it wasn’t completely foggy. The views were worth it for sure.

After coming back from the junction, you’ll have a short descent to Lake Howden. There used to be a hut here too, but it got destroyed by a landslide in 2020.

Lake Howden to Lake Mackenzie Hut (8.6 km, 4 hrs)

The trail starts on another climb until Earland Falls. Earland Falls is very tall and so close to the trail that it feels like it’s basically landing directly on it. In fact, if the water levels are high from recent rainfall, you will have to detour to a bridge downstream because this area will flood.

This section of the trail has sparser trees, and the views between the trees are spectacular. The trail levels out after Earland Falls and pretty soon you’ll emerge from the forest into the grand Lake Mackenzie basin.

Lake Mackenzie Hut to Harris Saddle (7.5 km, 4.5 hrs)

There is a steep climb up from Lake Mackenzie. Once above the tree line, the trail curves around the flank of the mountain as it transitions towards views of the Hollyford Valley on the other side. We had blue skies, and the traverse after this was crazy beautiful. The traverse ends with a final climb to Harris Saddle where there is a simple shelter. This is a good place to take a break, and also take shelter in bad weather. The shelter isn’t for overnight stays.

Conical Hill

From the Harris Saddle shelter, there is a 1.5-2 hr optional side trail to Conical Hill. If the weather is good, you will have excellent 360-degree views from the top. We had a shuttle to catch so we didn’t have time to do this hike. I recommend taking a look at this blog which has great photos of this.

Harris Saddle to Routeburn Falls Hut (3.8 km, 1.5 hrs)

The trail traverses along a steep slope above the massive Lake Harris. Remember to turn around occasionally to look at the changing views of Lake Harris! After Lake Harris, the trail descends through the open valley, loosely following the lake’s outlet until it becomes Routeburn Falls.

Routeburn Falls Hut to Routeburn Flats Hut (2.3 km, <1 hr)

The trail dips below tree line after Routeburn Falls hut and it’s a quick descent down to Routeburn Flats. The forest is noticeably drier than where you started in lush Fiordland. At the bottom of the descent, take the very short side trail out of the forest and into the meadowed river valley where Routeburn Flats Hut is located.

Routeburn Flats Hut to Routeburn Shelter (7.5 km, 1.5 hrs)

The trail is flat for a while as it makes its way through the rest of the valley, crossing a swing bridge along the way. After you pass the Forge Flat sign (more on that below!), the trail starts to descend. You can still hear and see the river, but only from high above the river gorge.

Shortly before you reach Routeburn Shelter, there is a turn off on your right for the Routeburn Nature Walk. The nature walk has some info panels and merges back on to the Routeburn track, but we stayed on the Routeburn track since it is slightly shorter.

Forge Flat

Before you start the descent in this section, you will pass a sign on your right that says “Forge Flat (no exit) 2 minutes.” Forge Flat is the last spot that you’ll be able to access the river, and the color of the water here is unbelievable. It’s also deep enough for a swim.

Resources

I hope this guide helped you with your trip planning. Feel free to leave questions or comments below!

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