ROUTEBURN VS MILFORD

The Milford and Routeburn are two of the most famous Great Walks in New Zealand.

Both attract massive amounts of traffic during the Great Walk season with the Milford Track sold out within minutes and the Routeburn not far behind.

So, Routeburn vs Milford, which one do you choose?

Both of course…but given you’re reading this you probably need to choose one. For me, the 32km of the Routeburn Track is unmatchable (and yes, I’ve been on both tracks).

But this post will continue. I’ll give you my thoughts on each of the hikes which might help you decide which one is best for you.

MY THOUGHTS ON ROUTEBURN VS MILFORD TRACK

I think the Routeburn is the better of the two.

Why?

• The side trips like Valley of the Trolls and Emily Pass are awesome.
• There’s a lot of variety in the 32km.
• You can do the Routeburn hike in a day or do various out and backs along the trail.
• You have more flexibility with hut bookings whereas on Milford you HAVE to stay 3 nights during the Great Walk season.
• You can create a loop with the Greenstone/Caples tracks making the transport a lot easier.

I love love love the Routeburn and have done the track a few times now, and will happily do the track many more times in the future. The Milford Track is awesome too, especially MacKinnon Pass abd Sutherland Falls, but either side of it doesn’t have so many wow moments for me.

COMMON QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN KEPLER TRACK OR MILFORD TRACK

How far is each hike?

Milford Track: 53.5km, plus another 4km if you do the side trip to Sutherland Falls.

Routeburn Hike: 32km.

Which is harder Milford or Routeburn?

I guess you have to say Milford Track is more difficult due to the distance (and you average further each day), but they’re both Great Walks so the trails are well maintained.

I wouldn’t let the difficulty of either track get in the way of you choosing one option over the other.

What’s the elevation gain of Routeburn Track and Milford Track?

Milford Track has about 1650 metres and Routeburn has about 1300. So the Routeburn is steeper once you factor in the distance. Here’s the elevation profiles of both:

Is it worth doing Routeburn AND Milford?

Many people will do the Milford and Routeburn Track in one trip to the region, with one day in Te Anau between them!

But there are so many hikes in Fiordland National Park, Mount Aspiring and in the wider Southland/Otago region. Here are a few other multiday hike options:

• Gillespie Pass Circuit
• Rees Dart Track
• Greenstone/Caples Loop

There are so many epic day hikes in the area such as Gertrude Saddle, Sugarloaf Pass Circuit, and Lake Marian.

Are they doable year-round?

Technically yes, but the Great Walk season for both tracks is from late October to the end of April. You can complete them outside of these months, as both transport options and hut facilities are reduced. Both of the tracks are usually great options in May, and pending snow levels, October can see both easily done too.

Outside of these times avalanche/heavy snow makes them a no-go zone for most people. You’ve got shorter daylight hours too which makes things complicated.

What has the best views?

Routeburn! While the views from MacKinnon Pass are unreal, like seriously unreal, the Routeburn has epic views throughout. You’ve got views over a couple of lakes, valleys, and provided conditions are ideal you can see out to the ocean. Conical Hill is pretty epic too.

What’s the easiest one to access?

The Routeburn. You can drive to either trailhead.

With the Milford Track, you need to get a boat to and from the trailhead.

Both of them have plenty of transport options. I’ve written about the various ways to get to/from the Routeburn and you can find several Milford Track transport options.

Both tracks can be expensive to get to/from. Fortunately, the Routeburn means you can hitch and/or car swap to eliminate that cost.

Are dogs allowed on Milford Track or the Kepler Track?

No. No dogs are allowed in National Parks in New Zealand.

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From those I’ve talked to over the years, people tend to favour the Routeburn Track in terms of their favourite deciding between Routeburn or Milford. But given the more limited options to get to/from the Milford Track, if you can book a spot in the huts, it makes sense it’s so prized.

Either way, you’ll have a blast!

If you any have questions about which one is best for you, leave a comment below or email me, at jub@churnewzealand.com.

WHAT TO READ NEXT:

COMPARING KEPLER VS. MILFORD