routeburn track: fiordland national park

hiking in fiordland national park

---

when you start researching a trip to new zealand, you almost immediately get lost trying to decide which of the “nine great walks“ you can do. new zealand’s unique beauty and intent to preserve it while letting you closely experience it – keeps this country atop most outdoor enthusiasts’ list. after a good amount of research (getting lost) we decided on prioritizing routeburn track. milford is even more famous and looks awesome, but we couldn’t line up the dates – worth noting that in peak season (dec – march) planning ahead is imperative. we had this hike booked 7 months before we did it.

at 21 miles with 2,800 feet elevation gain, typically done over 3 days/2 nights, routeburn is very approachable if you are in backpacking shape and offers a good variety of terrain & trail environments. we trekked through lush forest, came across snow melt streams & waterfalls, ending our last night swimming in a pristine, refreshing lake.

the huts themselves are clean, equipped and make you feel very comfortable after a long day on your feet. bagged wine in new zealand is somewhat of delicacy and a highly recommend evening treat. weather is pretty fickle here but we were lucky enough to get 3 sunny days and crisp beautiful nights. another hiking must have was backpacker’s pantry – surprisingly delicious dinners and all you need is boiling water!

remember to hydrate and cover your skin!

---

one of our biggest learnings after trekking in new zealand was to cover up and hydrate! the UV sun strength in the southern hemisphere [and NZ specifically] is much stronger than we’re used to, and we both ended up with sun poisoning [which has the same symptoms as food poisoning]. it was for lack of a better word horrible and we met a lot of other hikers who experienced if after long days in the sun. it’s no joke!! be careful.

---

R E C E N T P O S T S:

---

raglan, new zealand

raglan, new zealand

---

this tiny little town on the north island wasn’t really on our radar until a friend in SF said we “had to meet her pal that lived in raglan”. when we researched it – it was obvious that we had to make a stop. what looked like the big sur of NZ, ended up being the the coziest, moodiest little surf town with such a great energy.

we ended up staying with the friend of a friend [who’d we had never met] for multiple nights in his guest room and it was such a memorable experience. we cooked dinner together, explored the town, watched documentaries, and kyle went for a few rocky surf sessions. we also camped at solscape for two nights where our rickety tent could barely survive the crazy rain storm and strong winds. would have much rather been in the teepees photographed below :)

if north island NZ is on your list, make a stop in raglan! you won’t regret it.

R E A D M O R E:

---

new zealand! the tongariro alpine crossing

hello, nz! 

---

our 3-ish weeks in new zealand started on the north island where we flew into auckland and tried to pack in as much as we could before heading south. we started with the popular hike – the tongariro alpine crossing – and ended up going on one of the windiest days that year [120mph!]. i truly felt like i might blow off the side of the mountain and thus not many photos were taken that day. 

the trail runs through an active volcanic region in the midst of tongariro national park,  a 7-8 hour hike through dramatic volcanic scenery, offering epic vistas all the way to mt taranaki on a clear day.

some quick tips/things to know:

---

• you will likely sleep in the town of taupo, nz on the nights before/after the hike 
• it will take most of the day - the tongariro alpine crossing is ~12 miles long, on average the trek takes between six and eight hours to complete, so definitely pack a lunch + snacks + plenty of water
• park your car at the end, and book a s huttle to the trailhead [then when you're done, your car is waiting for you :)] 
• check out this site for all the info you need to know 

Y O U  M I G H T  A L S O  L I K E:

---