Routeburn Track Independent Walk

Compared to the luxury guided walk on the Milford Track we organised our Routeburn Track walk ourselves. This meant that we had to carry sleeping bags, cooking utensils and food for the next 3 days. Of course we also had to cook each morning and evening and there were no hot showers awaiting us each evening – we were lucky that each hut had flush toilets. But our days were much less structured! We could get up when ever we wanted, have our meals when ever we wanted, … it was actually a bit more relaxed.

The first night we stayed in Howden Hut and walked up to the Key Summit – again with great weather and fantastic views. But we spent the night with 11 other people in one room (the room was actually only half full ). But the worst snorer ever slept right next to us!! He sawed a whole forest during the night. We had to take our sleeping bags and move to the other end of the room because it was so bad.

The second day we had a beautiful walk to MacKennzi Hut via water falls, through moss covered beech forest, across bridges and along mountains with great views. The hut is built right next to a lake in a little mountain valley. From there we walked to split rock and around the lake – which was quite tricky at times. In the end we even went for a swim in the lake – which was heated up to its maximum temperature of 8C already! It was really bloody cold!! And it was quite fun to watch other people trying to go into the water as well

After we had more than a week of stunning weather the last to days on the Routeburn Track were more like the usual weather – it rained or drizzled the whole day. But this also meant that the water falls were much more pretty and the rivers turned into torrents.

The last night we slept in Routeburn Falls Hut. Again this hut was well equipped with bunk beds and mattresses, flush toilets and gas cook tops. And as it was early December this hut displayed a big sheet with “Welcome to Routeburn Falls! Peaceful Christmas!” written in many different languages. And it was the game of the night to identify as many languages as possible which was actually really tricky!

When we came back to Queenstown the next day I was so looking forward to a shower – after not having one for 4 hole days! But we both felt sooo relaxed!! The only thing you have to think about when hiking is water, food and a place to sleep – NOTHING else! It is a really good way to fight stress.