There are a variety of New Zealand native birds to be seen on and near the track. Mackenzie huts. Routeburn Track elevation profile. After about 3km there’s a signposted junction to Key Summit, a side-trip to a 919m peak offering views over the Hollyford, Greenstone and Eglinton valleys. The Routeburn track's origins are in historical Maori walking tracks used to walk between locales. Currently international visitors have to pay $130 per person per night, regardless of age, in each hut and $40 NZD for a This said, it's hardly surprising that the area has been designated a World Heritage Site, and the Routeburn Track explores 32km (19 miles) of countryside over 2-4 days, incorporating sections of both Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks. The Routeburn Track is a 32-kilometer point to point hiking trail located in both Mt Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park on the South Island of New Zealand. The route passes under the falls but in times of heavy flow an alternative route exists dropping below the falls to a small bridge. figuratively speaking, the top part of the trail. The track also connects with the Greenstone or Caples Track to make a circuit. The track is also covered by NewTopo's 1:40,000 Routeburn, Greenstone & Caples Tracks map. How long does it take? Often the fastest runners complete the entire track in under three hours which is much faster than the 3 days the average tramper takes to complete the track. Mackenzie huts. The Routeburn Track is a 32km traverse through New Zealand's Southern Alps that links Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Park. Highlights of the trail include dense forests, the Harris Saddle, Lake MacKenzie and the Key Summit extension. The Routeburn Track also offers great options for day walks - guided or independent. ROUTEBURN TRACKJust 33 km's long, the Routeburn Track is the shortest of our Fiordland Great Walks and in our opinion has the best diversity. The route markings get covered by snow and it's easy to get lost! Routeburn Track elevation profile. This day can be split up into two sections by staying a night at the Lake Howden Hut but for those of you who are on a stricter time frame, you can easily do this in a day. In my opinion this hut isn't far enough in to justify staying here. If not, then this is your best option. For bookings outside the Great Walks season hut prices reduce dramatically to $15 pp pn but amenities like gas/wood are not to be relied on. The Routeburn Track in New Zealand is most commonly hiked over a couple of days, but it is possible to see a great portion of the track on a day hike! Entry to the track is at approximately 200m altitude, and the highest point is approximately 1255m at the Harris Saddle. The Routeburn Track was an important route for both indigenous Māori and European settlers. After Earland Falls the route becomes very stoney so remember to concentrate and stay surefooted. Over 2 weeks we did day day walks of most of Southland's great walks (Routeburn, Kepler, MIlford) and this was the best of the lot. The Key Summit adds on roughly 30 minutes to an hour depending on how far you venture along the trail. Always be prepared to get wet feet. Highest point of main track near saddle is 1300m. This area gets much less rain than the Milford Sound, and the forests are very different, especially on the eastern side of the saddle, which due to less rainfall is predominantly made up of New Zealand red beech and mountain beech, with relatively few ferns. There is a choice of which direction to go, and which huts to stay in. Line, which is around 1000m flattens somewhat but still steadily climbs up the! 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