The Department of Conservation booking portal has crashed under weight of demand as the first Great Walk, the Milford Track, went on sale today.
With bunks for next season - October 2023 to April 2024 - released to the public at 9.30am today the website promptly crashed.
The Department said they were expecting high demand and the walk would book out quickly.
“We expect 6000-7000 users to be online at the time bookings open – which is more than enough people to fully book the Milford out,” said Cat Wilson, director heritage and visitors for the Department of Conservation.
Last year the walk was fully booked in under three minutes.
“Across the entire Great Walks season there is only space for just around 7500 people total to walk the Milford Track. It can be startling how quickly spaces disappear when we open bookings,” says Wilson.
Hundreds of hopeful trampers took to the internet in confusion this morning, asking if the outage was an issue all bookers were facing. Some said they had got as far as reserving bunks and calendar dates when the website stopped responding.
A spokesperson for the Department confirmed to the Herald that the website was struggling with the weight of demand. Bookers were asked to keep refreshing and be patient.
“We’re asking for people to have patience and we will get the website back online shortly.”
Can you pick and choose your huts?
Some walks like the Routeburn or Abel Tasman are easy going. You can book huts in any order, and walk in either direction.
The Milford, due to its scarce number of spaces does not allow this. During open season, October to April, you have to walk in the direction from Te Anau to Milfrod Sound.
You have to book the three huts - Clinton, Mintaro and Dumpling - in that order.
And don’t forget your water taxi! You need to book boat transfers to take you to the Clinton to start and to pick you up from Sandfly point. These can cost around $155, an extra cost that few campers factor in until after they book their spot.
Hiking up the Clinton Valley, the Milford Track. Photo / Thomas Bywater
How long does it take to do the Milford Track?
The Milford Track takes four days and three nights to complete. Due to the limit of 40 bunks in each hut, you cannot skip huts or check in early. Spread over 53.5 kilometres, the distances between huts vary greatly.
The first stop, the Clinton Hut, is just five kilometres or about an hour away from the trailhead at Glade Wharf. After this deceptively short start, the average walking day is around 6 hours and between 18km to 13km.
How hard is the Milford Track?
The Milford Track describes itself as a “Intermediate” track, requiring moderate fitness. One of the gentler trails on the Great Walk network, it still requires some fitness and stamina to enjoy the 6 hour walking days. However, trails and huts are well maintained making the going much less of a challenge than other backcountry walks. Bear in mind, you will have to carry all your food, sleeping bag and supplies for the trail and carry out your rubbish, too.
The most difficult day is day three, climbing over the MacKinnon Pass. This saddle is the highest part of the trail. Many campers carry poles for the track to help.
Why is Milford Track so popular?
The Milford Track has been described as the ‘finest walk in the world’. Finishing at Milford Sound and Mitre Peak, it’s definitely up there as the most scenic.
Despite Milford’s reputation it’s not New Zealand’s most popular Great Walk.
The Abel Tasman Coastal track sees far more bookings and just as much demand over a season. However, due to the lack of space on the Milford, it fills up quickly. This feeds back into the walk’s reputation as a difficult track to book.
How much does it cost to hike Milford Track?
It might appear like a budget holiday but you can expect to pay around $500 per walker on the Milford Track.
For the 2023/24 season the Milford costs $78 per person, per night. Kids (under 18) are free but still need to book a space. This means a walk costs around $234 in hut fees before food and transport, which can cost around $240 for bus and boat transfers from Queenstown or Te Anau.
International visitors must pay the higher fee of $110 per person, per night and $55 per child.
Loo with a view from the MacKinnon Pass shelter. Photo / Thomas Bywater for Travel
Are there toilets on Milford track?
Yes, there are toilets along the route. As well as long drops at intervals on the trail, there are extra drops and flush toilets at all three huts. Luxury!There is also the beautifully appointed ‘loo with a view’ at the top of the MacKinnon Pass.
Yes, you can drink the water, but the Department of Conservation advises walkers to boil first.
You’ll want to take at least two litres with you, but there are plenty of opportunities to fill up your drinking bottles at huts and some of the shelters.
In the Fiordland National Park, thirsty trampers might be tempted to drink from the many alpine streams and sources along the route. While most of these high mountain streams are as untouched as the landscape - you might want to use water purification tablets just in case.
A dodgy stomach is never welcome, but half way through a 50km walk is less than ideal.
The view upstream from Dumpling Hut, the Milford Hut. Photo / Thomas Bywater for Travel
Your Milford Track Great Walk Booking Tips
It is Great Walk booking season again. At 9.30am, at various intervals over the next week, hopeful trampers will be logging on to the DoC booking portal, with the aim of getting a coveted spot on one of New Zealand’s greatest walks.
With Milford taking bookings for October 2023 to April 2024 today, trampers resort to a variety of methods to nab one of the 8000 hotly-contested bunks available over the season.
Walking group call-rounds, multiple devices even wearing lucky walking socks, trampers are willing to try anything to get a chance to walk the Fiordland track.
Here are some of the tips and tricks as recommended by trampers.
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
You want to have a DoC booking account ready, along with your choice of dates and the number and names of your walking companions ready.
It pays to have everything ready in advance.
“Make sure you have an account with DOC and that it works! I was unable to log in when bookings opened last year (which I think occurred to many people) so missed out on a spot,” wrote one hiker.
It pays to have your ideal dates in mind, ready to reserve. “Have your ideal dates and any back up dates written down,” says one tramper.
Some suggest having a document open your group’s names and ages written down, so you can paste them into the form.
With more people logging on than there are physical bunks available, it’s likely to be reserved quickly. Be there at the beginning, and refresh your browser at 9.30.
The first come, first served booking system means that walkers will have 20 minutes to pay for reserved bunks. Those which are not completed will go back into the booking pool.
If you check back at around 9.55am you might be surprised at what spots free up, says another.
“I did this and got the days I wanted between Xmas and New Year.”
Log in early and if you miss out, keep checking back in!
