Deep in New Zealand's Fjordland rainforest, a brave beam of sunlight breaks through the overcast to illuminate the thick coat of moss on an ancient Red Beech. The sudden glow stops my head-down trudge.
I straighten up under the weight of my pack, turning slowly, taking a deep breath of dampness, focusing on the soft edges of an untouched wilderness. Squinting ahead into the dripping drizzle I take my next step on the beckoning trail.
Miles up the glacier-carved valley of the Clinton River, far from roads, electricity ... from connectivity, you'd expect silence. But days of steady rain have swollen the river to a cacophonous torrent. The thunder of rushing water is only meters away, punctuated by thumps that may be rock falls, or landslides or ... ?
Only the occasional birdsong rises above the din, a simple but beautifully tonal tune that seems to change with every few meters of altitude.
As we emerge into clearings, the steep valley walls are strung with thousand-foot threads of falling water, fed by collecting cols high above and swelling streams that flow across our path. The water is so moss-filtered-clear that we don't hesitate to drink deeply.
It's only day one of our 3-day "walk" along New Zealand's famous Milford Track and we are already intoxicated by the heart-stopping beauty of our surrounds.
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| Packs on and ready to get started |
The Milford Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks and often called the 'finest walk in the world'. It is a 54 km, restricted-access trail open to only 90 hikers a day and must be completed in 3 days.
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| Priscilla (centre) describes local flora during a break |
We have opted to take the guided option - joining a small group led by Ultimate Hikes - the only private operator on the Track. This gives us access not only to cheerful, knowledgeable and empathetic guides, but also allows us to bed down for the night in their private lodges.
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| Glade House - the first lodge on the Milford Track |
Ultimate Hikes' three lodges on the trail are small, rustic and very comfortable. The real benefit? A hot shower, hot meal and dry, comfortable bed at the end of each day's hike.
Fjordland is the tortuously folded south-western tip of New Zealand's South Island. It's raw peaks capture the brunt of the moisture laden winds that sweep across the Tasman Sea. The weather is unpredictable ("50% chance of everything", they say) but you'll miss out if you don't hike it in the rain.
On a day of heavy rain, hundreds of waterfalls lace the bare rocks of the mountainsides - a sight of unparalleled beauty.
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| Clinton River Valley, Fjordland National Park NZ |
Of course, when the skies clear, the long vistas of glacier-carved, U-shaped valleys and snow dusted peaks can take your breath away.
We woke (at the requisite 6am) on Day 2 to a cool crisp spring day and started out from the cascading rooms of Pompolona Lodge on the most arduous stretch of the Milford Track - the climb over MacKinnon Pass.
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| Our first glimpse of MacKinnon Pass (left of centre) |
As the morning progressed, and we cleared the tree line, we began to catch glimpses of our lunch-stop - a small hut on the saddle of the Pass.
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| 7 switchbacks carry the trail up to the pass (upper right) |
By mid-morning, we were close enough to see the famous 'seven switchbacks' (actually 11) that carried the trail up the steep approach to the pass.
Urged on by our fellow hikers, we counted down each turn. Trudging up the relatively gentle grade.
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| View of the Col at the head of the Clinton Valley |
As we neared the summit, we were rewarded by spectacular views of the col at the head of the Clinton valley - a solid, rocky ridge that once cupped the head of the valley's glacier.
Summiting had other rewards, a chance to drop our packs and pose for photos against the extreme backdrop of jagged peaks, a cup of hot tang and biscuits offered by our thoughtful guides, and the backslapping camaraderie of those who shared the experience.
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| Kea - New Zealand's alpine parrot |
But we couldn't let down our guard. The resident Keas - incredibly intelligent alpine parrots, kept an eye on us, ready to pounce on unattended gear for the sheer pleasure of tearing it apart.
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| MacKinnon Pass, Milford Track |
Our lunch stop, the sturdy Pass Hut built to withstand extreme winds, was a few minutes away, past a series of mysterious alpine pools.
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| MacKinnon Pass, Milford Track |
The extreme beauty of the harsh alpine landscape contrasts so sharply with the lush, mossy rainforest we had just emerged from. This sharp transition is a quintessential New Zealand experience.
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| The Arthur River Valley from MacKinnon Pass |
MacKinnon Pass gave us a great overview of the trail ahead, the glacier-carved Arthur River Valley stretching languidly down towards Milford Sound.
Little did we realize that the steep descent to the valley floor would occupy our attention and tax our strength and flexibility for the next few hours.
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| Sutherland Falls |
By late afternoon, we had arrived at Quinton Lodge, a lovely complex connected by wooden walkways and arrayed around an open courtyard of alpine flora.
Rather than grabbing a cup of tea and putting our feet up, we talked ourselves into the 90-minute side-trip to the base of Sutherland Falls.
The combined height of its three stages is 3 times the height of Niagara. The trail opens without ceremony onto a flat terrace at the base of the falls, where the massive force of the falling water pummels you with thunderous spray.
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| The Arthur River, Milford Track |
The final day is the longest leg of the Track at 21 km. But the trail is relatively flat, the Arthur River is broad and languid. We had time to reflect on the beauty around us - the landscape of course, but also our wonderful fellow adventurers from New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Korea and the U.S.
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| Our first view of Milford Sound |
We reached the end of the trail mid-afternoon on our third day. A rustic hut sheltered us from the hungry sand flies as we waited for the launch that would take us across the head of Milford Sound to Mitre Peak Lodge where we'd spend our last night before heading back to Queenstown.
But the adventure wasn't over. Ahead of us, the sea water of Milford Sound lapped against the feet of abrupt, 4,000-foot peaks, holding scenic promise for our cruise the next day.
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