If you were planning to book a walk on Milford Track this season, you may already be out of luck.
All 7,000 places on New Zealand’s most famous Great Walk sold out within just 30 minutes of bookings opening, highlighting the extraordinary demand for the iconic multi-day hike.
According to the Department of Conservation, around 13,500 people were already waiting in the online queue when bookings opened — even higher than last year’s figure of roughly 12,000 hopeful walkers.
DOC Heritage and Visitors Director Cat Wilson said demand for the track remains incredibly strong.
“The Milford Track remains one of New Zealand’s most sought-after experiences, and we saw extraordinary demand again,” Wilson said. “Despite the very high traffic volumes, the booking platform performed well, and people moved steadily through the queue.”
Stretching through the heart of Fiordland, the Milford Track has long attracted hikers from around the world with its towering waterfalls, alpine passes and pristine rainforest. But with demand continuing to surge, securing a place on the legendary walk is becoming almost as challenging as the track itself.