Ultimate Hikes

Our senior guides are back on deck! 👋

Last week was a chance to reconnect, get out on the trails and prepare for the season ahead, with a team hike around Lake Rere.

Just a few weeks until we’re back on the tracks! 🥾

Imagine this as your lunch view!

Pass Hut sits at the top of Mackinnon Pass, with views over the Clinton Valley. It’s your lunch stop on Day 3 of the Milford Track.

Just four weeks until the season starts, and we can’t wait to be back out there.

The countdown is on. Three months until we're back on the track, sharing incredible views, great company, and unforgettable adventures.

We can't wait.

Towering beech trees, birdsong, fresh mountain air, and nowhere to be except the trail ahead. This is Fiordland at its finest.

While we're still waiting for winter to properly arrive in Queenstown, we're already counting down the days until we're back on track.

If you're joining us on the Milford or Routeburn Track next season, now's the perfect time to start building up those hiking legs. A little training now will make those climbs feel easier and leave you free to enjoy the spectacular views when the season begins.

Spring will be here before we know it. 🥾⛰️

Who's already started their training?

Some walks aren't just about the destination, they're about the stories that came before us.

More than 130 years after their great-grandmother first walked the Milford Track, two of our guests set out to follow in her footsteps. With their great-grandmother's diary in hand and family stories passed down through generations, the experience became a powerful connection to the past.

https://www.ultimatehikes.co.nz/stories/a-legacy-walk-on-the-milford-track

The tracks may be quiet as we enter winter, but this is often when the dreaming begins.

Longer days, mountain air, mornings on track, and the kind of landscapes that stay with you long after you’ve returned home. There’s something special about knowing every detail is taken care of before you even step onto the track. More time to take in the views, slow down, and properly enjoy the journey without worrying about the logistics.

If a Great Walk has been sitting on your list for a while, this could be the perfect time to start planning for next season.

And just like that, the 2025/26 Ultimate Hikes Season comes to a close! Our final Milford walkers returned last week, and fittingly, we ended the season as it began, with a touch of snowfall.

It’s been another special year on track. We’ve seen every kind of weather, but that never stopped our guests from enjoying the spectacular landscapes we’re lucky to call home. While we might be hanging up the hiking boots for a few months, there will still be lots going on behind the scenes, planning for the 2026/27 season.

If you’re thinking about walking with us next season, there are just two days left to secure our early season offer. Save $200 per person on select dates. Visit our website for more information, and we’ll see you on track soon.

https://www.ultimatehikes.co.nz/2026-27-new-season-offer

Today, the final Routeburn walkers of the season returned to Queenstown. There may have been a bit of rain for their final day, but spirits were high, with big smiles to match as they made their final steps, completing the Routeburn Track.

A big thank you to our guides, lodge teams, and wider crew, and most importantly, to all the walkers who joined us along the way. It’s been a special few months.