FAQs

Reservations are essential for all track transport services and a surcharge may apply to non-reserved travel.

If the service you require is not available or full please contact us and we may be able to schedule another bus.

If there is space available on an earlier departure by the same service provider, yes. You must let the driver know that you were booked onto another scheduled service. Please note that not all the services listed on this website are provided by Info & Track, so if you are undecided between two departure times, check before you book whether you will be able to switch between them.

Once you have made an online booking you will receive a confirmation which details your pickup and drop off points, departure times, service provider (if not Info & Track) and booking reference numbers. Please print this off and present it to the driver upon boarding the bus. If you have made a booking over the phone your confirmation will be emailed to you.

You are not required to check in prior to boarding the bus. As long as you have made a booking, simply wait outside of our shop (or at your designated pick up location) at least 10 minutes prior to the departure time. The driver will take your name or booking reference number before you board the bus.

All services depart from the centre of town. For buses to Glenorchy and the Routeburn Shelter, Rees/Dart, or Greenstone car park, the default pickup location is from outside the Info & Track shop, 37 Shotover Street. Some accomodation pick-ups are available if you are staying further out of town, but please note a surcharge may apply.

Services to Te Anau, Milford or The Divide are operated by Tracknet. Pickup location is outside of the The Station building, located on Camp Street.

Airport pickups are available on request, but please note a small surcharge may apply.

All services depart from the Glenorchy Akin Café (Trading Post) on Mull Street.

If you cancel your booking within 24 hours of departure, no refund will be given. This also applies if you fail to turn up for your bus. If the Department of Conservation closes the tracks or advises against travel, all bookings will be cancelled and refunded.

All bus services are subject to road and weather conditions.

Your accommodation provider may allow you to store your car while you are on the track if you intend to stay with them upon your return. This would have to be organised before you leave. There is free parking on residential streets within walking distance to the centre of town and though theft and vandalism is minimal, locking your vehicle and removing all valuables is highly recommended. Town centre car parks cost from $12 per week for Pay & Display spaces.

We offer storage at our shop, Info & Track, 37 Shotover St, on a first-come-first-served basis for a charge of  $5 per item for day storage and $10 per item for overnight storage. Most accommodation will allow you to store luggage with them provided you are staying with them on your return. The Glenorchy Holiday Park also offers storage for a small fee for people who are returning to Glenorchy.

📢 If you require bag storage or equipment rentals then please come to our store the day before or a minimum of 30 minutes before you depart. 📢

Tracknet provides a bag transfer service between all three areas. The cost is $15/bag (up to 15kg) between Queenstown and Te Anau or Milford and Te Anau, and $30/bag between Queenstown and Milford Sound. Please note that bags weighing over 15kg will be charged extra. Info & Track provide a baggage transfer service between Queenstown and the Glenorchy Holiday Park for $15 per item.

Freight can be arranged through our shop in Queenstown; ideally, the day before if you are taking an early morning bus from Queenstown to the walking tracks. Please note that bags cannot be freighted to or from track ends.

Due to the limited numbers allowed in the huts and campsites, you are required to have reservations on the track during the ‘Great Walks’ season (from late October to April). This can be done through the DOC website.

To avoid disappointment, it is always recommended you make a hut booking for the walks well in advance. If you are planning on walking the Milford Track, it is advisable to begin planning at least 6 months ahead. During the summer, the Routeburn and Kepler Tracks tend to fill up a few weeks in advance, so allow yourself at least a month or two for planning – more if you intend to hike over the very busy holiday period. Campsites are less busy, but should still be booked a few days ahead.

As these tracks are not officially ‘Great Walks’, you do not need to make a booking for specific dates. You do however need to purchase backcountry hut tickets from the DOC before heading onto the track.

It’s important to remember that Milford Sound is not a town and therefore has limited services. Milford Sound Lodge provides camping sites, dorm beds, double and twin shared-facility rooms, and a few luxury riverside chalets. Real Journeys also operate fully-catered overnight cruises with bus connections from Te Anau or Queenstown. These services can all be booked with Info & Track.

Please refer to the individual track FAQ’s for more information on hut facilities.

• Boots (should be comfortable and well broken in)
• Socks (wool or polypropylene)
• Shorts (quick dry material)
• Shirt (wool or polypropylene)
• Under layers, top and bottom (wool or polypropylene)
• Mid-layers (wool or polar fleece)
• Raincoat (waterproof, windproof with hood)
• Overtrousers (wind and waterproof)
• Warm hat and gloves, sunhat and sunglasses
• Extra socks, underwear, shirt or lightweight jersey
• Personal equipment
• Pack with large waterproof/plastic liner
• Sleeping bag (good quality down or hollofil)
• Matches or lighter in a waterproof container
• Torch/flashlight and spare batteries
• Eating and cooking utensils (knife, fork, spoon, plate, cup, pot, pan or billy and cleaning kit)
• Toiletries (soap, toothpaste, small towel). Do not wash or use soap in lakes or streams
• First aid kit (insect repellent, sunscreen, blister kits, pain relief, assorted bandages)
• Survival kit (survival blanket, whistle, paper, pencil, high energy snack food)
• Drink bottle, 1 – 2-litre capacity (you need to drink regularly during the day)
• Campers require a tent, groundsheet and gas cooker (camping not permitted on the Milford Track)

We also recommend bringing earplugs (in case of snorers!), playing cards (entertainment in the huts) and more food than you think you need in case severe weather or injury delays your journey.

We do advise that you wear hiking boots or at the very least, a sturdy pair of walking shoes. On well-graded tracks such as the Routeburn, running shoes may suffice.

You should be able to carry your full backpack for approximately 4-8 hours each day. Track surfaces vary from smooth and well-formed to steep, rough and rocky. If you are not a regular walker, it is recommended you begin getting in shape several weeks before your departure.

The weather is very unpredictable in New Zealand and you must always be prepared for rain and wind. Generally speaking, January and February are the warmest months. March tends to be the most consistent weather-wise but the evenings are cooler. November and December are the perfect time to view snow-capped peaks.

You can refill your water bottle at the DOC huts and at running streams along the route. Generally speaking, you won’t need to boil the water on the Milford, Kepler or Routeburn Tracks but check with DOC before leaving to see if there have been any recent problems. It is a good idea to boil the water on the Rees, Dart, Greenstone and Caples Tracks.

There are no waste facilities on any of the walking tracks so keep this in mind when packing. You will have to carry all your rubbish out with you.

Pretty bad, especially in Milford Sound! Insect repellent is available from our on-site hiking equipment shop if you need to make a last-minute purchase.

A detailed breakdown of the walking distances between each hut can be found here.

Due to the limited numbers allowed in the huts and campsites, you are required to make a reservation during the ‘Great Walks’ season (from late October to April). This can be done through the DOC website.

The Routeburn Track huts have bunks, mattresses, gas, heating, toilets, basic cooking facilities, solar-powered lighting and cold running water. A DOC ranger is in residence during the Great Walks season (late October to late April). The huts do not provide cooking utensils or showers.

Great Walks campsites offer basic facilities including toilets, sinks and water supply. Some also have picnic tables and cooking shelters. Great Walks campsites can only be accessed by walking there and are not accessible by vehicle.

All buses from Milford, the Divide and Te Anau terminate in Queenstown. To get from Queenstown to Glenorchy or the Routeburn Shelter, you will need to get on another bus. As the latest bus from Queenstown to Glenorchy/Routeburn Shelter leaves at 12.15pm, you would also need to spend a night in Queenstown. It is possible to get on a 4pm bus from Queenstown, however, minimum numbers do apply to this service, please contact us for more information.

Info & Track’s sister company, Nomad Safaris, offer a range of half and full day guided walking tours in the Queenstown region and in Mt Aspiring National Park, including a half and full day hike on the Routeburn Track. For more information, please refer to Routeburn Track guided walks.

Backcountry Hut Tickets or a Backcountry Pass must be purchased in advance from DOC visitor centres or approved outlets.

To camp by any of the three huts, there is a fee of $5 per night for adults and $2.50 per night for children.

The three DOC huts have solid fuel fires for heating and mattresses and water. Trampers must carry their own cookers. Hut wardens are present from November until late April.

Camping is permitted, except in the fragile alpine and sub-alpine areas between Shelter Rock Hut and Dart Hut. Camping is not permitted on Cascade Saddle but is permitted on the glacial bench above the Dart Glacier.

The Rees-Dart is a moderately demanding tramp and most days average 6-8 hours of walking. A detailed breakdown of the walking distances can be found here.

Trampers walking the Cascade Saddle track generally begin at the Raspberry Creek car park, 54km from Wanaka, and finish at either Chinaman’s Bluff or Muddy Creek. It is possible to walk the track in reverse but is much more difficult.

Info & Track can organise your transport to and from the Cascade Saddle track, please contact us for further information on the transport options available.

A Backcountry Pass or Backcountry tickets must be purchased in advance from a DOC office or approved outlet.

To camp by any of the four huts, there is a fee of $5 per night for adults and $2.50 per night for children.

The DOC huts on the tracks have coal fires for heating only. Trampers need their own cookers as gas stoves are not provided. All huts have mattresses and water (indoor running water in summer, outside tank water in winter). Hut wardens are present from late October until mid-April.

Camping is permitted along the bush edge and 50 metres from the track. Camping on McKellar Saddle is not permitted because of the fragile subalpine environment or on the privately-owned Caples and Greenstone valley floors.

A detailed breakdown of the walking distances between each hut can be found here. Either track can also be linked with the Routeburn track or they can be walked as a one-way track starting or finishing either at the Divide or the Greenstone Car Park.

Hiking the Great Walks is a dream, thinking about how to get home can be a nightmare. Let us take away those fears by offering a car relocation service. Leave your pride and joy with us and we will transport your car to the end of the walk where it will be waiting for you when you are finished. Call us to find out more 0800 46 22 48.

Our shop in town on 37 Shotover Street has the capabilities to store all your luggage for as long as you like. We charge $5 per item for day storage and $10 per item for overnight storage.