RalphR

I am booked on a guided walk on the Milford and Routeburn Tracks this November. This will be my third trip to the South Island, but my first significant hiking trip in NZ. Wondering if anyone on this board has any suggestions on what to bring, besides the obvious: bug spray and rain gear. Any other advice welcomed too! Thanks!

mlgb

Make SURE you have shoes with nonslip soles, such as Vibram.

susncrg

Ultimate Hikes provides a detailed gear list of everything you will need and it proved to be quite accurate. They will provide a backpack and rain coat, but we preferrred to bring our own and the raingear turned out to be one size for all and quite large, so I was glad I'd brought my own. You can rent poles, though we brought our own as well. We found them invaluable on the steep bits and slippery slopes. Layering works best as the weather can change on a dime. Waterproof hiking boots.

RalphR

Thanks mlgb and susncrg!

KensingtonGirl

Take anti-itch medication for the sandfly bites (they sell it at the lodges but its expensive) and hiking poles for the trip down from the pass on the Milford.

Sounds like you're doing both the hikes back to back. At the last moment we discovered that we could have a small bag delivered to us at the Milford Lodge (at the end of the Milford track) and they would take it back to their Queenstown office the day we started the Routeburn Track after the overnight in Te Anau. You might want to ask if they still do this. Since the Routeburn is shorter, we shipped some clothes back after the Milford but we would have had a different packing strategy if we had known about this in advance.

We had sun for the Milford and rain/sleet for the Routeburn. In hindsight we would taken less clothes for sunny days since they can be easily washed/dried overnight when the weather is good. On rainy days like we had on the Routeburn, the drying rooms are full of wet stuff and its tougher to get anything to dry.

General advice - If the weather is good, take your time on the hikes since there is no reason to get to the lodges early.

PJTravels

Definitely pack what Ultimate Hikes recommends - it was right on. Antihistimine for sand fly bites is a must although we did not have them on the Milford, just the west coast. Seemed strange as the Milford hike ends at Sand Fly Point... Don't be like one woman from the UK who walked the Milford with an entire International plug adapter kit - probably weighed 5 pounds. Our lodging in Queenstown held our luggage for us as we stayed there the night after the trek as well as beforehand. (In fact, they even set it up on luggage racks in our room for us the day we returned.)

mlgb

oh, the sand flies are there alright...

Good idea to be prepared for them, before and after.

And don't do what I did, take my socks off to wring them out...sandfly attack on the ankles..ouch!

RalphR

Once again, thanks to all for your advice. Only about 8 weeks to go and starting to get excited!

KensingtonGirl

Two more general tips
1 If you're coming from the US and bringing collapsible hiking poles (which of course have to go in the checked luggage), make sure you can unscrew them before you get on the trail. TSA has played with ours more than once where we have had to borrow a pair of pliers from the hotel to get them unscrewed.

2. Clean your hiking boots before leaving home. If you're lucky, the customs officials in New Zealand will give them a pass and not take them away to be cleaned while you're worrying about making a connection between flights.

Best wishes for good hiking weather. (I am envious.)

mlgb

I remembered another thing..bring something to pad your front toes for the long downhill stretch after the pass.

They may try to sell you some lambswool at an inflated price, you might pick up a handful before that. Or one of the other high tech solutions.

As far as raingear, it should be the good stuff.

crellston

All good advice re the sand flies they really are evil little b****ds. I had a really bad reaction to the bites when we were there which lasted for weeks. The best option is obviously not to get bitten so cover up as much as possible. I find "Wasp Eze" is the best treatment if bitten (any sort of bite) it is in aerosol spray form and contains both anti-histamine and lignocaine, a local anaesthetic. Works like a dream (unfortunately mine ran out halfway through the trip. We bought it in the UK but I am sure it must be available elswhere albeit under a different name (manufactured by SSL)

caligirl56

So, I'm interested in KensingtonGirl's comment about cleaning the hiking boots. Do they question you to see if you have them in your luggage? And then I gather, if the answer is yes, you have to take them out to be cleaned?

Does anyone know if there are other criteria--for example, do they ask when you last wore them, and if it's been long enough--maybe they'd let them pass through?

KensingtonGirl

Yes you are questioned and then have to produce the hiking boots from your luggage. They are then physically inspected and most are sent off to be cleaned and disinfected. Seemed to be based purely on the physical inspection not other criteria. Takes about 15 minutes before they come back.

mlgb

There is a form that you fill out on the plane asking questions such as if you've been to farms or around animals, have camping or sporting equipment, visted a forest, etc. You can see a copy here

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files...rd/english.pdf

I usually wear my boots on the plane, or you can pack them in a ziplock on top of your luggage for quick access. They will definitely look at them. Note that they are also interested in used camping equipment. Anything that has visible soil is a potential biosecurity hazard.

I make sure to pick any vegetation and mud off and give them a good brushing.

Be sure to declare ALL food items, toss anything fresh (including fruit from the airplane) and show them the balance. They are strict about fines but will let in most commerically processed foods such as packaged granola bars.

One of my friends was able to bring in beef jerky but not turkey jerky by the same maker..something to do with labeling and being on certain lists.

caligirl56

Thank you both. I usually wear my hiking boots on the plane, too. But, just in case I don't, it's good to know the rules. I certainly wouldn't want to have them buried at the bottom of the suitcase! I'll also make sure they're really clean. I'm guessing maybe they use bleach to clean them--and I wonder if that ever fades dyed leather.

mlgb

Don't know what they use, mine always pass!

Didymo (rock snot) is a threat in the South Island so they are pretty strict about the boots.

Here is the info on Didymo

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files...r-trampers.pdf

caligirl56

Interesting. I remember them being really careful in Australia as well--especially in Tasmania, for similar reasons. But, I don't think anyone ever asked to actually look at my hiking boots. It makes sense though. From the didymo article, it looks like they use detergent instead of bleach, so that's a good thing.

PJTravels

Didn't mean to imply that sand flies weren't on the Milford - we probably didn't have them due to torrents of rain... We were bitten on the west coast before we knew what hit us and I still have the scars on my hands as proof.

As for boots - the first trip they were packed, as were our poles and they were taken to be cleaned. (It didn't take long and they returned my knitting which had been stuffed into the toe of one boot in a separate plastic bag!) The second trip we wore hiking boots on the plane and they did a visual inspection as well as asked questions. They didn't ask to see the poles.

RalphR

In Australia now, getting ready for starting the Milford later this week. Can't wait!

Stopping at the chemist tomorrow for the anti-itch spray and bug repellant. I have walking poles and have given my boots a good scrub! Warm up hike in the Gold Coast hinterland today.

Thanks all for the advice!

Ralph

susncrg

Brings back great memories of last year, and I envy you being there. Have a great time on the track and make sure you post all the details when you're done. Thanks in advance.