Edition 2 James Market News Property Report - Flipbook - Page 21
Making Tracks
Tramping into the wild magic of Neww Zealand’s Milford
Track you will find a world better than the hype.
Words Mal James Photo Ultimate Hikes
O
ur current world feels
like it’s led by the
negative. Tear it down.
Complain about others.
Scream as loud as you
can about what’s wrong—especially
how you’ve been wronged, how bad
others are, and how urgently
everything needs to change.
Fair enough … but that kind of
conversation doesn’t really float my
boat. There’s another world. And for
some magical days, I got to live in it.
Three weeks ago, I was doing
whatever I was doing, scrolling,
reading—who knows—and there it
was: a little side advertisement.
“One vacancy left.”
One spot. Two weeks from now.
The Milford Track in New Zealand.
I paused. Bugger it, I thought.
I’m so busy … Naaa … Yeah …
I’ve always wanted to go …
Bang. Booked!
Fast forward two weeks.
It’s Wednesday morning and I’m
sitting in the Tullamarine lounge,
sipping a coffee, waiting for my flight
to Queenstown. Check-in took all
of 20 minutes—security, border
force, done. I’m flying economy,
but it’s easy.
Boarding time
I love this flight—Air New Zealand
direct into Queenstown. Less than
three hours. Loads of legroom. Super
friendly. Cost me $345. I’m into a
book—Diary of a CEO—great read.
We land. Through immigration.
Onto a bus. By mid-afternoon, I’m in
Queenstown. Checked into Adventure
Queenstown Hostel—$69 a night.
Then straight down to Ultimate Hikes
to check in for tomorrow’s start.
Time to kill? Easy choice: up the
Skyline Gondola for $83NZ. At the
top? My guilty pleasure—three luge
rides. Three rides later, I was back
down the mountain. Back to the hostel.
Early night. Ready for tomorrow.
Day 1: Into the Wild
Next morning it’s a coffee at Vudu.
A walk around town. Then we’re off.
Loaded onto the bus and headed for
Milford Sound, 50 of us in total.
Lunch is served, and then we’re on
a boat, cutting across the dark waters
around Te Anua. Ahead lies the Clinton
Hut, our home for the night. The real
adventure begins here.
The Milford Track is a legendary
53.5 km hike through Fiordland
National Park. This journey winds
through ancient rainforests, glacial
valleys, alpine passes, and ends at the
stunning Milford Sound.
From Lake Te Anau to the misty
heights of MacKinnon Pass, it’s a
journey that humbles and uplifts.
Clinton Hut: Night 1
Off the boat… through a boot wash…
and we arrive at Clinton Hut. Slower
pace. Simpler focus. Deeper breaths.
I’m bunking with two Korean
hikers. We smile, we nod, we laugh—
language barriers don’t stand a
chance out here.
The guides and the company
nailed it. Our guides—Mena, Indy, and
the rest from Ultimate Hikes were
fantastic. Even more impressive? The
company itself. Every detail done.
Thoughtful, authentic, intentional.
Ultimate Hikes charged $2,750
NZD and it is worth every cent. And
yes, there are discounts if you go
back. Which I absolutely will.
A Meal to Remember
Dinner that first night? Restaurant
quality. Three courses. Every meal,
breakfasts, lunches, dinners were as
good as one another. World-class.
After dinner, we had our first
group briefing. I ended up
spending time with two groups: four
New Zealand women in their 50s,
and two Aussie gynaecologists from
Orange. Miguel was a funny guy—
originally from Uruguay. Andrew was
more serious. Different vibes, same
solid company.
Stillness in Motion
After dinner … a quiet moment by the
river’s edge. Watching. Thinking how
lucky I am. Like life, a river is always
moving … never quite the same.
Yet somehow, it’s still. A moment in
time. And in some quiet way ... it is
always the same.
Day 2: Into the Magic
Up. Quick chats, smiles all round.
Big breakfast, make-your-own lunch.
Boots on. 8:30am. We’re off.
The track winds gently beside the
Clinton River’s crystal-clear waters.
I walked alone for much of it, soaking
in the silence. It’s not just a hike.
A meander along well-kept paths.
A cold swim and then some elevation
into Pompolona Lodge. It felt like
walking through a movie set.
And the best part? I never once
thought about my phone. There is,
joyously, no coverage for the entire
trip. The world didn’t miss me.
And I didn’t miss it (sorry, world).
The Lodges: Wilderness Meets
Comfort
Comfortable. Drying rooms. Hot
showers. Living areas. Wine. Great
food. Deep in the wilderness—and yet
nothing felt out of place.
On the Kiwis, they’re a classy lot.
Easygoing, generous, present. The
kind of people Aussies used to be.
Kindred spirits.
Next comes the night briefing:
“Tomorrow, Day three is going to be
tough”
Day 3: Into the Rain and Over the Pass
Surprise—it’s raining. But rain means
waterfalls. And did I mention how
much New Zealanders rave about
waterfalls?
Our hut group is up early. I’d been
adopted by my roommates after a
cheerful attempt at “annyeong haseyo.”
There’s something quietly thrilling
about setting out in the dark. The
mountain’s awake, and you’re just
catching up. Over the Pass. Up the
mountain. Lunch. Over the top. Down
the other side of McKinnon Pass.
It was tough. No doubt.
Fifty of us went up. Fifty came
down—stronger, wetter, hungrier—
with smiles that said we’d just done
something special.
Days 4 & 5: The Home Stretch
The big climb behind us, the rest was
about soaking it in.
More laughter. More quiet
moments that made you stop and go:
“Wow … I’m really here.”
No rush. No pressure. Just the trail
beneath your feet. What a Week.
Ultimate Hikes is world-class.
And the Milford Track?
Actually better than the hype.
So go. Go before you can’t.
No regrets. An experience of
significance. A rare, meaningful
positive in a world searching
for them.
The Milford Track, New Zealand
Ultimate Hikes: 5 days, 4 nights
completed in March 2025
Info: ultimatehikes.co.nz
