---
type: "Article"
title: "Hollyford Track – A walk in the park"
description: "Hollyford Track is a guided wilderness experience in the Fiordland National Park in New Zealand. Hiking at its best! Here's my review."
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/new-zealand/hollyford-track-fiordland-national-park"
author: "Justine Tyerman"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 16
tags: ["Landscape", "Nature", "New Zealand"]
entities:
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  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/nature-tourism"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/lake"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/culinary-tourism"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/lodge"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/air-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/experience-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/sea-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/hiking"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/luxury-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/organizations/wilderness-safaris"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/tyermanj", at: 2026-07-04T14:28:05+00:00 }
sources:
  - id: photos
    resource: hollyford-track-fiordland-national-park.md#photos
    title: "Original photography by Justine Tyerman"
    author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/tyermanj"
timestamp: 2026-07-04T14:28:05+00:00
---

# Hollyford Track – A walk in the park

> The Hollyford Track is a guided three-day, two-night wilderness walk through Fiordland National Park, travelling from the mountains to the sea via the glacier-carved Hollyford Valley, with jet boat and helicopter segments included.

## Destination
Fiordland National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Wilderness area, starting 100km from Te Anau in New Zealand's South Island.

## Getting there
Fly to Queenstown (Air NZ direct from Auckland); transport from Queenstown or Te Anau to the trailhead is included in the guided walk price.

## When to go
The article does not specify a best season, though it describes fine weather days and references sandflies at Martins Bay.

## Why visit
A low-altitude, largely flat 43km guided walk combining spectacular mountain-to-sea scenery, rich Maori and European history, diverse wildlife, expert naturalist guides, gourmet lodge accommodation, a jet boat ride bypassing the Demon Trail, and a helicopter flight over Milford Sound.

## What to see
- **Hidden Falls and Little Homer Falls** — Thunderous cascades encountered on day one; Little Homer Falls drops 60m.
- **Mt Tutoko** — Fiordland's highest peak at 2746m, visible from Little Homer Saddle, named after an important Maori chief.
- **Lake Alabaster** — Mirror-calm lake with ethereal mist-veiled mountain reflections; historically important Maori waka-building centre.
- **Pyke River swing bridge** — Fiordland's longest swing bridge, exceptionally high and swingy, with views toward the Demon Trail.
- **Lake McKerrow and Jamestown** — Historic 1870 settlement intended as the South Island capital; reached by jet boat.
- **Martins Bay and Long Reef** — Remote West Coast beach with a fur seal colony and, when present, rare Fiordland crested penguins.
- **Martins Bay Spit** — 8km granite-sand beach with storm-blasted dunes, evidence of ancient Maori fire sites, umu and middens.
- **Mitre Peak, Stirling Falls and Bowen Falls** — Viewed during the helicopter flight along Milford Sound at the end of the walk.

## What to do
- **Guided wilderness walk** — Three days of easy-paced hiking through beech and podocarp forest with expert naturalist guides; maximum 16 guests.
- **Jet boat ride on the Hollyford River and Lake McKerrow** — Bypasses the notorious 20km Demon Trail and whisks hikers down rapids to historic Jamestown.
- **Glow-worm colony visit** — Evening excursion to a glow-worm colony whose lights rivalled the night sky.
- **Eel feeding** — Watch giant eels compete for food scraps in a poolside evening activity led by guides.
- **Fur seal pup viewing at Long Reef** — Rock-hop out to see young seals playing in pools among house-sized boulders.
- **Helicopter flight to Milford Sound** — 20-minute scenic flight from Martins Bay Lodge along the West Coast and the full length of Milford Sound.
- **Lodge evenings** — Hot showers, fine New Zealand wines by the fire, and gourmet meals of salmon and venison at lodges along the track.

## Good to know
The track is 56km total; hikers walk 43km. Expert guides, first-rate cuisine, comfortable private lodges, transport, day packs and rain jackets are all included. Hikers carry only a light day pack. Owned by Ngai Tahu Tourism since 2003.

## Photos

```yaml
photos:
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B.-The-TBs-lace-up-for-the-Hollyford-Track.-IMG_0721.jpg"
    caption: "The TBs lace up for the Hollyford Track"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/A.-Lower-Hollyford-Valley-Lake-McKerrow-left-and-Lake-Alabaster-right.jpg"
    caption: "Lower Hollyford Valley © Ngai Tahu Tourism"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/A.-Upper-Hollyford-River-and-Darran-Mountains1.jpg"
    caption: "Upper Hollyford River and Darran Mountains © Ngai Tahu Tourism"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B-Gunns-Camp.jpg"
    caption: "Starting from the Gunns Camp"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B-Little-Homer-Falls-60m-high.1-e1440361377112.jpg"
    caption: "Little Homer Falls"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B-IMG_0576-Justine-at-the-lunch-spot-beside-the-Hollyford-River-on-day-one.jpg"
    caption: "Justine at the lunch spot beside the Hollyford River on day one"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/A.-Magnificent-Mt-Tutoko-Fiordlands-tallest-mountain.-C_0172.jpg"
    caption: "Magnificent Mt. Tutoko - Fiordland's tallest mountain © Ngai Tahu"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/A.-Mt-Madeline-reflected-in-Lake-Alabaster1.jpg"
    caption: "Mt. Madeline reflected in Lake Alabaster © Ngai Tahu Tourism"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/A.-Pyke-River-Darran-Mountains-and-Mt-Madeline1.jpg"
    caption: "Pyke River, Darran Mountains and Mt. Madeline © Ngai Tahu Tourism"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B.-Reflections-on-Lake-McKerrow-as-we-leave-Jamestown-by-jetboat.jpg"
    caption: "Reflections on Lake McKerrow"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B-IMG_0692-Guide-Graeme-Scott-in-story-telling-mode.-e1440360654460.jpg"
    caption: "Guide Graeme Scott in story-telling mode"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/A.-Sunset-at-Martins-Bay-1.jpg"
    caption: "Sunset at Martins Bay © Ngai Tahu Tourism"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/A-Fur-seal-pups-at-Martins-Bay..jpg"
    caption: "Fur seal pups at Martins"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/A.-Stunning-West-Coast-sun-set-at-Martins-Bay.jpg"
    caption: "Stunning West Coast sunset at Martins Bay © Ngai Tahu Tourism"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/A.-Pyke-Lodge-by-night1.jpg"
    caption: "Pyke Lodge by night © Ngai Tahu Tourism"
```