My favourite hike in all of New Zealand. Seriously. This place is so ridiculously beautiful it made me cry multiple times. It's hands down the one of the most breathtaking spot I've ever been to.

Alright, let’s get into it. The track is long, 14 km each way so I’d highly recommend doing it over two days to really soak it all in. That said, if you don’t have camping gear, it’s totally possible to do it as a big day mission. Just know you’ll be walking close to 29 km, so you’ll need to be reasonably fit and start early.

The first 9 km winds through native bush with a steady incline (just under 900 metres of elevation overall). It’s an intermediate trail in terms of difficulty, nothing too technical, but definitely a solid effort. I reached the camping area in about 4 hours, then it’s another hour (5 km) to get to the glacier and waterfalls.

Important note on camping: Part of this track crosses private land, and you cannot camp on it. There’s a sign at the beginning of the trail showing where you can legally camp, and another very obvious one along the track that says “No camping past this point.” Respect it, please, let’s not ruin this place for future hikers. Once you see the sign, veer left toward the river, and you’ll find some perfect little spots on soft grass about 50 metres away. It’s within 15 metres of the river, so it’s still public land.

I’d recommend dropping your heavy gear at camp and hiking the last 5 km with just a day pack. This section is flatter, though there’s a bit of mud and some spiky plants to dodge. But oh man, once you get closer, prepare to fall in love with this place. Waterfalls stream down the cliffs, the glacier sits high above, and it just feels like you’ve stepped into another world. I clocked 36 km in total because I walked to the falls twice, I just couldn’t get enough.

If you can, try to visit the glacier area in the morning when the sun hits the waterfalls, there’s a good chance you’ll spot rainbows.

Also worth knowing: helicopters do land out there. If you’ve got the cash and don’t want to hike, there are scenic flights that’ll drop you off right by the glacier $840 per person for a 60-minute flight. A bit out of my budget, but it’d be a pretty unforgettable way to see it.

Honestly, this track is magic. Remote, wild, emotional, and unbelievably beautiful. If you’re looking for something special, this is it.