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2024-04-24T00:00:00.000Z • Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago, New Zealand / Aotearoa
Solo Hiking the Motatapu Track
In the autumn of 2024, I solo hiked the Motatapu Track in New Zealand. This 49 km point-to-point hike follows remote valleys and steep ridges between Wanaka and Arrowtown. The journey took me through the changing colours of autumn, with fresh snow, as I tackled long climbs and descents, camping along the way and enjoying the beauty of New Zealand's South Island.
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Hiking on April 25, 2024
The day started with quintessential New Zealand weather: pouring rain in the morning, which made me delay the start of the hike. According to the weather report, it would clear up around 10 a.m., so we hopped in the car at that time and drove towards Glendhu Bay. Once we arrived, the skies were blue, and the sun was shining!
The entire Motatapu Track crosses private land, which became evident when I started. Several times, I had to cross gates, and about an hour into the hike, I was high enough in the valley to have left civilization behind.
A gradual climb through the valley took me to Fern Burn Hut, which I reached after three hours of hiking. I stopped here for a quick lunch and then pushed on towards Highland Creek Hut.
About 2 km before reaching Highland Creek Hut, you arrive at Jack's Saddle. It gives you a preview of the amazing views you’ll enjoy for the remainder of the trip. From the top, there’s a 360º view of nothing but mountains and their stunning ridges, one of which you’ll descend as you make your way down to Highland Creek Hut.
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Hiking on April 26, 2024
The second day of the trip greeted me with fresh snow on the mountain peaks around me. The night before, it had rained heavily, and I couldn’t have wished for more incredible scenery!
Like the trek to Highland Creek Hut, the day began with a hilly section, taking me up and over ridges. There's a reason the 12 km section to Roses Hut is estimated to take around 7 to 8 hours(!).
I absolutely loved this day. As I mentioned before, the views were out of this world, and the photos (linked below) speak for themselves. While hiking, I realized just how underrated this track truly is.
The best part of the day was descending the ridge towards Roses Hut. The panoramic views of the surrounding valleys were breathtaking.
When I reached Roses Hut, which sits picture-perfect in a beautiful field of golden grass, I stopped for lunch and then continued up to Roses Saddle. I had read that this was a great spot to pitch a tent for the night, and after about an hour, I arrived. I explored the area until I found the most suitable spot for a tent. There weren’t many choices, but the one I found seemed the flattest. For clarity, I didn’t pitch my tent right on top of Roses Saddle but about 50m below it.
Once again, I was surrounded by stunning views of mountains, and I couldn’t have imagined a better place to spend the night.
I have to admit, it was chilly. While there wasn’t any snow, I woke up the next morning to a frozen water bottle—and I was pretty frozen too!
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Hiking on April 27, 2024
After some breakfast (while still snuggled in my sleeping bag), I packed up my gear and finally started to warm up again. Lesson learned: buy a better sleeping bag!
Walking down the ridge, I met up with the Arrow River, which can take you all the way back to Arrowtown—unless you decide to include the Big Hill Track, as I did. At the junction where I met the Arrow River, you have two choices: the Low Water Level Route, which involves walking in or alongside the river, or the High Water Level Route.
While I was tempted to take the quicker Low Route, I didn’t want to risk getting my feet wet in the freezing water. Plus, as soon as I started on the Low Route, I found myself bushwhacking through thick vegetation, which defeated the purpose of trying to move quickly along the river. So, I chose the High Route instead. Though it involved some climbing and sidling along the slopes, it offered peace of mind and a clear, formed track to follow. In return, I was rewarded with more stunning views.
After a few kilometers, I reconnected with the Arrow River and could no longer avoid getting my feet wet. The moment I stepped in, I realized how cold the water was, and I was glad I had taken the High Route earlier!
Officially, this marks the end of the Motatapu Track, as you reach Macetown. However, it’s still another 15 km to civilization (a.k.a. Arrowtown).
To avoid walking the entire 15 km along a 4x4 road, I opted for the Big Hill Track, which cuts across the hills and includes one final climb.
I definitely recommend taking the Big Hill Track; it adds a sense of adventure and purity to the journey. It was a nice feeling to be up on Big Hill, seeing Arrowtown in the distance—only about a two-hour hike left from that point, which made for a great end to the trip.
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