Film about the hike

Getting to the island

• Take the ferry from Bluff.
• Time: 1 hour.
• Costs: NZD$220 return.

• Take a flight with Stewart Island Flights. Note you can’t take any gas canisters with you on board, these can be bought on the Island in the local Four Square.
• Time: 20 minutes.
• Costs NZD$245 for return (incl. one checked bag of 15kg).
• You can store any access bags for free with Stewart Island Flights at Invercargill Airport.

Start / Finish

• The track starts and finishes right in Oban, the only town on the island.
• Alternatively, you can take a water taxi from Oban to Port William, to give the hike a head start.
• And the same goes for the end, you can take a water taxi from Freshwater Hut to Oban, skipping the last section (Freshwater Hut → Oban).

Season

• I did this hike in January of 2024. This is the summer season, despite that I hiked 4 out of 5 days in full rain gear, but it was not cold.
• While you can still do the hike in winter, skipping huts (as I did in summer) will be more difficult due to less daylight hours.

Campsite / Huts

• Hut tickets are needed, which you most likely will make use of even if you bring a tent.
• Tent options are very limited. Even next to the huts there is often no room to pitch one.
• I pitched my tent on Lucky Beach Campsite.
• There is this great cove that you can use.
• On Mason Bay Beach you will have the option to pitch a tent in the dunes.
• In Oban you can pitch a tent at the Backpackers Hostel.

Maps / Info

• Please see this DOC website for detailed information on this hike.
• If you want to spot kiwi birds, make sure to be on the trail just before sunrise, that will give the highest chance to spot one.
• Pay a visit to the Rakiura National Park Visitor Centre to get the latest info on track conditions, weather and tidal times.
• Knowing the tidal times is very important for two beach sections: West Ruggedy Beach and the north end of Mason Bay Beach. You can save a lot of time by timing it right, which avoids you having to take the high tide route (which adds 1 to 2 hours).
• Also the wind direction impacts the tide, strong Westerly winds is what you don’t want.
• Lastly, the time of the month will determine if the tides are ‘extra low’ or ‘extra high’.

Food / Water

• Obviously bring enough food as no resupply options are available.
• Gas canisters can be bought in Oban at the local Four Square. Or you can get used canisters if you ask the staff of Stewart Island Flights in Oban.
• I found one water bottle is more than enough, as there are plenty of streams / huts to fill up.
• The only catch to this is the southern section of Big Hellfire Hut, as this is high up and you don’t cross any water sources. On a hot day I would recommend bringing an extra (small) bottle as backup.

Route / Track Conditions

• The track is a 125 km loop, often walked in the counterclockwise direction.
• On average people take 11 days to complete it. I did it in 6 days (including getting to and back from the island).
• The track is notorious for its mud pools. However, everyone will tell you something else about ‘how bad’ it is. In the end I did it without gaiters and in old trail running shoes (which I did have to throw away afterwards).
• Do bring hiking poles. Not for the elevation, but to stabilise yourself when jumping mud pools. It will make your life so much easier.
• Bring bug spray as at each stop you will encounter a million sand flies.
• Optional: Summit Mount Haglem. I decided not to as I got enough good views from while on the track itself.
• Optional: Summit Peak Mountain. Again, I decided not to do this one.
• Optional: Combine this hike with the Southern Circuit. It is said the North West Circuit is the more enjoyable one, but it makes for a nice challenge to extend your trip!

Links

• See here links to my Strava activities:
• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4
• Day 5