Milford Track Car Relocation

Q: How does the key box work?

Collect a free lockable key box from our office at 1 Shiel Street, Glenorchy, or from the Caltex on Luxmore Drive, Te Anau. Lock your key inside and hook the box under the back bumper or on a loop-style door handle. We leave it in the same place for you. If your car has a proximity key or push button start, wrap the key in tin foil first. After your walk, drop the key box at the Caltex in Te Anau. If you are staying at Milford Sound, a day or two later is fine.

Start the Milford Track at Te Anau Downs and finish at Milford Sound with your own car waiting for you. Te Anau Downs to Milford Sound from $299 per car. Relocating hikers' cars since 2008.

Book Your Relocation

Your car, waiting at Milford Sound

The Milford Track is a one-way walk. You start at Glade Wharf at the head of Lake Te Anau and finish four days later at Sandfly Point on Milford Sound, 53.5 km away. Without a relocation, your car is left behind at Te Anau Downs and you need a bus back to collect it.

Our Milford Track car relocation service removes that last step. You park at Te Anau Downs and catch the boat to the start of the track. While you are walking, one of our drivers takes your car through to Milford Sound. When you step off the Sandfly Point boat, your car is there, so you can drive out on your own timetable, stay the night or take a cruise on the fiord first.

Te Anau Downs to Milford Sound: $299 per car. Add $30 for trailers or heavy vehicles over 5000 kg.

Mitre Peak reflected in Milford Sound, where the Milford Track finishes

How it works

Park at Te Anau Downs. Collect a free key box from the Caltex in Te Anau, lock your key in it on your car and catch the boat to Glade Wharf.

We drive it to Milford Sound. While you walk the Milford Track, one of our drivers moves your car from Te Anau Downs to the Milford Sound car park.

Drive away from Milford. Your car will be parked at the free car park on the corner of the main road and Deepwater Basin road.

Book your Milford Track car relocation

Te Anau Downs to Milford Sound: $299 per car

Choose your date in the calendar, then complete the booking form. You can add your ferry tickets, Te Anau Downs to Glade Wharf and Sandfly Point to Milford Sound, to the same booking. Add $30 for trailers or heavy vehicles over 5000 kg.

Booking within 3 days of your start date? Please contact us or phone 0211 8777 32.

Dates showing as unavailable? Get in touch. We may still be able to help.

Running the track in a day? We also move cars from Milford Sound to Te Anau Downs for one-day runners ($299). Contact us to arrange it.

Before you book, read our relocation info and terms and conditions.

Check availability and book

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Select your trip END DATE below.

End Date of your hike (please use this format: Day Month Year)^*

Your Name^*

Your Email^*

Contact Phone Number in NZ (incl Country code)

Price per Car ($299)

Heavy vehicle (over 5 ton) and/or trailer $30

The name your DoC hut booking is under^*

Please list the huts you will stay in

Accommodation before your hike

Rental Car Company Name and Booking Number (or Private Car?)

Car licence plate number, make, model, colour

Rental Car Pick Up Location and Pick Up Date

Ferry Bookings

(These prices are for the ferry from Te Anau Downs to the track and then from Sandfly Point to Milford.)

Choose your booking time carefully. Ferry booking times are NOT TRANSFERRABLE

Te Anau Downs to Glade Wharf (11.30 or 2pm).

11:30am 2pm

Sandfly Point to Milford (ferry will run on demand) from 12.30pm until 4.30pm.

We will have your car at the Milford car park by 2pm, unless you want an earlier time.

Ferry Tickets: How many adults? 18+ yrs (Ferry: $145 pp)

Ferry Tickets: How many children? 5-17 yrs ($95 pp)

Any additional message or info?

Total

Please select a date first.

Payment Method^*

Bank Transfer (NZ Banks only)

Transferring money from your bank account.

PayPal or Credit Card

Pay with your PayPal account or your credit card.

I accept the Terms and Conditions^*

I confirm that I have read, understood, and accept the terms and conditions of my booking with Trackhopper.

Read our Terms and Conditions here.

About the Milford Track

Often called the finest walk in the world, the Milford Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks. It follows the Clinton Valley through rainforest, crosses Omanui/McKinnon Pass at 1154 m and descends the Arthur Valley to Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park.

The track can only be walked in one direction, over 3 nights and 4 days, staying at Clinton, Mintaro and Dumpling huts. Camping is not allowed. During the Great Walks season, 1 November 2026 to 30 April 2027, huts must be booked with the Department of Conservation, along with your boats to Glade Wharf and from Sandfly Point.

Outside the season the track is unmanaged and bunks are first come, first served. It should only be attempted by fit, experienced and well-equipped walkers.

Check the DOC Milford Track page for hut bookings and track alerts, and see our what to take and weather pages before you go.

Tussock and peaks near McKinnon Pass on the Milford Track

53.5 km

One way, from Glade Wharf to Sandfly Point

4 days

3 nights in Clinton, Mintaro and Dumpling huts

1154 m

The high point at Omanui/McKinnon Pass

$299

Car relocation from Te Anau Downs to Milford Sound

Milford Track day by day

Day 1: Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut (5 km, 1 to 1.5 hours)

Drive 20 to 30 minutes from Te Anau to Te Anau Downs and leave your car for us to collect. The boat to Glade Wharf takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, then it is a short, easy walk beside the Clinton River to Clinton Hut.

Day 2: Clinton Hut to Mintaro Hut (17.5 km, about 6 hours)

A steady climb up the Clinton Valley to Mintaro Hut, close to the foot of Omanui/McKinnon Pass. Meanwhile, we move your car from Te Anau Downs to Milford Sound.

Day 3: Mintaro Hut to Dumpling Hut (13 km, 6 to 7 hours)

The big day. Climb more than 500 m to Omanui/McKinnon Pass at 1154 m, then descend about 1000 m into the Arthur Valley. Allow extra time for the side trip to Sutherland Falls.

Day 4: Dumpling Hut to Sandfly Point (18 km, 5.5 to 6 hours)

Walk out along the Arthur Valley to Sandfly Point and take the 20 minute boat to Milford Sound. Your car is waiting in the Milford Sound car park.

Milford Track route map from Glade Wharf to Milford Sound

Why hikers choose Trackhopper

LOCAL SINCE 2008

We are a family business based in Glenorchy and have been relocating hikers' cars since 2008.

CAREFUL DRIVERS

All of our drivers hold clean licences and are over 25 years old.

RENTAL CARS WELCOME

Send us your hire details and we contact the rental company to add our driver. We accept liability for the insurance excess up to $5000 while moving your car. Insurance details.

FREE KEY BOXES

Lockable key boxes are free to use. Collect one at the Caltex in Te Anau, and drop it back at the Caltex after your walk.

FLEXIBLE WHEN PLANS CHANGE

Fiordland weather can close tracks at short notice. We are friendly and flexible, and our cancellation policy is clear.

FREE GEAR HIRE DELIVERY

Hiring tramping gear from Bev's? We pick up and drop off Bev's gear free between Te Anau and Glenorchy when you book a relocation.

Milford Track car relocation FAQs

How much does a Milford Track car relocation cost?

Relocating your car from Te Anau Downs to Milford Sound costs $299 per car. Trailers and heavy vehicles over 5000 kg are an extra $30. One-day runners going from Milford Sound to Te Anau Downs are also $299. Please contact us to arrange that direction.

Where do I leave my car at the start of the Milford Track?

Leave your car at Te Anau Downs, a 20 to 30 minute drive (27 km) from Te Anau, where the boat to Glade Wharf departs. There is no road access to Glade Wharf itself.

When will my car be at Milford Sound?

We have your car in the Milford Sound car park by 2pm on the last day of your walk, unless you ask us for an earlier time.

How does the key box work?

Collect a free lockable key box from the Caltex on Luxmore Drive, Te Anau. Lock your key inside and hook the box under the back bumper or on a loop-style door handle. We leave it in the same place for you. If your car has a proximity key or push button start, wrap the key in tin foil first. After your walk, drop the key box at the Caltex in Te Anau. If you are staying at Milford Sound, a day or two later is fine.

Can you relocate a rental car or campervan?

Yes, for most rental vehicles. Tell us the name the hire is booked under, the rental company and the booking number, then send us the registration once you collect the car. We contact the rental company to add our driver. Some companies charge an additional driver fee. We cannot move Iconic campers because we cannot get insurance cover for them. See rental and private car insurance.

How much fuel does my car need?

Fill your tank in Te Anau, the last major town before the track. We top it up during the relocation if required.

Do I need to book Milford Track huts and boats?

Yes. During the Great Walks season (1 November 2026 to 30 April 2027) you must book Clinton, Mintaro and Dumpling huts with DOC, and book the boats from Te Anau Downs to Glade Wharf and from Sandfly Point to Milford Sound. You can add both boats to your car relocation booking with us.

Can I run the Milford Track in one day?

Runners usually go from Milford Sound to Te Anau Downs, taking an early boat to Sandfly Point (around 6 to 7am) and the last boat from Glade Wharf to Te Anau Downs (around 4pm). We can move your car from Milford Sound to Te Anau Downs. Contact us to plan it.

What happens if the Milford Track closes?

Heavy rain can close the track at short notice. Get in touch as soon as you can and we will work through your options with you. Our cancellation policy has the details.

Finishing at Milford Sound?

With your car waiting at Milford Sound, there is no rush to leave. Book a cruise with Mitre Peak Cruises. Their 2 hour cruises are one of the most intimate and immersive ways to explore Milford Sound. They go further, and get you closer, than any other operation in Milford Sound.

Book Your Cruise

I am sure you won’t remember, but I need to say a big thank you to you.

When we stopped at your place in Glenorchy you shared with us the importance of going down hill with your toes first to reduce compression forces . My husband was having trouble with his knee/leg with our first hikes and was feeling very apprehensive about how he was going to manage. He used your advice and we have put on many a painless mile, starting first with Routeburn

A very big THANK YOU for your help and the value added. And thank you as well for moving our vehicle; you provide an awesome service.

Sincerely Cindi Pederson

I just wanted to relay our thanks for the service you provided us when in NZ.

When you leave your vehicle and tramp across the country for two days you are naturally nervy as to whether your vehicle will be there at the end. Of course, we needn't have worried.

Superb service, clear instructions and more importantly it allowed us to thoroughly enjoy the fabulous Routeburn!!

Thanks again for the rocking service!

Stuart and family

Thanks for yesterday and the great service.

Really cool hike with amazing views all along the way - and then we arrived on the other side to find our car waiting for us! Also great that we avoided the long drive from Queenstown as our visit today is the Milford Sound.

We have already recommended your services to several people we have met along the way, do you have a Facebook page so we can post something a ca lot of people including locals weren’t aware of this option 🙂

Thanks again allowed us to make the routeburn in a day (otherwise would have been a pass for us due to time) and we would have missed out on the best trek we have ever done!

Matt & Nico

I just wanted to say thank you for your wonderful service! It was very easy and I was so happy when I walked out of a rainy hike and my warm, dry car was sitting there waiting for me!

Also, thank you to your dad for coming out and checking on me.

Casey

Due to closure of the Routeburn Track we had to postpone our hike twice and in the end do it within a day - no problem for Mike and Kiyomi.

They were extremely kind and flexible and even gave us great hiking recommendations for the time we had until the track opened again. Thank you!!!

Nina

Thanks for all your excellent info and service of moving our car for us between the Rees trail head to Chinamans Flat. Everything went well and we feel very lucky to have had a great window of weather. It was a challenging walk but we had a great time on the Rees-Dart. We will highly recommended you to future trampers.

JennyAnn and Guy

Just wanted to drop you a line to say thank you for another great transfer.

As with last time, everything worked as described. Really appreciate it. It was lovely to get back to dry clothes and into the warm out of the rain after the track and not have to wait hours of a bus.

You have a lovely corner of the world here. Very jealous.

Vincent

Thanks very much for moving my car, everything worked perfectly.

The hike was great, although quite strenuous, but that’s what I wanted. You were right about the Earland Falls, they were just tremendous! And also the view right after the Harry’s Saddle shelter. A life’s experience.

Thank you very much again for making this journey possible for me.

Best regards, Dmitry 21 Apr 2019

Mike,
It was such a pleasure to meet you and thank you so much for making our journey so easy! We probably had the best weather one could hope for. Clear skies and a perfect temperature. We got to Mackenzie hut in 8 hours before dusk and had a wonderful trip out yesterday.

I just dropped your key lock at the Caltex here in Te Anau. Thanks again for your superior service.

Cheers, Paul 19 Apr 2019

Just wanted to THANK YOU! We had a great Tramp with beautiful weather (luckily we got out before all this rain). It was so nice to have the car waiting for us.

We also appreciate that you provided all the information about Pass Creek and that you were able to accommodate the change which meant some extra driving for you.

After getting the email from DOC which discouraged Pass Creek, it was a relief to know we didn't have to change our plans. We meet many people at the huts who had changed their plans based on the DOC's warnings. Without your advice, we might not have made the right decision.

Thanks for making our tramp go so smoothly.

Kathy 10 Apr 2019

Thanks again for the timely and valuable info you gave us on the Pass Creek. It made the decision to continue when we were about to give up on the tramp. We had a brilliant time and loved it thoroughly!! Pass Creek only took us 1.5 hours to get out.

Cheers - 10 Apr 2019

Just wanted to say thanks for the great service.
Im sorting emails as our flight is delayed, a good opportunity to say thank you for such a positive service experience under difficult conditions. Even though the emergency weather event stopped us doing the Routeburn track this time we had a great time day walking in NZ and were so impressed by your service response all round, thanks.

Best regards, Jacqui 6 Apr 2019

Hey guys,
I just want to send you both a huge THANK YOU for a hasslefree professional TrackHopper experience. You've both been friendly, helpful and knowledgeable throughout our dealings, and working in retail, I know how hard service can be to get right but man, you guys are killing it on every level.

If I ever need a car transfer in this area again, I won't be using anyone else!

3 Apr 2019

I wish to thank you and Kyomi for the magnificent service you provided recently in taking the car of my friends and I from the Routeburn Shelter around to the Divide. We found everything to be as you said it would be, locating your house and thence the lockbox, applying the lockbox with the car keys etc to our vehicle, and then finding our car with the attached lockbox several days later at the Divide. My friends and I are unanimous in that we will have no hesitation in recommending your service to any others that we become aware of as intending trampers of the Routeburn Track. Once again, our grateful thanks to you both.

Cheers from Darcy 9/May 2019

Thank you very much for your understanding and flexible cancellation policy.

We'll be sure to recommend you to anyone we know doing the Routeburn! Since booking we've had friends say how amazing you were when they used your service.

Thanks again. Cheers,
Hilary, 18 Mar 2019

Thanks very much for relocating our car recently while we walked the Routeburn.

Your systems are streamlined and efficient; communication prompt and helpful; and interactions friendly and pleasant.

We would definitely recommend your business to others.

Thank you
Kind regards,
Judy 5 Mar 2019

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