This is without a doubt “THE” trek to do in Mount Aspiring National Park. Once the grassy flats of the Wilkin valley are left behind there are no more huts. The unspoilt mountain valleys, alpine meadows, huge waterfalls and awesome campsites provide you with an unforgettable experience.

You definitely don’t want to forget your camera on this trip. Having said that the memories will be enough!

New Zealand is a truly unique country. Due to its geographic isolation many plants and animals have evolved which exist no where else on earth. The only way to appreciate this biodiversity and get a sense of how glaciation shaped the southern alps is to walk through the densely forested valleys, relax by the crystal clear rivers and endure the trek up to a high alpine pass.

Maori walked through what is now Mount Aspiring National Park in search of pounamu (greenstone). They discovered routes through the southern alps which would take them from the west coast into the interior. Towards the end of the 19th century the European settlers came “exploring”. They were looking for pastoral land, mineral deposits (mostly GOLD) and also routes through to the West coast. We now follow in the footsteps of Maori and the Pakeha surveyors as we trek through this stunning mountain wilderness.

Itinerary

Day  one	Weather permitting we fly into the upper Wilkin valley and head to Top Forks Hut (2 hours walking). From this great location we can explore the valleys and lakes nestled beneath the interestingly named peaks! In poor weather we can Jet boat some of the way
Day two	Heading up the south branch of the Wilkin the track leads through the beech forest then through alpine scrub until Waterfall flat is reached. It’s steady going across the tussock and snowgrass towards the infamous Waterfall face (3 hours walking). This apparent dead end does however have a track taking the line of least resistance! The key to this section of the walk is to take plenty of time and a little care (2 hours crossing). Once above this section an easy valley (1-2 hours walking) leads past Pearson saddle towards Rabbit Pass where we will camp for the night. It’s a pretty cool place to camp. Perfect weather is necessary for this crossing.
Day three	The view from Rabbit Pass down into the East Matukituki valley is breathtaking. Passing above a large waterfall we head along a terrace and gain a little more height before we can descend to the East Matukituki valley. An exhilarating descent down a short rocky gully leads to a tussock covered terrace. A steady descent leads to the upper forks of the East Matukituki. Once we have negotiated the rivers the valley floor is reached and pleasant walking leads down the valley. There’s no formed track here so we follow the river down to Ruth Flat where we will spend the night. (6-8 hours walking for the day)
Day four	At the end of Ruth flat a track leads us up through the beech forest and out onto the tussock covered slopes. Why the ascent? Well the constant rumble of white water from Bledisloe gorge is the answer! However the views from above the tree line more than make up for the hard work. It is possible to look up towards the Kitchener cirque, The Pope’s Nose and even a small glimpse of Mt Aspiring. We descend towards Junction flat where a welcome rest and swim in the rock pools can be had before the final walk through beech forest and pleasant pastoral land and the junction of the East and West Matukituki valleys are reached (4-6 hours walking for the day).

Logistics