New Zealand: Milford Track

Spanning more than 33 miles through the northern section of Fiordland National Park on New Zealand's South Island, the Milford Track is a rugged trail that winds through breathtaking fiords, rivers, mountains, coastlines and rain forests. The route is popular with tourists, who can walk the trail individually or in groups with a guide. The World Wide Web offers resources on both hiking options, as well as information on the necessary gear and the wide variety of sites that vacationing adventurers will encounter while taking in all the beauty of the New Zealand frontier.

"Freedom Walkers," or those on unguided trips over the Milford Track, must make reservations months ahead of their treks in order to stay in the country's Department of Conservation huts. They must also pack and carry all their own gear. Many tourists choose to take the Milford Track Guided Walk, in which skilled guides lead hikers through the awe-inspiring wilderness. The group stops to take afternoon tea breaks at huts scattered along the trail. At night, showering facilities, meals and beds are provided at various lodges located throughout the park.

Throughout the journey, hikers will no doubt marvel at such spectacles of nature as the Mist Forest, Mount Hart and Mount Balloon. They will also have the thrill of passing over the Clinton River on a suspension bridge and negotiating the fury of the Morraine Creek crossing to see Sutherland Falls, the fifth highest waterfall in the world. To learn more about individual and guided hikes on the Milford Track through New Zealand's Fiordland National Park, go to the web sites listed below.