Hiking in New Zealand
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Earnslaw Burn is the exact answer to the question, “Which place would you revisit in New Zealand if you had just one trip left in the chamber?”
This is, without a doubt, one of the most incredible, remote, and pristine places that struck my vision like lightning during my travels in the land of the Kiwis.
This isn’t a simple or quick hike. Unlike other trails, this one only starts to make sense towards the bitter end—you have to earn it. But what you find at the finish line makes you immediately forget the “price” you paid to get there.
| Where | Glenorchy Area, Otago, South Island – NZ |
| Difficulty | Challenging |
| Average Times | 6/8 hours one way (4/6 hours just for the bush section) |
| Total Ascent | 1250m return |
| Distance | 13.5 km total (8.8 km in the bush) |
| Max Elevation | 999 m a.s.l. (max elevation near the glacier) |
| Start Point | Earnslaw Burn Track Parking off Lovers Leap Road |
| How to get there | From Queenstown, drive about 45 minutes on sealed road to Glenorchy. From Glenorchy, head towards Paradise and shortly after Diamond Lake, turn right onto Lovers Leap Road (gravel road). Drive for about 1.5 km and you’ll find the parking for Earnslaw Burn Track. The trail kicks off from here. |
| Water | Available. Sourced from the Earnslaw Burn river and from streams and waterfalls crossing the track. Filtering or boiling is strongly recommended. |
| Services | None. Camping is permitted in the area adjacent to the river just as you break the treeline, before the upper valley. |
| Recommended Season | December – March |
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Info & Highlights
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Dove:
Area di Glenorchy, Otago, Isola del sud – NZ
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Difficoltà:
Challenging
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TEMPI MEDI:
6/8 ore solo andata (4/6 ore solo bosco)
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Punto di partenza
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PehZULENP7q21kCG7 da Lovers Leap Road
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COME ARRIVARE:
Da Queenstown, guida circa 45 minuti su strada asfaltata fino a Glenorchy. Da Glenorchy, prosegui in direzione Paradise e poco dopo Diamond Lake svolta a destra su Lovers Leap Road, strada sterrata. Prosegui per circa 1,5 km e troverai il parcheggio per Earnslaw Burn Track. Da qui parte il sentiero.
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ACQUA:
Disponibile. Reperibile dal fiume Earnslaw Burn e da torrenti e cascate che attraversano il sentiero. Filtro o bollitura fortemente consigliati.
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SERVIZI:
No, camping consentito nell’area adiacente al fiume appena usciti dalla linea degli alberi prima dell’alta valle.
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Periodo consigliato:
Dicembre – Marzo
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Dislivello positivo totale:
1250m
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DISTANZA: 13,5 km totali (8,8 km bosco)
13,5 km totali (8,8 km bosco) solo andata
LET’S START
After ditching the car in the small parking lot, you’ll spot the trail starting from a rural gate that closes off the paddock near a wooden sign. Use the stile next to the gate to hop over without disturbing the livestock, and push on, following the path that gently climbs through the fields until you hit the tree line.
From here, the trail gets technical and spills into several kilometers of ups and downs inside the real forest—”wild” in the rawest sense: terrain that is never trivial, roots, mud, fallen logs, streams, and a track that vanishes every now and then between the orange markers on the trees. You’ll understand immediately that this isn’t a “walkway” for selfie-tourists, but a rough, living track.
You will genuinely feel on the edge, far from everything.
In short: no comfort, no giant billboards, no fast lane—just you, a dirty trail (as you will be by the end of the day), and the feeling of truly setting off on an “old school” adventure.
You need to pay attention; it’s often easy to lose the track, especially after rainy days that can trigger small slips and alter the lay of the land. There are some steep sections on scree/gravel that you need to tackle with caution so you don’t slide out.
You can push on directly toward the slopes of Mount Earnslaw/Pikirakatahi and pitch your tent on the return, or set it up immediately, rest a bit, and then head with more calm toward the real reason you are here.
Back to us… Unless you are a seasoned trail runner, staying overnight or starting very early are the best ways to enjoy this magical place.
It is possible to do it all in one day, but the effort is truly significant and the timing very tight, especially if you’re hauling heavy gear.
By staying overnight, you’ll have the chance to spend several hours at the top, savouring all the different colours that wash over the glacier, valleys, and waterfalls from sunrise to sunset, and (why not) living through one of the most indelible starry nights of your life.
From here on, the route continues mostly flat with gentle undulations on soft, lush ground that, once you round the corner, opens up onto the high valley in front of you and…
“Welcome to Earnslaw Burn”!
I have never found any photo of this place, least of all mine, capable of truly showing the sensation of vastness, purity, and imposing scale of this valley, where the glacier lights up in the sun and an avalanche of waterfalls, large and small, give life to the meandering river that accompanies you to the skirts of the mountain.
It is possible to reach this hidden pearl by hiking the trail I described, or via some companies that offer “heels and ties” experiences rather than “boots and sweat,” landing with helicopters in the valley. Fortunately, the day I decided to hike it, no helicopter changed the atmosphere of that place. In fact, I believe there were no more than 7 of us in the entire valley from 5 PM onwards.
The most significant encounter I had was a long exchange of gazes with a deer, far from frightened by my presence.
Magnificent.
The image best preserved in my memories of this experience is the last kilometers in the high valley when, at every step, my jaw dropped, leaving me mouth wide open like a fish, stunned by amazement, asking myself, “Where the f*** am I?”
Safety and Tips
I hiked this trail on a hot, clear day in late February, and I recommend doing it in clear sky conditions, checking for any updates on track status on the official DOC website. The avalanche risk, especially in the off-season, is significant. It is important to carry food, warm layers, tell someone your intentions, and be prepared to find yourself alone, far from any kind of comfort.
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