Early Names for Lake Hauroko
There were different spellings on early maps & books for this Lake. In 1852 European explorer W. Mantell named this Lake as Hauroka. In 1861 surveyor J. McKerrow named this Lake on his maps Howloko. Northern Maori influences lead to early references to the Lake as Hau-roto, which means “windy lake”. But local Maori maintained that the name of the Lake should be Hauroko which has become the official name. An interpretation for this name is “the listening wind”. It is often thought to mean “the sound of the wind” but the true Maori name for this meaning is Hau-rongo.
LAKE HAUROKO TOURS HAVE BEEN OPERATING COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT TO THE DUSKY TRACK & TOURS ON LAKE HAUROKO SINCE 1980.
We are keen to share with you our vast knowledge & experience of the Southwest corner of New Zealand.
TRIPS & TRAMPS DUSKY TRACK TRANSPORT
Dusky Track: The Details!
24 May 2024
The Dusky Track offers experienced hikers a true New Zealand tramping experience with lush forest, wild rivers, epic mountain passes and unrivaled scenery. The Dusky Track is a challenging but rewarding 84+ km tramping track through Fiordland National Park. It takes eight to ten days to complete and links stunning Lake Hauroko with Lake Manapouri. It also offers a two day optional detour to Supper Cove in Dusky Sound.
Note: There are 21 three-wire bridges on this track, and you can expect to encounter tree falls, deep mud for long stretches, river crossings, and hand-over-foot climbing with chains. Flooding of parts of the track is not unusual and can cause delays for several days, as can snow. This is not for inexperienced hikers (and shouldn’t be attempted as your first hike in NZ) and the best strategy is to take time out to enjoy the track doing one hut a day!
Drying tramping gear at Supper Cove Hut, Fiordland. Credit: Béatrice Fierens Gevaert
Keep Safe
The Dusky Track is only recommended for experienced, well equipped groups with high fitness levels.
Plan properly for your trip and ensure your party has a capable, experienced leader.
- We recommend you hike with another person. There are several places the track is hard to find and getting lost is a real possibility.
- Please ensure you carry a Personal Locator Beacon or a satellite communication device, and topographical maps and compass for navigation. Do not rely on cell phones for navigation or communication as there is no coverage or power for charging.
- Topo50 series maps covering the Dusky Track are: CE05 Cooper Island, CE06 Lake Roe and CD06 Deep Cove.
- Take enough food, clothing and equipment, portable stoves and fuel. Allow extra food and time for possible delays. Carry some sort of shelter in case you get caught out or the huts are full (which happens over summer).
- Take care with river crossings. Sections of the Dusky Track flood easily. If in doubt, sit it out. Common flood areas are just before Loch Maree when coming down from Lake Roe (an emergency shelter exists on track from Lake Roe), between Loch Maree and Gair Loch and along the route to Supper Cove. However it is possible to get flooded at any point given the number of streams and tributaries.
- Check at the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre for conditions before you go.
- The huts all have fireplaces but not necessarily dry wood or functioning saw/axe. Getting a fire going autumn-spring may be quite difficult.
- It is generally safe to drink from the streams, rivers and hut water supplies.
Before you go into the outdoors, tell someone your plans and leave a date to raise the alarm if you haven’t returned. To do this, use the New Zealand Outdoors Intentions process on the AdventureSmart website. It is endorsed by New Zealand’s search and rescue agencies and provides three simple options to tell someone you trust the details about your trip.
Yet another wire bridge on the Dusky Track, Fiordland. Credit: Béatrice Fierens Gevaert
2025/26 Summer Season Details
Schedule
Scheduled departures available in summer every Thursday from 6 November 2025 to 9 April 2026 (excluding 25 December, Christmas Day, and 1 January, New Years Day). Additional departures are available in peak season; Sun 21 Dec, Wed 24 Dec, Sun 28 Dec and Wed 31 Dec, and Mon 5 Jan.
This service can be run on alternative days for a minimum of 5 people (or equivalent charge), subject to availability, please enquire.
6:50 am Pick up Te Anau Accommodation
7:10 am View Street Car Park Manapouri
8:00 am Arrive Clifden Corner to connect with Lake Hauroko Tours
10:30 am Hauroko Burn Hut, start of the southern end of Dusky Track
Return from West Arm is with RealNZ and available every day, we give you an open-dated ticket so you just turn up and check in at the West Arm Visitor Centre or onboard the boat. Departures daily at 11.00 am, or 4.15 pm Boat West Arm to Manapouri (there may be other departures available on the day). If you need transport from Manapouri back to Te Anau you will need to contact us when you are leaving West Arm (either by cell phone or by speaking with the boat staff who can contact us). We will either collect you or use the RealNZ bus to transport you back to Te Anau.
BOOK HERE
Costs
Package Cost: NZD$390 per person.
Tramper’s package includes return transport from Manapouri or Te Anau, water taxi on Lake Hauroko to Dusky Track start plus RealNZ ferry West Arm to Manapouri and return to Te Anau by road (if required).
This service can be run on alternative days for a minimum charge equivalent to 5 people (approx $1950), please enquire.
Personal Locator Beacon essential equipment
Please carry a PLB, it can save your life. Beacons can be hired at www.locatorbeacons.co.nz.
Travel across Lake Hauroko on the water taxi Miro, Fiordland National Park
Tramper Report
November 2025 – Mark Nicholls (participating in FMC Love our Huts) – Tramper report
TRACK NOTES
- The 3 wire Bridge at Bishop Burn – A tree has come down on the bridge and it is unstable and out of use(photo below). We crossed the stream just down stream for the wire, I wouldn’t advise it as it was one of the deeper river crossings I’ve done.*** See DOC response below
- Treefall/ windfall, pretty much along the whole track but here are the big ones:
- Around the 700m Elevation heading up to Lake Roe
- From around the 300m to 100m elevation marks on the decent off the Pleasant Range to Loch Maree
- From Bishop Burn 3 wire bridge to where the track reaches the Seaforth river – Really bad, involve climbing over at heights in excess of 1-2m, hard to navigate/ find the track.
- About 1km from Loch Maree Hut to Kintail – not so hard to get around but in a risky place (people liable to slip)
The rest was relatively easy to navigate around/ over (by my reckoning).
- There was a landslide about halfway from Halfway hut to the first 3 wire Bridge- apparently wasn’t there last year.
OTHER NOTES
Didymo along the track, encountered it every day, mainly in Bogs and puddles, did not see it in rivers/ streams outside the stream coming off Rebecca Falls (was not extensive but there).
Rubbish – I believe I was carrying about 4km of Rubbish by the end, some was expected but it looked like some Trampers were hiding the Rubbish (i.e. the Walking poles were a prime example) in the back of cupboards, really disappointing !
Bishop burn bridge damage November 2025
FROM D.O.C 26 NOVEMBER 2025
We have managed to sort out the Loch Maree 3-wire, it is now fine to cross.
The Bishop Burn however has suffered major damage, I have visited the site with a DOC engineer, cleared the treefall off the bridge but it has many broken hangers and snapped cables. It will be out of action for at least 3 weeks.*Author Note – This suggests it may be fixed by Christmas time 2025*
There is an “OK” crossing about 250-300m downstream where the topo lines flatten out, however during or immediately after heavy rain I suspect this crossing may also be dubious.
VIDEO
Jack and Phil did the Dusky Track in November 2023, and have shared their experience. It is good watch to see what you may be in for!
Departures (Pick ups from Hauroko Burn by arrangement) in summer
Monday & Thursday Peak season scheduled drop offs:
15 Dec 2025 through to 5 January 2025.5th Dec
Booking dates over Christmas New Years
Sun 21st Dec
Wed 24th Dec
Sun 28th Dec
Wed 31 Dec
Operates every Thursday (and Monday in peak season) – Bookings essential.
Pickup:
6:50am from your Te Anau Accommodation or 7:10am from View Street Carpark in Manapouri.
Transport:
You will be transported over land to Clifden corner to connect with Lake Hauroko Tours where we will take you across the lake on our vessel Miro.
Estimated Arrival:
Dusky Track (South End) at Lake Hauroko Burn around 10am
Vessel Charter
We also offer a vessel charter for Dusky Track drop off / pick up. Lake Hauroko leg/ boat only
1- 5 Passengers: $995
6 or more Passengers: $199 per person
How to Book
For Monday & Thursday transport to the Dusky Track from Te Anau and Manapouri please book through Trip & Tramps.
For transport on days other than Mondays & Thursdays submit a Booking Request and we’ll get you sorted.
ULTIMATE ADVENTURE
THE BIG THREE!
For large Groups of 20 or more. A snapshot of our awesome adventures.
Jet boat the wild Wairaurahiri River. Cruise the mysterious Lake Hauroko. Scenic Helicopter flight.
Includes complimentary nibbles and lunch.
Adult: $349 | Child: $349
HALF DAY TOUR
Departing Lake Hauroko boat ramp, you drive through lush river flat farmland into the Lilburn Valley. Forest plantations, beef and deer farms and dense native forest bring us to the shores of Lake Hauroko .
Board the vessel ‘Miro' and cruise the mysterious Lake Hauroko, to Hauroko Burn. Lake Hauroko is nestled deep in the wilderness of Southwest Fiordland. Lake Hauroko is steeped in early Maori History & Legend and its remoteness will take you back to the unspoiled beginnings of New Zealand .
Along the way several stops are made to admire the magnificent scenery of this unique region.
HALF DAY TOUR
Minimum 4 People
What to bring:
Good, warm clothing, Gloves, hat, wet weather gear, Camera, insect repellent.
We provide:
Lifejackets, all safety and survival gear
Adult: $200 | Child: $200
OTHER OPTIONS
Interested in arranging other trips or charters?
Lake Hauroko Tours is extremely flexible and no doubt we can accommodate your needs in Southern Fiordland.
Everything from helicopter, jet boat and launch charters to hunting adventures.
We can also arrange charter fishing trips into Dusky Sound by boat and helicopter with the option of staying in Dusky Sound.
Deed of Recognition for Lake Hauroko
The Lady of Hauroro
There are a number of Maori burial sites (“Urupa”) in the Hauroko area and it is therefore considered sacred (“tapu”). The government formally recognised this speacial spiritual regard with “The Deed of Recognition For Lake Hauroko, Southland” with the Ngai Tahu. Both parties agreed that the area be administered by the Department of Conservation and that Ngai Tahu be consulted for their views which must in turn be taken into account for the management and administration in particular regarding:
- identification and protection of native plants
- visitor activities
- identification and protection of wildlife
- concessions
- eradication of pests
Oh Lady from the mists of time,
Who watched in silent celestial grace
The changing centuries, and the lure of space.
Set to rest with love and infinite care,
What warrior of old loved, lost and placed her there?
Misty mountains and moody lake
Guarded her secrets and her fate.
From her sacred cave in silent reverence
She gazes across an expanse of lake.
Ageless, defiant, symbolic of her proud race,
Lost for an eternity in the mists of time and space.
Testimonials
Thank you for the Dusky package
Very much Value plus especially the boat trip up lake Hauroko with Johan. A real character.
I called at the Caswell street depot to say thanks but no one around.
Pete and I went through in 7 days, extra day at loch maree hut due to torrential rain so excluded the side trip to Supper Cove as we were under a time frame for flights.
The decent down to loch maree is probably the hardest very steep, There was extensive windfall on the track up to Kintail hut. DOC had cleared the track down from centre pass but the last day out from upper Spey hut was slow due to more windfall. Doc said 4hrs we took 5.2hrs otherwise we were within DOC times.
Recommend long gaiters a hiking pole to test bog depth small water bottle as there is lots of water on track and fire starters as the cut logs were very green and wet.
Thanks again for you patience as our trip numbers went from 7 to 2😀 resulting in major rearranging and I have no hesitation in referring your company for anyone doing the Dusky.
Cheers John
Dusky Track Transport
The track seemed in pretty good condition overall to be honest. There were a few spots with some tree fall that had to be walked around but that is to be expected, none were really bad and each posed only a short delay to navigate.
From memory the first two days and the final day had the most (maybe 10 on each section between Hauroko Hut and Halfway Hut and day two to Lake Roe Hut). There were also a few on the other sections, but certainly not common. The track certainly wasn’t overgrown with vegetation but also obviously isn’t maintained to the same standard as a more heavily used track close to a road end. Its condition/maintenance is about what we expected. Track marking was good. You had to keep an eye on the direction they led you as markers were well spaced without seeing multiple from any one spot. To be honest it was nice to have to keep your wits about you to pick up the track.
Lake Hauroko Tour – Thanks Guys!
Thanks guys,
We had a great time and the weather was actually alright for us most days. We were generally right on time with the recommended DOC times, but on the last day from Upper Spey Hut to the road end it took us 7.5 hours total, including lunch break, around 6 hours of walking due to significant tree fall. This is signposted at 4.5 hours. Hopefully DOC will fix this soon, they seem aware of it from the intentions book entries.
Cheers,
Florian, Andy and Jasper.