Milford Sound Travel Forum

When is the best time to visit both the Milford Track AND the Great Barrier Reef? We are planning to spend about three weeks each in Australia and New Zealand in the February to May time period. We want to snorkel/dive in the Reef and hike the Track.

Hey there - I cannot answer your question specifically, but just a little note - do make sure you book a spot on the Milford Trek as soon as possible. I went to do it spur of the moment, and people had booked months and months in advance. There are only so many they will allow at one time as the sleeping huts can only hold so many.

However, if Milford is full, I did the mountain hike called Routeburn I think? It was absolutely spectacular, so if Milford fills up, don't hesitate to do Routeburn as a failsafe.

Best time? I think it rains in that part of NZ constantly. I did the hike with 2 days of food and shorts and tshirts, and the locals thought I was a complete idiot to have not brought rain gear. Luckily I had sun for 3 days, but it sounds like you want to pack for rain-rain-rain.

Enjoy!

Yeah the reason locals think you are crazy for not having more gear is we constantly have severe weather conditions suddenly even in the summer and it's so often foreigners who get caught out and suffer hypothermia and need rescuing. It's not uncommon either, for more serious consequences.
Anyway you can do just day visits to the Milford Track as well, where you walk in either end and just spend a few hours on the track. Of course you don't get to see the best parts. As well as already mentioned Routeburn, there is the Kepler Track too, if Milford is booked. But these tracks can get booked up too.
We Kiwis book these tracks in the May of the previous year, when bookings open.
One consideration is to visit NZ in the earlier part and to visit Australia in the latter part as the temps should be better in both places then. Australia can be very hot in Feb. NZ can be getting colder in May. Having said that our May this year was relatively warm but that was not normal.

The reef would be best done in May. Are you doing this from Cairns?
If so, in May it is just coming out of the wet season. Some years it's still overcast etc, like this year! Others you can get perfect weather....just the luck of the weather gods really.
How long would you be spending in this area?

Don't panic about booking accommodation here as in May there will be heaps available, from backpackers to self contained units.

If you need any other info, please don't hesitate to contact me.