How popular/busy is the Hollyford?

[Rob A]

Thinking about doing something different.
In and out might make it a bit long for some but I see the guideds use it for the Awks, and the fly into Martins tramp out option maybe make it a bit on the busy side?

[wayno]

if you do a guided trip you're staying in private huts and are guaranteeed a bunk, as for the doc huts, in spring/summer the huts are over flowing with people from what i've been told..... at the southern end of the island a lot of people turn up to do the great walks and find they are booked out so they revert to other nearby tracks that don't require booking the hollyford has one of the better reputations so it suffers for no of people more than most....., will get worse next summer as the rees dart is going onto a booking system making one less track that will take the overflow.....

[Rob A]

Do people nine day walk in and out, or for most is there now an easy in/out at Martins end?
Some of the guideds seem to take a lake boat over part of the walk to save time as well.
Does it quieten off at any time of the year?

There are other stroll to the beach kiwi options. Sounds like Hollyford might go into the 'oh well' file.

[wayno]

you can fly in or out from the martins bay end, there is a jetboat that goes from milford sound but can seldom operate.
if you fly i'ts about $500 from milford sound, you are basically booking the whole plane, check with the operators if theres is a space on an existing flight so you can share the cost with others.
it's preferable to fly in, if the weather is bad the planes can't fly, and if you're flying out you could be waiting for days for the weather to clear....