Trails › New Zealand › Otago › West Wanaka Mountains
Wilkin Valley - East Matukituki Traverse
Next nearby hike: Wilkin Valley tracks 8 mi · 12 kmExplore West Wanaka Mountains →
Wilkin Valley - East Matukituki Traverse other trails nearby (tap a dot to open it)
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NZ Department of Conservation (CC BY 4.0) · OpenStreetMap · Official page · Basemap: OpenFreeMap (OpenMapTiles, © OSM contributors).
7-day forecast
Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)Best time to hike
Best months: Feb · highs 16–16 °C (61–61 °F)
- J16°8°274
- F16°8°191
- M14°6°276
- A11°3°226
- M6°0°262
- J2°-4°292
- J1°-4°224
- A3°-3°253
- S5°-1°272
- O8°1°298
- N12°3°241
- D14°6°334
Average high °C · low °C · precipitation mm per month. Highlighted: best months.
How we pick months
Best months are those where the 1981–2010 average daily high is 10–27 °C (50–81 °F), the average overnight low is 0 °C (32 °F) or warmer, and average precipitation is 200 mm (7.9 in) or less. Values are long-term monthly averages for the ~1 km cell at the trail point on the map, from CHELSA V2.1 climatologies (Karger et al., CC0), not a forecast. Higher or more exposed parts of a route can be colder, wetter or snowier.
About this trail
This route crosses Rabbit Pass to connect with the East branch of the Matukituki River. It is suitable for experienced alpine trampers. Only attempt in good conditions – even then extreme care is required.
NZ Department of Conservation (CC BY 4.0).
Trail facts
- Length
- 27 km · 17 mi (DOC route geometry)
- Source
- NZ Department of Conservation (CC BY 4.0)
- Difficulty
- Very hard (9/10) (Expert · NZ Department of Conservation difficulty (CC BY 4.0))
- Typical time (DOC)
- 7 - 10 hr
- Official page
- doc.govt.nz/link/276d1bde9a044ff99e09c1207ae
- Mountain range
- West Wanaka Mountains (Main Divide of The Southern Alps › Southern Alps; GMBA)
- Nearest town
- 41 km NW of Lake Hawea (Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago) · GeoNames
- Park or forest
- Mount Aspiring National Park
- Connects to
- East Matukituki Valley tracks, Wilkin Valley tracks (at its start or end)
- Best months
- Feb
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Otago
- Continent
- Oceania
- Route centre
- -44.3826, 168.8559
How it’s scored
Very hard (9/10). Official rating: Expert · NZ Department of Conservation difficulty (CC BY 4.0).
A score is omitted when we do not have an official rating or enough measured length and elevation gain to compute one. Nothing is guessed. Read the NPS method: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/how-to-determine-hiking-difficulty.htm
Hikers can rate difficulty from 1 to 10 (1 = flat, short, easy walk for anyone; 3 = gentle hills, a little effort; 5 = moderate climbs, some fitness needed; 7 = steep or long, solid fitness required; 10 = extremely strenuous or technical; long steep climbing; experienced hikers only). The community average is shown once at least 3 people have rated the trail; until then the official or computed score is used when we have one.
More trails in the West Wanaka Mountains
All 3 →Nearest trails
distance from the trail centreWilkin Valley tracks
8 mi · 12 km · Mount Aspiring National Park
East Matukituki Valley tracks
8 mi · 13 km · Otago
Rob Roy Track
10 mi · 16 km · Otago
Rob Roy Glacier Lookout
11 mi · 17 km · Otago
Liverpool Track
11 mi · 17 km · Mount Aspiring National Park
West Matukituki Track
11 mi · 17 km · Mount Aspiring National Park