Inland Pack Track

The National Park is a wilderness area. That means there is no access via helicopter or car, there are no bridges or huts, just nature.
The Track follows a river for about 1.5h. The first crossing is the hardest. Carrying the backpack over your head. The water was up to the hips. *brrr* chilly. The next 3 hours is mostly a muddy path. But the forest is awesome. Untouched and full of bird life. Shortly after lunch, the track disappears into the riverbed. Now you follow the river and crossing it from bank to bank, crawling under dead trees. Your shoes are heavy like a stone and soaking wet. But who cares when you've got this wilderness ;-) As I started to late that morning, I didn't make it to the Ballroom Overhang. The official night camp of the track. So I sleep at the Dilemma Creek Junction.
The second day is like the last hours of the first day. Walking the river in a huge gorge and steep limestone cliffs. More River crossings and some times a dry path trough the forest. 45 minutes before you end the track at the Highway you can explore a nice cave on a side track. It is worth a detour. The cave is narrow. The beautiful small 'tunnel' is just with a torch a nice experience for about 200 meters. This cave is since more than 100 years on of the highlights next to the Pancake Rocks.
Over all a remarkable track. Before the hike you should visit the Visitor Center in Punakaiki. The rivers along the West Coast can rise very quickly. So alway check the forcast and current riverlevels!