The country's newest Great Walk has already achieved international status, with locals saying it is already a boon to sleepy towns.
AllTrails, a digital trail guide for outdoor explorers, has named the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track in its top 25 trails for the year.
It is the first summer since the Hump Ridge Track was officially opened as a Great Walk, and Sonia Powazuk from Slinky's Sourdough in Tuatapere has been busy baking.
"It's been really, really busy, much busier than this time last year. I'm providing bread for the actual Hump Ridge Track that they fly up by helicopter to their lodge," she said.
"But there's people that come off that walk that last afternoon when they get back... and they come into the cafe and they buy so much bread. They are so hungry."
Her traditional Ukrainian sourdough, sweet treats and focaccia were in demand.
She was expecting visitor numbers to only increase now it was gaining more recognition.
"It's only been a few months. I know people have been walking the track for a while, but it has been amazing for Tuatapere, which is a sleepy little town.
"Some people say it's on the way to nowhere - it's on the way to Fiordland. But it has brought people to the town. They come back off that walk and they are absolutely buzzing."
Wairaurahiri Jet has been operating for roughly 20 years and is an optional extra on the walk.
Co-owner Johan Groters said the track's reputation began to grow when it was named a Great Walk.
It is run a charitable trust, which he has been a part of for more than a decade, and he said the early years were not easy.
"It was very difficult to even be solvent," he said.
"The earlier lot of trustees before my time and then when I was there, there were lots and lots of sleepless nights and a huge amount of volunteer work."
It gradually moved out of debt, and now it was an asset to the region, with the AllTrails recognition set to raise its profile even more.
"So instead of being a burden on the community by wanting funding, we're going to be in a position in a year or two of turning it around the other way."
He expected the charitable trust would be looking to give back to the community and said there was already work underway to boost predator control in the area.
The three day loop traverses subalpine tops, winding around rugged coastline and over historic viaducts in southern Fiordland.
Track general manager Cedric Wedderburn said they generally limited it to about 4500 walkers a year.
"Every time there's an announcement of sorts... whether it be radio or through magazines or whatever, we get a bit of a surge because there are still people out there that don't know about it," he said.
They could increase numbers, but they did not like to run at full capacity, preferring more gradual growth to limit noise, pressure on their infrastructure, and to maintain the visitor experience, he said.
The majority of walkers were usually New Zealanders, with about a quarter Australian and a small portion from further abroad, Wedderburn said.
But that was changing.
"So we've now this season seen a lot more international tourists coming on the track and that's encouraging for us because that reassures of long term sustainability which is what we wanted," he said.
With long days and changeable weather, the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track is not for the faint hearted. But those who tackle it will be rewarded with stunning views.
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