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U.S.FTC GUIDELINES PLEASE NOTE: we act as an affiliate for several companies that feature on our website. In some cases we may earn a commission from referrals to those companies. For further information please refer to our Privacy and Disclaimer policies which can be found in the "US" tab.
a milford Sound cruise - our Number 1 attraction
A Milford Sound cruise is perhaps the most popular attraction in New Zealand, and is the ideal way to experience the wonders of Milford for yourself.
Milford Sound is located in Fiordland National Park, part of the Te Wahipounamu UNESCO World Heritage area, and is a pristine wilderness area of immense natural beauty.
Famed English author Rudyard Kipling (the Jungle Book) described Milford Sound as the "Eighth Wonder of the World" after a visit in the 1890's.
Here, ancient forests line the shore. Towering peaks, capped with snow in the cooler months, disappear into the mist, while hundreds of waterfalls cascade into the deep dark waters of the Sound. In the water, dolphins, seals and penguins frolic and thrive in this perfect marine environment.
This, is a truly special place.
Find your Milford Sound cruise, flight or tour
You can see Milford Sound by air, by kayak, or the most popular way, on a cruise. Some package tours feature all of these!
You can search a wide range of cruises, tours, and flights using the search box below. It will show you information on the full range of available options including cruise only from Milford Sound, tour packages from Queenstown, Te Anau and Wanaka, and flights from several locations.
But there's lots more helpful information about Milford Sound further down the page, so please read on.
Milford Sound essential information
If you've never been to Milford Sound before, you will have lots of questions, so here's the essential information to help you choose the Milford Sound cruise that suits you best. Just click on the links to move around the page. You can return by clicking your browsers back arrow.
getting to milford sound
Milford sound is located on the South West coast of New Zealand's South Island (see map).
To access your Milford Sound cruise you will need to get to the Milford Sound Visitor Terminal. Most cruise companies have tour desks here, and the cruise boats leave from the adjoining berths. The terminal is open during daylight hours only, and closes when the last cruise returns, which is usually around 4pm.
Getting here by road
Visitors to Milford Sound usually drive from either Queenstown, or Te Anau. The 288 kilometre drive from Queenstown takes 4 to 4.5 hours one way. From Te Anau, the 121 kilometre drive to Milford Sound takes around 2 hours, and is regarded as one of the most spectacular drives in the world.
If you are planning on driving to Milford Sound yourself, we strongly recommend an overnight stay in Te Anau or Manapouri. If you decide to drive from Queenstown, then return to Queenstown after your cruise, you face around 9 - 10 hours of driving plus the length of your cruise (1.5 - 2.5 hours), so you are looking at a 12 or 13 hour day, driving on unfamiliar roads. You will also miss out on the expert commentary provided on organised coach trips.
It's not possible to drive a rental car to Milford Sound and then fly back to Queenstown as there are no rental car facilities at Milford Sound.
Important tip about fuel - there are no fuel stations between Te Anau and Milford Sound, so please fill your tank at Te Anau. Remember, you will need enough fuel to at least cover the four hour return drive Te Anau/Milford/Te Anau, and more if you are returning to Queenstown.
Arriving by air
The airstrip at Milford Sound is located 20-30 minutes walk from the visitor terminal.
Flights (and cruises) can be booked from Queenstown, Wanaka and Te Anau.
Please be aware though, that weather conditions here change frequently and often without notice, meaning that flight cancellations are a common occurrence.
Scenic flights (that do not land at Milford Sound) are also available.
Milford Road highlights
If you are driving to Milford Sound, the drive there, particularly the section from Te Anau to Milford Sound, is one that you will remember forever.
Organised coach tours will stop at some of the highlights along the way, but if you drive yourself, allow extra time to stop at some of these gems.
Mirror Lakes
Homer Tunnel
This is a highlight of the Milford Road trip. The Mirror Lakes are in the Eglington Valley and are well known for the way that they reflect the stunning scenery.
Follow the signs from the roadside carpark, then it's a 400 metre stroll through native forest along a boardwalk.
The Homer Tunnel cuts through the Darran mountains and leads into the Cleddau Valley. It was opened in 1954 after a 19 year construction period.
The views as you exit on the Milford Sound side any like someting out of Jurassic Park.
Monkey Creek
The Chasm
This beautiful spot is a favourite with coach drivers, so hopefully yours will stop here for you.
Located in the Hollyford Valley, the water here comes from a spring fed by a glacier, and the water is pure and icy cold. If you have a drink bottle with you, do yourself a favour, and fill it up.
The carpark here is also a favourite with the cheeky Kea, so hopefully they will pay you a visit.
Just after the Homer Tunnel, a series of small waterfalls roar through a rocky gorge known as the Chasm.
It's an impressive display, particularly in wet weather, when the water volume increases.
From the roadside carpark, the Chasm is around 400 metres walk along a well maintained track.
Be careful to stay on the trail and use the safety railings.
Cleddau Valley
Eglington Valley
As you exit the Homer Tunnel into the Cleddau Valley, you are confronted by one of the most stunning vistas in New Zealand (and that's saying something). The highway descends through a series of hairpin bends, overlooked by towering granite cliffs.
This really reminds us of a scene from a Jurassic Park movie.
Carved by ancient glaciers, the floor of the valley is covered in golden tussock grass. The Milford Rd runs through the valley near the Eglington River, and the valley is also home to the famed Mirror Lakes. Several Lord of the Rings scenes were filmed here, most notably the Eglington Mountains which were seen as the Misty Mountains in the Fellowship of the Ring.
The Milford sound Observatory & Milford Sound Discovery Centre
The Milford Sound Observatory is located in Harrison Cove, and is the only floating underwater observatory in the country.
In the observatory you descend ten metres under the surface via some stairs, to be greeted by a large viewing room.
The area's heavy rainfall washes tannins from the surrounding forest into the ocean. This creates a fresh water layer on top, and leaves salt water below. This creates the unique marine environment that you see at the observatory.
It's a fascinating experience as you watch the various species of colourful fish. The really neat thing though, are the black coral, which are usually only found at depths of several hundred metres.
The adjoining Milford Sound Discovery Centre has displays that detail Milford Sounds history, including the arduous construction of the Homer Tunnel. You will learn about the region's Māori history and about the first European settlers.
The observatory and centre are only accessible by boat and entry needs to be purchased as part of your Milford Sound cruise package.
Accommodation
The only accommodation in Milford Sound is Milford Sound Lodge, located around 3 minutes drive from the Visitor Terminal. It takes around 45 minutes to walk to the terminal along a partially maintained track. This wilderness retreat has a range of chalets, and a rainforest campervan park. They also have Milford's only restaurant.
The lodge is VERY popular and is usually completely booked out between November and April, when minimum 2 night stays apply.
You can find out more and check availability here.
Te Anau is the main service centre for Milford Sound and has an excellent range of accommodation. You can search options and read reviews here. Manapouri, a small village around 20 minutes on the Queenstown side of Te Anau, also has a limited range of accommodation. You can see what's available here.
parking at milford sound
Free Parking
There is a small free car parking area at Deepwater Basin. However, spaces are limited, and are available on a first come basis. To find the car park, take the first left exit before you enter Milford Sound. To walk from here to the Visitor Terminal takes 20-30 minutes.
Paid Parking
Located a 10-15 minute walk from Visitor Terminal, the main car park requires payment via the booths at the car park. You cannot pre-pay or pre-book your space.
The walk to the terminal is an easy grade on a well maintained pathway. Guests with mobility issues can be dropped off at the Visitor Terminal but you cannot leave your car there, and it will need to be returned to the paid car park.
If you arrive by coach on an organised tour, your driver will drop you off at the Visitor Terminal.
milford sound weather
Okay, we declare upfront, that Milford Sound is one of the wettest places in the world. It rains on almost 200 days every year, with an annual average of almost 7 metres of rain! December and January, in the middle of our New Zealand summer, are actually the wettest months.
Now in most holiday destinations, that would be enough to deter you from visiting. But here, it's the opposite. When it rains, Milford Sound comes to life as hundreds of huge waterfalls cascade down sheer cliff faces into the deep dark waters of the Sound. It is truly spectacular, and if you are lucky enough to be on a cruise boat where your captain nudges the bow under one of the waterfalls, it's something that will live with you forever.
In the winter months, the mountains may be covered in snow, and sometimes heavy falls can block the Milford Road. At other times, the snow adds to the experience as towering snow capped peaks, thousands of metres high disappear into the clouds. The drive here, particularly the section from Te Anau, is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful in the world.
milford sound wildlife
This is a pristine marine environment, and home to some of New Zealand's most beautiful wildlife.
Some of the most notable are:
Penguins: there are two species found here, the Little Blue penguin (which is pretty common and frequently sighted), and the endangered Fiordland Crested Penguin. This species is only found here and on Stewart Island.
Dolphins are plentiful in Milford Sound, and there's a large pod of bottlenose dolphins here. They love playing in the bow wave of the cruise boats, or saying hello to kayakers. These are a large species and can grow to nearly three metres in length.
The smaller Dusky dolphins also visit, and are a beautiful dolphin with dark backs, white underside, and a two toned dorsal fin.
Whales are sometimes seen here, but if you do see one, count it as a special sight.
Seals: the prolific New Zealand fur seals love the shorelines here, particularly around the aptly named Seal Point, where they bask on the rocks. Thankfully, they are no longer hunted, and their numbers are gradually increasing.
Kea: if you drive here, keep a lookout for our cheeky native parrot, the Kea. It's a gregarious, intelligent and inquisitive character, that loves attacking rubber parts of cars (wiper blades, door rubbers etc).
cell phone coverage
Phone coverage is limited and unreliable in parts of Fiordland, including along the Milford Road. For this reason, we recommend downloading maps beforehand, just in case.
