Day Trip to Milford Sound

(Last Updated On: July 22, 2019)

Milford Sound was formed over millions of years by glaciers. The Sound is one of the wettest places in the world with over 250 inches of rain a year. Many initial European explorers such as James Cook, passed up Milford Sound due to fear of coming too close to the mountains. However, the Sound was eventually discovered by Captain John Grono. No trip to New Zealand is complete without a visit to Milford Sound. 

Where to Stay

I recommend staying in Te Anau. It is a long enough day to travel to Milford Sound from Te Anau, much less adding on 4 more hours to stay in Queenstown. We opted to stay at the Birchwood Cottages. They have one, two, and three-bedroom units with a stove, fridge, grill, and sink. We enjoyed our stay here and would definitely stay here again.

Transportation to Milford Sound 

The drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Make sure to allow extra time in case of delays, especially in wintertime. We encountered several patches of black ice, so you want to make sure to drive carefully! The road is very windy but also very scenic. I recommend stopping along the way back at some of the sites. Another option is to catch a tour bus from Te Anau. However, these depart a bit later in the day so the boats will be more crowded and you will not be able to stop along the route. 

Make sure to pack a lunch to take with you as there is only one small cafe in Milford Sound, or you can opt to get a lunch cruise option. Also, make sure to have cash in case you would like to buy anything onboard the ship as the credit card machines do not always work. 

Ways to See Milford Sound

Cruise

We opted to take the cheapest way to see the sound: a cruise. There are many companies that offer cruises on the sound. We ended up booking with Go Orange. However, due to a mechanical problem, Go Orange ended up putting us on a Real Journeys Cruise. The Go Orange ship looked nice and there were maybe 20 of us on the boat. The Read Journeys ship was larger, more crowded, and shorter, so it was a disappointment to not get to go on the one we booked. 

I recommend booking a cruise that leaves no later than 11 am. Noon is around the time all of the tour buses get in, so the cruises are infinitely less crowded in the morning. Our original cruise was booked at 10 am. The new cruise they put us on left at 11 am and already there were a lot more people on the ship and in the cruise terminal. When we got off the cruise, there were four times as many people waiting to board their ships. 

The cruise will last 90 minutes to 2 hours depending on what company you book through. Most of them will cruise through the sound and stop you at the various waterfalls. The majority of the ships use the Tasman Sea to turn around in. Onboard the ship there will be drinks and snacks available for purchase. Some cruises you also have the option to pre-purchase lunch. 

Scenic Flight

A more expensive choice is to take a scenic flight over Milford Sound from Queenstown. There are several options you can book. You can opt to just fly over the sound, or you can add in a cruise and then fly back. You can also opt to fly, do a cruise, and then take the bus back. 

Helicopter

Visitors can also opt to take a Helicopter over the Sound. The helicopters depart from Queenstown or Te Anau. 

The Drive to Milford Sound

I have never taken a more beautiful drive than through Fiordland National Park! There are multiple places to stop along the way that are gorgeous. I recommend driving straight to Milford Sound and then hit these stops on the way back. These sites are in order driving from the Sound back to Te Anau. 

Milford Sound Swing

After the cruise, I recommend walking the Milford Foreshore Walk trail along the sound. Along this path, you will find the Milford Sound Swing as well as get a chance to walk the beach along the Sound for some truly picturesque shots! In order to get to the swing, look for it between the trees as you walk along the path. It is on a section that juts out a bit between some trees. 

The Chasm

This 10-minute hike takes you to a gorgeous waterfall through a chasm. It is flat most of the way until the slight increase at the end. 

Homer Tunnel

Although this is not an actual stop, it is worth noting. This 1.2-kilometer-long tunnel is the only way in and out of the Sound by car. Construction began in 1935 and the tunnel finally opened in 1953.

Knobs Flat

This area offers gorgeous views of the mountains. We were lucky enough to be here on a clear day so we got gorgeous views of them. This area is where the workers who built the Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound camped. 

Mirror Lakes

On a clear day, these lakes reflect the mountains off of them for some amazing shots. It is only a few minutes walk from the car park to the Mirror Lakes viewing platform. 

Lake Te Anau

Once you are almost back in Te Anau, you will also get some fantastic views of Lake Te Anau. There are several scenic lookouts along the road. 

Teacher Tip: Make sure to check out Book Me New Zealand for Milford Sound Cruises. I saw several different options for cruises. 

Overall, I highly recommend a self-drive to Milford Sound. It was so nice to be able to take our time and stop where we wanted as well as beat the crowds of tourist buses. It will be a day full of stunning sites. 

Share this lesson!

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Hanna Thomas
4 years ago

These mountains look absolutely AMAZING!! and the long exposure shots are really beautiful 🙂 I’d love to go here!

Vanessa Shields
4 years ago

Wow, all your photos are gorgeous! I would love to see all those mountains, waterfalls and lakes. Really is an outdoor paradise! ?

Josy A
4 years ago

I love this! I have to say, our day in Milford sound was probably one of the most epic days we had in New Zealand…it is such a beautiful drive, there are soooo many fun hikes nearby and the crusies are so, sooo fun! Thanks for the reminder about how gorgeous it all is.

p.s. You’ll need to go back when it’s raining…the waterfalls get even more spectacular!

On Key

Related Posts

3
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x
Scroll to Top