In this post we’re going to share everything you need to know to help you visit Milford Sound, one of New Zealand’s most spectacular natural attractions.
First though, I have a confession to make. In a previous post, I referred to the geological feature known as a Sound as being the New Zealand equivalent of a Fiord.
I have come to learn that this is seriously incorrect – they are distinct features and confusing one with the other is a bit like confusing a puddle with a lake.
For clarity therefore, here is the definition.
A Sound is a waterway formed by the action of a river, which results in a v-shaped valley. A fiord is created by the movement of ice, usually in glacial form, which results in those lovely u-shaped valleys that you probably remember from the geography lessons of your youth.
All this geography aside, I will now talk about Milford Sound, which is actually a fiord (I’m not the only one who gets these things wrong, although at least my efforts don’t end up on atlases), in the World Heritage listed Fiordland National Park, on the south west coast of New Zealand’s south island.
Table of Contents:
About Milford Sound
A bit of perspective for you. Fiordland National Park is fairly big. It takes up about 10% of New Zealand’s entire land mass. As well as that, everything in Fiordland National Park is pretty big. Lakes are deeper, longer and, I would guess, somewhat colder than in other parts.
Mountains rise out of the sea in distances that can be measured in kilometres. Glacially formed valleys challenge your brain to comprehend the scale of the sight before your eyes, as tiny camper vans and cars crawl like ants on the snake like roads that traverse the area.
Hopefully I’ve conveyed the impression that Fiordland is a big place, with some big things in it. Big, impressive, snow capped things.
One of the main drawcards of the Fiordland National Park, and in fact, of all of New Zealand, is the Milford Sound. If you are a Kiwi, this tops the list of the 101 things you must see before you die (yes, there is an actual list).
Specifically, the main attraction is the Mitre Peak, a mountain which rises up out of the Sound to a rather jaw dropping height of 1692m, making it one of the highest mountain peaks in the world of its kind.
There are a number of ways to experience Milford Sound. Scenic flights are one. Walking the Milford Track is another. Standing on the jetty at the Milford Sound cruise terminal is a third option.
But probably the option that most of the half million or so people who come through here yearly choose, and also the one that I went for, is to take a cruise, lasting in the region of two hours, which takes you out into the Sound itself, right out to the where it meets the Tasman Sea, and then back again. Which was what I did.
Given that so many people visit this part of the world, and the fact that the weather was somewhat stunning (a blessing for a part of the world where they experience 8000mm of rain a year, and a drought is called if more than nine days go by without precipitation), I was a little bit surprised to find that my boat, which could probably accommodate at least 200 people without any trouble, had a grand total of nine passengers.
This was something to do with giant clouds of ash from a nearby volcanic eruption wreaking havoc on flights, but did mean that I had no problem finding a spot to take photos.
Which was a good thing. Because one thing that this journey does is astound you with visual wonders that require you to attempt to capture their beauty, and then wonder quite how to do so in a medium that doesn’t let you print life sized pictures of kilometre high mountains.
The cruise was pretty wonderful. The boat nosed it’s way into waterfalls, sailed along the edge of cliffs that rose dizzyingly into the sky, and even managed to find a pod of dolphins that played in the bow wave. It really was awe inspiring stuff.
Of course, the boat ride, whilst the main highlight, wasn’t all that there was to do in this part of the world.
The 119km drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound itself was a pretty awe inspiring journey in itself, with hair raising roads and spine tingling vistas around pretty much every corner. There was even a tunnel, hand hewn over a period of twenty years, forming part of the route, angling down through the mountain at a 1 in 10 ratio for a kilometre.
We even did a bit of a walk in the park, walking up a part of the world famous Routeburn track, the other end of which we had walked from Glenorchy. Admittedly we have missed out the middle, but this is about the closest we have come now to doing a great walk on the south island.
The views from the walk were spell binding, with snow lined mountains all around, and endlessly blue skies stretching beyond. Quite marvellous stuff.
As always, there are were far more things to do here than budget allowed for, with trips to Doubtful Sound (argued to be better than Milford by some, although better can probably be substituted for different) available, as well as all the usual Kiwi adventure activities.
We, though, were delighted to have been provided with two days of absolutely glorious weather in which to enjoy the park, and views that we will never forget.
Getting to and from Milford Sound
One of the best ways to get to Milford Sound is to drive yourself. Pick up a rental car and enjoy the magnificent views on the 120km drive from Te Anau. This drive will take 2-3 hours, so if you have an early cruise, plan accordingly. I’d also advise stopping along the way at some of the highlights. We recommend searching for your car rental on Discover Cars here. They compare a range of providers so you can find the best deal for your trip.
If you’re driving yourself, check the road conditions with the New Zealand transit authority before you go. This road is susceptible to landslides and avalanches, and there’s no point setting off if it’s closed!
If self-driving isn’t an option, you can also take a tour to Milford Sound from Queenstown and Te Anau, which will involve a bus journey.
If you’re in a rush, and have the budget, you can fly in to Milford Sound from Queenstown, Te Anau and Wanaka. The views from the air on a clear day are of course, spectacular!
Finally, for those of you wanting a more traditional experience, you can also hike in to Milford Sound along the Milford Track. This is a four-day one way hike that lets you experience some of New Zealand’s most breath-taking scenery. Bookings are essential for this one, you can do that here with New Zealand’s Department of Conservation.
Which Milford Sound cruise to do?
There are a number of operators who offer cruises on Milford Sound, which is the best way to see the wonders of this location. Cruises are usually busy, and the fiord can fill up with boats as the day progresses, so I’d suggest taking an early morning cruise if you can – the light will be better for photography and there will be less people.
Popular options for cruising include Mitre Peak cruises, Southern Discoveries and Cruise Milford, with prices ranging from 70 NZD per person and up. Different cruises cater to different tastes, with varying boat sizes, cruise lengths and focus. There are also cruises which include round trip travel from both Queenstown and Te Anau, if you don’t have your own transport.
We recommend doing a little research and reading reviews from other travellers before making a final decision – this is a good starting point for finding a Milford Sound cruise.
When to Visit Milford Sound
Fiordland gets over seven metres (yes, metres) of rainfall a year. In the winter months (May – August), there is also snow to contend with, which can causes avalanches, forcing the road to close.
As you can see from the photos I took, Milford Sound also gets gloriously sunny days, but these aren’t as common – I was very lucky. The good news is that even in the rain and fog Milford Sound is still gorgeous, with the waterfalls exploding down the mountains, and the clouds adding wonderful atmosphere.
Autumn and Spring are likely to be quieter times to visit. Winter can be riskier, as the road may close, and the summer months bring many more visitors. But, truth be told, there is no bad time to visit Milford Sound – it’s a glorious destination year round!
Milford Sound Accommodation: Where to Stay in Milford Sound
Accommodation in Milford is a bit tricky – there are two options, but one (Mitre Peak Lodge) is only available for people who hike in, leaving Milford Sound Lodge as your only option for staying in Milford itself.
This option books up quickly, so another option is to stay at Te Anau and visit Milford Sound as a day trip.
Alternatively, if you have a camper van, there are a number of very basic DOC campsites along the road, which is a good option if you want to get in for an early cruise – stay in a nearby campsite the night before and then drive in the next morning.
If you’re looking for accommodation, we recommend using Booking.com to find a great deal. They let you search over 100 booking sites, including Booking.com, to ensure you get the best deals available. Take a look at their listings for Te Anau here.
Further Reading to help Plan your New Zealand Trip
We spent a year travelling and working in New Zealand, and have created a great many guides to help you plan your trip to this spectacular country. Here are some we think you will find useful, but do take a look at all our New Zealand content as well.
- Our detailed guide to spending a month in New Zealand, including planning information and a full itinerary
- A guide to the highlights of the north island, and the highlights of the south island
- Looking for a scenic road trip in New Zealand? Check out our guide to the best road trips in New Zealand
- A guide to hiking the Tongariro Crossing – New Zealand’s most popular day hike
- A first time visitors guide to New Zealand
- Our guide to buying a vehicle in New Zealand, if you’re travelling for a little while
And that’s it for Milford Sound! As always, we’re open to your feedback and suggestions, just use the comments below. Happy travels!
Andhika Dimas D. Saputra says
marveleous
bakoyma says
“in a medium that doesn’t let you print life sized pictures of kilometre high mountains.” – Ain’t that the truth… I was in New Zealand in 2010 and got stuck for 2 ekstra weeks because of the ash cloud (what a shame!), but unfortunately we missed out on Milford Sound… Coming from Norway, I guess we didn’t make the fjords a priority, but it’s definitely on my list for my next trip there. Hoping it’ll be in 2014 🙂
Thanks for sharing your pictures and tips!
Laurence Norah says
Thanks very much Simon 😀
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Jason 🙂
Simon says
OMG, I just stumbled into your wonderful photos and got simply stunned! Exactly the place that make me say WOW! and the ones I wish to visit soon.
Jason says
Very nice. Glad I stumbled upon this. lol keep up the good work
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Jade – I was so lucky with the weather as the day we drove in it was absolutely dire – mist on the deck. Then for the day of the actual visit, we had stunning weather. Even better – there was no-one else there! Win win!
Laurence Norah says
I have to agree – I love a good reflection photo!
Laurence Norah says
Thanks DJ – it’s a stunning place to photograph when the weather is good 🙂
Jade - OurOyster.com says
Wow you really got some great photos. The day that I went to Milford, it was rainy and cloudy, so Im not very impressed with my own photos
D.J. - The World of Deej says
Simply incredible photos…the one with the clouds reflection especially…
Christy says
Reflection photos are the best. This place looks amazing.
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Andrew 😀 The drive in was really special, I have to agree. We had two weathers while we were there – glorious sunshine, and mist on the deck. Beautiful in both!
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Linda! Your time will come 😀
Laurence Norah says
I know – my geography teacher must be spinning in his classroom!
Ava Apollo says
Stunning! Looks so peaceful.
Marchel says
New Zealand has been on my bucket list ever since I watched The Lord of The Rings. It is just so darn far away from Houston TX.
Andrew says
We went to Milford on an overnight this past Christmas. It was, as you say and show, fabulous. And the odd part for me is that however amazing the fjord itself is, I found the forest and the drive in competing with it. The forest is just as cool, and I wish I had more time there.
Christy @ Technosyncratic says
Yikes, how terribly embarrassing that you mixed up a sound with a fiord. What were you thinking?!? 😉
These photos are WOW. Total stunners. There’s something about mountains and water that just screams beauty.
Linda McCormick says
Beautiful, beautiful shots Laurence. I was blown away by how amazing it was when I was there a few years back. Always swore to go back with a better camera… still waiting for the moment.
Laurence Norah says
Wow, brilliant 🙂 Looking forward to reading about that 😀
Natasha von Geldern says
Absolutely gorgeous 🙂 As we speak I’m planning a summer assault on the Milford Track – something every Kiwi must complete in their lifetime!
Laurence Norah says
I really want to visit Norway – and that scary looking rock in particular!
A Montrealer Abroad says
Sooo beautiful. Headed to the Norway fjords in a few months, but hopefully I’ll be able to visit the famous NZ fjords one day!
Laurence Norah says
Cheers Amy 🙂
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Abby – a pleasure 😉
Laurence Norah says
Cheers Pete! When you convince Dalene to take part in an Antipodean adventure across Oz and NZ, this is one spot not to miss!
Pete says
Wonderful photos again Laurence. This is one spot we have not ventured down to. I can’t say why. Maybe how similar it is to where we grew up in Western Canada. But that doesn’t mean we won’t get there. It’s on our list. Oh and we don’t have dolphins…
Abby says
Your photos don’t look real! What an experience. You’re in a part of the world I’ve never been close to. And thank you for the geography lesson. 😉
stjepanradic says
Awesome … Amazing, well done Great work. Wow … I’m impressed photographs is done superbly. Thank you so much.
AmyJalapeño! says
Wow. These are absolutely incredible. Amazing.
Wayne Mansfield says
The beauty is beyond portal comprehension… and without photographic proof nobody would be believe you.
srbmckenzie says
Stunning photos mate…. but come on, how many shots of surface water did you take before nailing the one of the dolphin?
Laurence says
A photographer never shoots and tells 😉
Laurence says
Hey Amanda, and thanks. I couldn’t believe how quiet it was either, really
considered myself lucky. Love that you have been to both doubtful and
milford sounds, doubtful sounds awesome too 🙂
Laurence says
Hey Mike! Wow, your pictures do look very similar 🙂 Crystal lake looks like
a wonderful spot too. Thanks for sharing 🙂
MikesRoadTrip says
OMG…amazing pics! Reminds me of a place in the Pacific Northwest (USA) called, Lake Crescent.
Laurence says
Hey Mike! Wow, your pictures do look very similar 🙂 Crystal lake looks like
a wonderful spot too. Thanks for sharing 🙂
MikesRoadTrip says
Hey Laurence…you bet! I thought so…waterfalls and all. I got really lucky and caught the lake perfectly still, as you can see in those reflective shots. Not nearly as good as yours, but I caught a few. 🙂 Look forward to see your next adventure. Cheers, Mike
Amanda Williams says
Great photos, as usual! I especially love the last few.
You had the same weather I had for Milford – sunny and uncharacteristic for that part of the country. But wow, only 9 people on your cruise?? Lucky! Looks like you definitely got to experience Milford at its best.
Laurence says
Hey Amanda, and thanks. I couldn’t believe how quiet it was either, really
considered myself lucky. Love that you have been to both doubtful and
milford sounds, doubtful sounds awesome too 🙂