Milford Sound, New Zealand

Fiordland National Park was at the top of our New Zealand bucket list, and it did not disappoint. It is really hard to capture in words or photos the beauty of Milford Sound. You will likely get wet (it rains a lot there), but that just adds to the mystique.

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The Road to Milford

We started our journey to Milford from Queenstown, which is about a four hour drive. That said, you will want to budget much longer for the trip, as there are several great stops to make along the way.

The first part of our drive took us to the town of Te Anau, which often serves as a gateway town to Fiordland. This stretch is about two hours and doesn’t have a ton of viewpoints, but the beginning is still very scenic as you make your way along Lake Wakatipu. We recommend quick pit stops at the Devil’s Staircase and Lake Wakatipu lookout.

Once we got to Te Anau, we grabbed a quick brunch at Sandfly Cafe (which was packed). The portions here were huge, but we honestly weren’t that impressed with the food. Still, it got the job done before we hit the road again.

The next stretch of the drive is where things get really pretty. About 40 minutes from Te Anau you’ll hit Eglinton Valley – your introduction to the mountainous landscape around the fiords. Shortly after that are the Mirror Lakes, which are truly beautiful. The clear water perfectly reflects the mountains and makes for a great photo.

Next up is the Lake Gunn North Viewpoint. This lesser-visited stop is tucked away off the main road, so you may be lucky and get it all to yourself. After parking your car, it is just a short walk to the lake’s edge.

From here on out, there is seemingly an awesome viewpoint every five minutes. You can pull over just about anywhere off the road and enjoy some incredible views, but we made a point to stop at:

• Pop’s View Lookout, which ended up being a bit too foggy for us to enjoy.

• Marian Falls, which is a 5-10 minute walk from the carpark. For a much longer hike (if you have time), you can make it all the way to Lake Marian. We didn’t have time, but the hike has great reviews.

• Christie Falls, which is right off the road. If you consider yourself a climber, you can try making the short journey to Falls Creek Falls. We again didn’t have time, but that waterfall is supposed to be beautiful.

• Monkey Creek, which was one of our favorite viewpoints.

• Gertrude Valley Lookout, which is a jumping off point for the more intense Gertrude Saddle alpine hike that should only be attempted by experienced hikers in good weather conditions.

• Hundred Falls and 1855 Lookout, which are completely different from the prior stops and totally awe inspiring, given that they are some of the first viewpoints after you make it through the Homer Tunnel.

Given all the great stops, we recommend budgeting at least three hours more than Google Maps suggests for your journey from Queenstown. We could’ve used even more time to do the longer hikes, but we had to make it to Milford Sound by the early afternoon for our overnight cruise’s departure.

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Overnight Cruise of Milford Sound

The best way to experience Milford Sound is on the water. We wanted a more intimate experience that allowed us to enjoy the natural serenity of the area without the crowds, so we opted to take an overnight cruise on the smaller (and very nice) Fiordland Discovery.

The cruise port is at the end of the road, and Fiordland Discovery had a dedicated parking lot just a short walk from the port. Because the boat is small, we were asked to only bring on one small bag per person, so we left the rest of our luggage in the car while we were gone (it was perfectly safe). The walk from the parking lot to the port was actually really nice, as it goes right along the sound and offers some great views.

Once we made it on the boat, we quickly realized we made a great choice splurging on the Fiordland Discovery. The private rooms and bathrooms were small (as you’d expect), but they were nice and had wall to wall windows that allowed us to enjoy the scenery from the comfort of our room. They also had a platter of complimentary meats, cheeses, and fruits in the common area along with a hot chocolate / coffee machine…we’re suckers for that.

The Fiordland Discovery only takes 22 passengers at a time, so we were able to enjoy the viewing areas in the front, back, and top of the boat in comfort. It also made it easy to get to know our fellow passengers.

Once the boat gets moving, you will see SO many waterfalls. You are also very likely to see dolphins playing in the boat’s wake, and if you’re lucky you’ll also get to see some penguins and seals along the shore.

After we cruised out to the edge of the Sound and Tasman Sea, we made our way back towards the port and dropped anchor in a nice cove. From there, we were given a chance to take kayaks out into the sound to explore everything from a bit closer. Naturally, we took advantage, and it was very cool getting to control our our adventure and work our way right up to the cliffside.

Once we returned, we had the opportunity to jump off the top of the boat into the water. Only 4 of the 22 passengers took advantage of this opportunity, which makes sense because the water was freezing! Still, it was super fun, and we’d definitely recommend anyone that isn’t afraid of heights take the plunge.

Next up was our delicious three course meal prepared by the boat’s chef. It honestly felt like a fine dining experience. We got a bottle of New Zealand Pinot Noir to go with the meal, and we were very pleasantly surprised with the overall experience – just another point in favor of the luxurious Fiordland Discovery.

After dinner, our captain delivered a video presentation about the fiord’s environment and the unique marine life found in the area, which was super interesting! Then, we made our way to the hot tub on the roof of the boat. Even though it was dark out, it was pretty magical getting to sit outside in the warm water and appreciate the night sky, surrounding peaks, and dense fog starting to roll in.

The next morning, we couldn’t see the sunrise because of that fog, but that’s how Milford Sound is the vast majority of the time. We didn’t mind getting to see Milford in this setting since we had a clear afternoon the day before.

We started the day by cruising around a bit more to get some repeat waterfall views (which are even better in the rain), and then we got to enjoy a great breakfast before returning to the port by 9:00 AM. Overall, this cruise may have been the highlight of our New Zealand trip, and we would recommend it to anyone.

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Other Tips & Tricks

• Milford Track: Considered the finest walk in the world, this multi-day hike is undoubtedly one of the main draws of Fiordland. That said, you have to make reservations super early to snag a spot, and it is expensive if you’re one of the lucky few. We planned our trip too late for this to be an option, but our friends that did the hike said it was incredible. On our next New Zealand vacation, we definitely plan to do this hike.

• Routeburn Track: Another one of New Zealand’s great walks, many consider the Routeburn Track even better than the Milford Track. This two-or-three-day trail connects Mount Aspiring National Park with Fiordland National Park and is stunning. We chose to do a portion of the trail as a day hike from Queenstown, but you can do the full trail as part of your Milford Sound adventures if you plan appropriately.

• Changing Weather: Milford Sound rains ~182 days per year on average. While some seasons are wetter than others, you’re likely to encounter some rain regardless of when you visit. Bring layers (including waterproof and windproof ones) to make sure you can enjoy the outdoors regardless of the circumstances.

• Getting Around: While you can take a guided tour to Milford Sound, we recommend driving yourself so that you have control over the stops you make and your timing. Renting a car and driving will also allow you to arrive early and beat the tour bus crowds, which is a huge boon. Just make sure you mind the speed limits, as there are sensors at various points that could lead to the New Zealand government sending you a speeding ticket.

• Kea Sightings: Kea birds are all over Fiordland! While we were waiting to enter the Homer Tunnel on our way back, one landed on our car’s side mirror and made that its home for several minutes. It was trying to find a way into our car, which is apparently somewhat normal for these curious birds. This species is protected, so make sure you handle these interactions responsibly and don’t feed them so that they stay wild.

Happy traveling!

Kitrina & Jordan