Milford Sound

The only settlement within Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound looks after travellers who come to witness the breathtaking beauty of the fiords. Milford Sound the settlement exists solely to look after travellers who come to see Milford Sound the fiord. Facilities and services are limited - you’ll find a café and a tavern. Most activity is centred around the wharf, because cruises on Milford Sound are hugely popular (food is available on board). Flightseeing and sea kayaking are two other ways to immerse yourself in the grandeur of huge peaks, waterfalls and sheer rock faces. At the underwater observatory, you can enjoy the unusual scenery than exists below the water. The Milford Track, which begins at the northern end of Lake Te Anau, finishes with a ferry trip from Sandfly Point to the Milford Sound wharf.

Milford Sound is a place of enchantment that will stun you with its dramatic splendour. The journey itself is a scene stealing revelation. Drive from Te Anau or Queenstown, along the shores of Lake Te Anau and you reach the rough-hewn Homer Tunnel which leads you down to the tiny settlement of Milford Sound. Head to the wharf because this is where the real adventure starts. From here you can take boat cruises along the Sound, head out sea kayaking or, for an aerial view, flightseeing. Whichever way you go you will see sights that you have never seen before – huge peaks, precipitous waterfalls and sheer rock faces tumbling into the depths of the fiord. For a different view, visit the underwater observatory and marvel at the black coral, 11-legged sea stars and delicate anemones.

If you enjoy hiking or trekking, another route to Milford Sound is to take the Milford Track. Described as the finest walk in the world, the Track begins at the northern end of Lake Te Anau and winds its way through some of the world’s most vivid and least trampled wilderness where you end the journey with a boat trip from Sandfly Point to the Milford Sound wharf.