Fiordland, Invercargill & Stewart Island Hotels & Resorts

If you’re based in Te Anau, this is the most direct and relaxed way to experience Milford Sound. The journey takes you deep into Fiordland National Park, with scenery unfolding gradually as the road winds through lakes, forest and alpine valleys.

By late morning or early afternoon, you arrive at Piopiotahi Milford Sound. Glacially carved cliffs rise straight from the water, and the sense of enclosure is immediate. From the terminal, you board a purpose-built cruise vessel for a cruise of up to two hours.

Once on the fiord, the pace slows noticeably. The boat travels the full length of Milford Sound, passing close to waterfalls and sheer rock faces, sometimes so close that you can feel the spray. Wet weather only adds to the atmosphere, with temporary waterfalls appearing all along the cliffs. Wildlife sightings vary, but seals are commonly seen resting on rocks, dolphins sometimes swim alongside the boat, and penguins appear at certain times of year. The cruise passes St Anne’s Point Lighthouse and, when conditions allow, continues out toward the Tasman Sea.

• Start time: 6.45am 
• Duration: full day
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Group experience

This full-day trip from Queenstown takes you from one alpine landscape into another, ending at one of New Zealand’s most recognisable natural landmarks. It’s a long journey, but the changing scenery makes the drive part of the appeal.

By late morning or early afternoon, you reach Piopiotahi Milford Sound, where the road ends and the fiord begins. Sheer rock walls rise straight from dark water, and the scale of the place is immediately apparent. From here, you board a purpose-built cruise vessel for up to two hours on the fiord. On the water, everything slows down. The boat moves steadily along Milford Sound, edging close to waterfalls and cliff faces, often drifting through mist kicked up by falling water. 

Rain only heightens the experience, with countless temporary waterfalls forming after heavier weather. Wildlife appears when it wants to. Seals are often seen hauled out on rocks, dolphins sometimes ride the bow wave, and penguins make seasonal appearances. The cruise passes St Anne’s Point Lighthouse and, if conditions allow, heads out toward the Tasman Sea where the fiord meets open ocean.

• Start time: 6.45am 
• Duration: full day
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Group experience