By air
Queenstown (ZQN), ~4 h by road; scenic flights ~40 min
Australia & New Zealand · New Zealand
Milford Sound, New Zealand
Fiord cliffs and waterfalls
Getting there
Best time to visit
November to April — longer days (rain only makes the waterfalls better)
Don't miss
Mitre Peak
Stirling Falls
The Homer Tunnel
The Mirror Lakes
Things to do
A fiord cruise or kayak
The Milford Track
Scenic flights
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
A rain jacket, insect repellent for sandflies
A quieter corner
The Chasm, a short walk on the road in
Questions travellers ask
Is Milford Sound worth visiting in the rain?
Yes — rain only makes the waterfalls better. November to April is the best time, for the longer days.
How do I get to Milford Sound from Queenstown?
It's about 4 h by road from Queenstown (ZQN), or about 40 min on a scenic flight.
What should I see at Milford Sound?
Mitre Peak, Stirling Falls, the Homer Tunnel and the Mirror Lakes. See the fiord by cruise or kayak, and stop at The Chasm, a short walk on the road in.
What should I bring to Milford Sound?
A rain jacket, insect repellent for the sandflies, and a picnic from Te Anau's bakeries.
About Milford Sound
- Coastal
- Mountains
Where it is
Milford Sound, Piopiotahi in Māori, is a fiord on the south-west coast of New Zealand's South Island, in Fiordland National Park in the Southland region, where sheer cliffs and waterfalls rise straight out of an arm of the Tasman Sea.
History
Māori knew the fiord as Piopiotahi and came here to gather a prized form of greenstone. The sealer John Grono named it in 1823 after Milford Haven in his native Wales, and the Milford Track made it famous with walkers from the late 19th century. The Homer Tunnel, opened in the 1950s, finally linked it by road, and it lies within Te Wāhipounamu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
People
Few people live at Milford Sound beyond lodge and boat staff; the nearest town is Te Anau, and the area lies within the traditional lands of Ngāi Tahu. English is the everyday language and te reo Māori an official one, and conservation of Fiordland's forests and rare birds, such as the takahē, is central to the region.
Known for
- Mitre Peak
- Fiord cruises and sea kayaking
- Stirling and Bowen falls
- The Milford Track
- The drive through the Homer Tunnel
Did you know?
Although it is called a sound, Milford Sound is really a fiord, a valley carved by glaciers and then flooded by the sea.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.