Click HERE for a map of Milford Sound and surrounding areas

Milford Sound, in the south-west corner of the South Island, is the main gateway through which to explore and enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery and deep water fiords of the Fiordland National Park, which is part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site.  The Sound itself flows 10 miles (15km) inland from the Tasman Coast, and is surrounded on either side by rain-forest covered, sheer rock cliffs, which at some points, up to 1,200m (3,900ft) high.

The English name was given to the area in 1812 by a Welsh sealing ship skipper, Captain John Grono, as Milford Haven, his home port, and the Cleddau River, which flows into the Sound, was also named after the Welsh river.  The settlement name was changed to Milford Sound a few years later.

There are a number of scenic boat cruises around the Sound, and there is an underwater observatory, with amazing views of the black coral and marine life.  At the head of the Fiord is Mitre Peak, which rises 1,692 m above sea level, and was named for its resemblance to a Bishop's Mitre headdress.

The area is one of the wettest locations in the World, and is the wettest inhabited place in New Zealand, with 182 rainy days each year, so make sure you take your brolly!  Due to the high rain fall, there are two very spectacular waterfalls, The Lady Bowen and the Stirling Falls, but after a heavy deluge, there are many additional waterfalls that materialize from the rocky crevices on the faces of the surrounding Mountains.

The majority of people who visit Milford Sound do so from Queenstown on a day excursion by air, either on an aerial sightseeing flight, or on a day trip by plane which includes a boat trip on the fiord.  The direct flight time between Queenstown and Milford Sound is approximately 40 minutes.

There is also a day trip by coach from Queenstown which takes all day, for although the flight time is relatively short, because of the mountainous terrain, the road between the two has to take a southerly routing which gives a total oneway driving distance of 178 miles!

If you visit Milford Sound as part of a self-driving itinerary, there is very little accommodation actually at Milford Sound.  Accommodation can be found at Te Anau which is on the edge of the park and is 70 miles south of Milford Sound or Lumsden, which is half way between Queenstown and Invercargill and 100 miles from Milford Sound.

DETAILS AND PRICES FOR ACCOMMODATION CLOSE TO MILFORD SOUND ARE CURRENTLY BEING CREATED, IF YOU NEED DETAILS AND PRICES AT THIS TIME PLEASE CALL OUR RESERVATIONS CENTRE