Milford Sound is one of New Zealand’s most popular sites to see, unsurprisingly. When you take the 2-4 hour journey (depending on where you start) through the twisty, narrow, rugged roads down to the visitor center, you feel as if you’re discovering, for the first time, a lost world. If you’re getting an early start, which I highly recommend, you’ll pass by vast fields misty and dewy, surrounded by rustic wooden fences.

You’ll see peaks poking their heads up through the fog that will remind you how small you are in these massive valleys.

TIP 1: GO EARLY

Most visitors leave from Queenstown (~4 hours from the Milford Sound parking lot) by bus. If you are staying in Queenstown, take the earliest bus you can. If you want a jump on the whole bus situation, plan to stay in Te Anau. I highly recommend this small town as a destination (see why I love it) and it is 2 hours closer to Milford. You can drive yourself and beat the first bus loads of visitors from Queenstown. Note: if you are weary of driving on the left side of the road, on narrow roads, or on fast roads, a bus might be a better option. The roads down to the Sound are twisty and people drive very fast. If someone is behind you, you are expected to let them pass.

TIP 2: BUY CRUISE TICKETS IN ADVANCE

There are multiple companies that offer similar tours of the Sound. I’ve been on three different cruises and all were great. Book your tickets ahead of time. When you arrive at the Sound, you collect your pass from the company’s booth in the visitor center. If you’re on a bus, the driver will collect your passes for you.

TIP 3: PLAN TIME FOR TRAFFIC

Plan a half an hour to an hour of extra time to pull over and take photos and wait in the queue for the Homer Tunnel. There is also frequent construction along the way, which can cause delays.

*This post was written in 2024 - there are rumors of NZ disallowing car traffic to the Sound and only allowing visitors to travel by bus.

TIP 4: BRING SNACKS & WARM CLOTHES

Besides the visitor center and the town of Te Anau, there are no food options or gas along the drive. For the cruise, especially if you’re going early, bring warm clothes (I’m talking hats and gloves) ! It can be very windy and chilly (even a bit wet) on the boat. There are indoor spaces but even those can be cold. A raincoat is recommended too, since the boat drivers like to get real close to the waterfalls. ;)

There is one other option to stay near Milford Sound, but it’s quite pricey. The Milford Sound Lodge has grown in popularity since I stayed there in 2018, and has become nearly impossible to reserve. But if you are willing and lucky, you could secure a room in a pretty magical place.

Milford Sound is worth the journey to get there. It is super touristy for a reason. :) Here is a gallery of some of my favorite photos from the 3 times I’ve visited: