Travel Dates: December 2023
Things to do in Fiordland:
Milford Sound – The stunning views of Milford Sound cannot be missed, and I highly recommend doing both the cruise and shore walk to fully immerse yourself in the beauty of this natural wonder. Despite being named a sound, it is technically a fiord, and the region is recognized as a rainforest with precipitation occurring two-thirds of the year.
There is a paid parking lot at Milford Sound: $10 per hour before 3pm and $5 per hour after 3pm. From the parking lot, it’s a 10 minute walk to the cruises/visitor center and a few minutes to the start of the Milford Sound Foreshore Walk.
- Milford Sound Cruises: The cruises are typically 2 hours long and have many departure times throughout the day, with the last cruises scheduled around 3pm. The cruises take you through Milford Sound, where you can enjoy the breathtaking views of cascading waterfalls, cliffs, and rainforest. Numerous companies provide this tour, and our choice was Mitre Peak Cruises. We opted for their service due to a smaller boat size, eliminating the need to navigate through crowds for the perfect photo, and their accommodating last departure at 3:55 pm. During the cruise, we encountered sea lions and dolphins, with a memorable moment when the boat stopped directly in front of a waterfall, allowing those inclined to experience its formidable power and even get soaked.
Other things to note about Milford Sound Cruises: check-in is 30 minutes before departure time at the visitor center, where you’ll also find bathrooms. The visitor center does close after the last cruise of the day departs, so make sure you use the bathroom on the boat if you need it.
- Milford Sound Foreshore Walk – An easy walk that takes ~13 minutes to complete the loop, but we only went to the lookout point and swing (at the fork on the path, go towards the left). To get to the swing, you can use Google Maps as a reference but keep in mind, during high tide it will be very difficult and maybe even impossible to get to due to higher water levels.
Stops along the drive to Milford Sound – When driving to Milford Sound, there are many viewpoints and hikes along the way. Here are the ones that we did and recommend (in no particular order): Gertrude Valley, Monkey Creek, right before Cascade Creek there is a field of lupins (purple flowers), Christie Falls, Hollyford Valley/Pop’s View Lookout, Eglinton Valley, and Mirror Lakes.
Doubtful Sound Cruise – In my research, many people said they preferred Doubtful Sound Cruise because it’s less crowded than Milford Sound. Although it is true, I actually preferred Milford Sound cruise more given the price is cheaper, the trip is shorter, and what we saw at Milford Sound was similar if not better than Doubtful Sound (granted we did have very poor weather with rain, clouds, and fog throughout the day).
The Doubtful Sound Cruise disembarks from a visitor center in Manapouri. At the visitor center, there’s some parking up front but there’s an overflow parking lot situated uphill behind the residential houses (look out for the signs). Similarly to Milford Sound, check-in is 30 minutes before departure time. Bathrooms are available right outside of the visitor center.
The tour is 7 hours long, with a 1 hour ferry ride, followed by 1 hour bus ride, then 3 hour cruise on Doubtful Sound, and finally back to the bus and ferry. Because it’s a long trip, make sure to bring food and drinks with you, although other options include pre-ordering meals, buying food at the visitor center’s cafe, or buying snacks on board.
After the ferry ride, you’ll get the chance to stretch your legs and use the bathroom at a small visitor center before getting on the bus. During the bus ride, they will make a few stops along the way for viewpoints. And once on the cruise, you’ll sail around to enjoy views of the fiords and hopefully spot some animals (we saw a sea lion colony). This cruise will be the sole operator in Doubtful Sound, and at a certain time, they will cut the engine so you can experience the sound of silence and take in the serenity and peacefulness around you.
Things to do in Te Anau:
Te Anau Glowworm Caves – If you’ve never seen glowworms before, then I highly recommend doing so. The Te Anau Glowworm Caves tour is 2 hrs 15 mins that starts with a ferry ride across Lake Te Anau to the caves. Once there, the tour will be split into smaller groups to take turns going inside the caves, which includes a small boat ride. While waiting for your group’s turn, you can learn more about glowworms in the visitor center, get free coffee or tea, use the bathroom, or walk down to the lake front outside.
There are several things to keep in mind on this tour: 1) you will need to crouch at the entrance of the cave to get inside, 2) parts of the tour will be pitch-black in order to see the glowworms, 3) it’s highly recommended to bring a warm sweater/clothes (it’s cold inside the cave), waterproof jacket (you will get a bit wet), closed toe/non-slip shoes, and insect repellent, 4) check-in is 20 minutes before departure time at the tour office (also where you will board the ferry), and 5) there is street parking by the office, and a park across the street with public bathrooms if needed.
Where to eat in Te Anau:
Miles Better Pie – They were indeed better than the meat pies we had anywhere else on the trip. I highly recommend the satay chicken.
Where to stay in Te Anau:
Marakura Motels at Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park & Motels – A decent place for the budget, especially if you’re looking for multi-bedroom accommodations. Our room included a kitchen and had a nice view of Lake Te Anau. There is also free parking.
Globe Trotter 