If you’re planning travel to Aotearoa / New Zealand’s South Island, I’m sure you’re considering visiting Milford Sound. Located in Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound is one of Aotearoa / New Zealand’s most popular destinations. An un-hidden gem, if you will.
Milford Sound is highly touristed. But it’s one of those places you visit and understand exactly why it’s so touristy (hopefully). Cruising through the fiords, admiring cascading waterfalls and sheer rock faces and spotting marine animals, it’s a visual ode to nature’s delights.
In fact, some sources refer to it as the 8th Wonder of the World. Not just a natural World Wonder, but a World Wonder encompassing both human made and natural sites. That term may be thrown around a lot – and honestly, I’m not sure it’s fully deserved – but it is truly beautiful.
However, like every major tourist attraction, there are more and less pleasant ways to visit. Certainly, if you visit during peak date and time on a crowded cruise in horrible weather, you might be wondering how anyone could possibly wax poetic about Milford Sound. But with a bit of better planning, you might see what I’m talking about.
That is where I enter.
Read more below about my tips for visiting Milford Sound.
Table of Contents
- Method of Visiting
- Cruise Company Selection
- Self-Drive vs. Group Tour
- Time of Year to Visit
- Time Slot Considerations
- How Far in Advance to Book
- Money Saving Tips
- Additional Attractions in Fiordland National Park
- Milford Sound Alternative – Doubtful Sound
If you follow these tips, hopefully you will understand why it’s such a popular stop on an Aotearoa / New Zealand itinerary! And as always – temper your expectations. Milford Sound (probably) won’t be a life-changing experience for you, but it will likely be an exceedingly lovely day out. Nothing ruins an experience more than expecting too much out of it.
Decide How You Want to Visit
Let’s get into my first tip for visiting Milford Sound. How do you want to visit?
The most common way to visit is on a standard nature cruise that usually lasts about two hours. This cruise will meander through the fiords, stopping at the most impressive waterfalls and for marine life. Some cruises will also make this journey while sharing information about the history and geography of Milford Sound.
For time and cost purposes, this cruise was the way I opted to see Milford Sound. And I definitely got what I wanted out of it. However, if you have more time and/or money to spend on your Milford Sound experience, there are a few more options.
- Overnight Cruise: Many people claim the ultimate way to experience Milford Sound is on an overnight cruise. For these cruises, you’ll board a luxury boat, complete with locally sourced meals, nature guides and specialized itineraries. These cruises also give passengers the option to see Milford Sound up close via small boat, kayak and foot.
- Milford Track: One of New Zealand’s Great Walks is located in Milford Sound via the Milford Track. This track is accessible from late October through April and takes about four days to walk on average. The walk allows you to get up close and personal with Milford Sound’s landscape, including its fiords and rainforests. Be aware that you’ll likely take a boat to the starting point, which will cost extra.
- Longer Cruise Options: If you want to go beyond the standard nature cruise, but don’t quite want to commit to an overnight cruise or trek, you can just opt for a longer cruise. There are a few companies offering longer cruises that can include lunch, kayaking or even walking part of the Milford Track.
Select a Cruise Company
One of my – perhaps unpopular – tips for visiting Milford Sound is this – the cruise company you choose doesn’t really matter too much. If you’re looking for a standard nature cruise, most companies actually have very similar offerings.
Here are a couple of things to consider:
- Boat Size: If a smaller group size is important to you, and you can’t time your visit outside of peak hours, boat size is probably going to be the biggest differentiator in cruise lines. The smaller the boat, the more intimate experience you’re more likely to have. Note that smaller boats tend to be more expensive.
- Operating Hours: Most cruise lines operate throughout the day, but some have earlier first cruises and later last cruises. I’ll get to this more later, but these are the types of cruises you want to take if you’re self-driving and looking for the best experience.
- Commentary Quality: If you’re hoping to learn more about Milford Sound’s history, geography and marine life, I highly recommend looking at the reviews for the different cruise lines and focusing on what people say about their commentary. The cruise line I used (Southern Discoveries) had a captain who shared a lot of information about Milford Sound, which I really appreciated. Apparently, this feature can be hit or miss depending on the cruise line.
- Extras: If you want a cruise line that goes beyond the standard nature cruise or offers things like longer cruises, overnights, kayaking, walking, etc., make sure to include that in your search criteria.
- Price: Of course, if you’re looking for a standard cruise to enjoy the scenery without anything more, it will likely come down mostly to price. I recommend looking at this Milford Sound cruise aggregator to compare prices and potentially snag deals.
Self-Drive vs. Tour Bus
If you take away only one of my tips for visiting Milford Sound, let it be this one: Do a self-drive if you can.
Most, if not all, cruise companies offer packages that include pick up and drop off in Queenstown or Te Anau. They are very long days (especially if you start in Queenstown) and pretty much guarantee you’ll be on one of the more crowded boats – particularly in peak season. The buses do stop in some scenic locations, but you don’t get to choose where and when to stop.
Don’t get me wrong, a tour bus is a great way to experience Milford Sound and Fiordland National Park if you don’t have or don’t want access to a car. But self driving is so much better.
If you’re driving yourself to Milford Sound, you can choose which cruise you want – and choose a time slot that allows you to escape the crowds. You can also choose to make as much of a day (or two) in Fiordland National Park as you want. Stop at all or none of the scenic lookouts, do a bit of hiking – the world is your oyster. And you won’t be surrounded by a huge crowd of people from your bus and others while doing it.
Time of Year Considerations
You’ll be glad to know the best time of year to visit Milford Sound coincides with the best times to visit New Zealand in general.
Many people say you really can’t go wrong with visiting Milford Sound any time of year or in any type of weather. I personally visited on a very sunny spring day (and it was still cold and windy), and it was gorgeous. However, I’ve seen pictures of Milford sound in misty/rainy weather, and it also looks magical with that landscape.
The only thing I can think is that it might be less pleasant to spend all or most of your time outside in the rain or mist.
Here are the things to consider each season:
- Summer (Dec – Feb): Summer is peak season for visiting Milford Sound and New Zealand in general. You’re likely to have the best weather and stunning scenery, but also the highest crowds.
- Spring (Sept – Nov): Spring is shoulder season. You have a good chance for nice weather, but you can also get more rain or mist – especially earlier in the season. If you’re interested in marine life, spring can be your best chance for spotting baby seals and dolphins. Indeed, I saw seals, dolphins and penguins on my November 2024 cruise.
- Fall (April – June): Fall is also shoulder and comes with similar chances for weather, though tends to be a bit rainier than spring – especially later in the season. However, the rain makes for the most impressive waterfalls.
- Winter (July – Aug): Winter is low season in New Zealand. You’re likely to see the fewest crowds, but have the coldest weather. Milford Sound is said to be very still in winter with low animal activity and great beauty. The boat ride will be extra cold, though.
Day Cruise Time Slot Considerations
If you take away a second tip for visiting Milford Sound away from this article, let it be this one – take the first or last cruise of the day.
Now, this tip only applies if you’re self-driving, so it goes hand-in-hand with my other most important tip. Take them both to heart if you’re considering visiting Milford Sound.
Why the first or last cruise of the day?
Remember what I said at the beginning of this post – Milford Sound is incredibly touristy. It’s one of the most popular attractions on New Zealand’s South Island. It’s definitely worth visiting, but you’re going to have a better time if you can avoid the crowds.
The best way to avoid the crowds? Book outside the hours that tour groups can visit via bus.
Most people say to book the first cruise for the absolute lowest crowds. This is probably true. But I booked the last cruise of the day and still enjoyed an uncrowded boat, plus a leisurely drive through Fiordland National Park where I could pull over and marvel at the scenery whenever I wanted.
Or you can book a midday cruise and potentially be in a throng of people. Up to you.
How Far in Advance to Book
If you’re a planner, this next tip for visiting Milford Sound might sound uncomfortable – you can book pretty last-minute. Especially in shoulder season.
If you’re looking to book a standard cruise, there are so many options, I really don’t think you should feel pressured to book far in advance. In fact, I got a last-minute deal booking my cruise the day before.
The only reason you should book farther in advance would be if you want a specific company or one of the longer/fancier cruise options. And really, I think this would only matter in the height of peak season.
Obviously, keep an eye on the cruises, and if they’re filling up quickly, you might want to book sooner rather than later. But waiting a bit can keep you flexible, which is important on the South Island due to its unpredictable weather.
The ability to be flexible was what I appreciated most from my New Zealand campervan trip – and we had to change plans a lot on the South Island. Trust me when I say you don’t want to have things booked out too far in advance then muddle through terrible weather for most or all of your trip.
Money Saving Tips
My biggest money saving trip for visiting Milford Sound is to keep an eye on this website. This site aggregates all the cruises and allows you to make the best decision based on price and cruise offering.
Additionally, scour the web for discount codes. Some companies offer codes for things like anniversaries or just to attract new customers. You never know what money savings are only a Google search away.
Other Things to Experience in Fiordland National Park
My last major tip for visiting Milford Sound is to really make a trip out of visiting Fiordland National Park. If you make a beeline to Milford Sound for a two-hour cruise and back and ignore the park, you might honestly be a bit disappointed with your trip. The Fiordland park is absolutely stunning, and you should consider it as part of your overall Milford Sound experience.
I highly recommend (require?) you to take your time driving through the park either on your way to or from your Milford Sound Cruise. Make sure to pull out at as many scenic spots and short hikes as you want. Some of my favorites were Eglinton Valley and the Mirror Lakes.
If you have more time to visit Fiordland National Park, there are a few different hikes you can do in the park. The most famous day hike is Key Summit, which is part of the longer multi-day Routeburn Track. That hike is what I would have done if I’d had more time in the park. But overall, I enjoyed just pulling out at all the lookouts and doing some shorter walks during my day in the park.
Milford Sound Alternative: Doubtful Sound
If Milford Sound seems too touristy for you, there is an alternative that people say is just as good, if not better. Also located in Fiordland National Park, you’ll find Doubtful Sound. This fiord is larger and harder to access than Milford Sound, which makes it less popular.
However, its beauty is said to equal or surpass Milford Sound. A cruise through Doubtful Sound is more impressive to some due to its size in comparison to is more popular sister. If you visit both, you’ll have to tell me how they compare.
Were these tips for visiting Milford Sound helpful? Let me know!
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