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Southland · New Zealand
Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, fjords with vertical walls and waterfalls in Fiordland National Park, the Milford Road, Lake Te Anau and the glowworm caves.
In the photo: Kepler Track alpine ridge in Fiordland
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Fiordland ocupa o canto sudoeste da Ilha Sul: uma região de montanhas cobertas de floresta úmida, recortada por fiordes que as geleiras escavaram e o mar invadiu. Quase toda ela é o Parque Nacional Fiordland, o maior do país, parte de Te Wāhipounamu, patrimônio mundial da UNESCO. Chove muito, e é a chuva que alimenta as centenas de cachoeiras que descem pelas paredes de rocha.
A porta de entrada é Te Anau, cidade de cerca de 3 mil habitantes à beira do Lago Te Anau, o maior da Ilha Sul. Dali parte a estrada de Milford, com 119 km pelo vale do Eglinton, por lagos e pelo túnel Homer, até Milford Sound (Piopiotahi). O fiorde tem cerca de 15 km, com o Mitre Peak subindo 1.692 metros direto da água e as cachoeiras Lady Bowen e Stirling caindo no mar. Os barcos saem do terminal no fim da estrada.
A 21 km de Te Anau, a vila de Manapouri fica na margem do lago de mesmo nome, ponto de partida para Doubtful Sound (Patea). Para chegar lá, é preciso atravessar o lago de barco e cruzar de ônibus o passo Wilmot. Com cerca de 40 km e mais de 400 metros de profundidade, Doubtful é mais longo, mais fundo e mais isolado que Milford, e abriga um pequeno grupo de golfinhos-nariz-de-garrafa.
Em terra, Fiordland tem três das Great Walks do país: a Milford Track, a Kepler Track, que sai de Te Anau, e a Routeburn, que termina na estrada de Milford. Do outro lado do Lago Te Anau, as grutas de Te Ana-au escondem um rio subterrâneo com teto de vaga-lumes.
This destination brings together 2 cities: Te Anau, Manapōuri.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: Stats NZ / geoBoundaries (CC BY 4.0). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Aeroporto de Queenstown (ZQN), in Frankton · 165 km to Te Anau
✈ Aeroporto de Te Anau (Manapouri) (TEU) · 15 km to Te Anau
Te Anau is about 2.5 hours from Queenstown, which has the nearest airport with regular flights, and 155 km from Invercargill. Buses link Te Anau with Queenstown and Milford Sound. There are also scenic flights from Queenstown and from Te Anau to Milford Sound.
Suggested arrival point: Te Anau
Te Anau is the gateway to Fiordland, on the shore of Lake Te Anau, the largest on the South Island. From here the 119 km road to Milford Sound begins, and on the far side of the lake are the Te Ana-au glowworm caves. The town is the start of the Kepler Track and has a bird sanctuary where takahēs can be seen.
Manapouri is a village of about 270 residents on the east shore of Lake Manapouri, 21 km from Te Anau. Boats leave from the Pearl Harbour wharf to cross the lake en route to Doubtful Sound (Patea). The village recalls the Save Manapouri campaign, regarded as the country’s first major environmental movement.
The local experience
Fiord about 40 km long and up to 421 m deep, the deepest on the South Island, in Fiordland National Park. Access is by boat on Lake Manapouri and by bus via the Wilmot Pass. Home to a small group of bottlenose dolphins.
A roughly 15 km fiord in Fiordland National Park, with Mitre Peak and the Lady Bowen and Stirling waterfalls, reached via the 119 km road from Te Anau. Boat tours depart from the terminal at the end of the road.
Limestone caves on the far side of Lake Te Anau, with an underground river, waterfalls and a chamber whose ceiling is covered in glowworms, seen by boat in the dark. Access is only by guided tour.
Glacial lake on the edge of Fiordland, with about 20 islands at the eastern end, bays and beaches, beside the village of Manapouri. Starting point for boats to Doubtful Sound and a place for kayak trips.
The largest lake on the South Island and the country's second largest, on the edge of the town of Te Anau, with three arms that extend into the Fiordland mountains. Shoreline with a trail, stony beaches and boat trips.
One of New Zealand’s Great Walks: a roughly 60 km circuit that starts from Te Anau, climbs the Kepler mountain ridge with views of Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri and returns through forest. Day sections are possible from town.
A sanctuary on the south shore of Lake Te Anau, near town, with rare native birds such as the takahē, kākā and the blue duck (whio), in aviaries open to visitors.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From November to April, with long days and the hiking season. Rain is frequent at any time of year, and rainy days fill the fjords’ waterfalls. In winter, June to August, it is cold, the Milford Road may require tire chains and can close for avalanche risk, but clear days are usually crisp.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Three days: one for Milford Sound via the road, including the boat cruise; one for Doubtful Sound, a full-day excursion from Manapouri; and one for the glowworm caves and a section of the Kepler Track. The Great Walks take three to four days each.
Te Anau concentrates accommodation, restaurants and tours on the lakeshore. Manapouri is smaller and quieter, near the boats’ wharf for Doubtful Sound. In Milford Sound there are few lodging options; most people make a return trip in one day.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Milford is smaller, more accessible by road and features Mitre Peak and steeper vertical walls. Doubtful is longer, deeper and more secluded, with fewer boats, but it requires crossing a lake and a mountain and takes a full day. If you have time, do both.
Yes. There are buses and tours that depart from Te Anau and Queenstown, with the boat included, and scenic flights. From Queenstown the bus tour takes about 12 hours round trip.
Three days allow visits to Milford and Doubtful Sound and the glowworm caves. For the Great Walks, plan three to four days each.
Yes, it is one of the wettest regions in the world, with frequent rain year‑round. Rainy days fill the fjords’ waterfalls, and boat tours usually operate despite the weather.
It can close for hours or days, especially in winter, due to avalanche risk, and at any time because of slips or flooding. Check conditions before you go and carry tire chains in winter.
