Milford Sound sightseeing tour by road

A self drive Milford Sound experience combined with an un-crowded cruise of the fiord aboard the Milford Adventurer, will undoubtedly be one of your more memorable days in New Zealand.

After leaving Te Anau, State Highway 94 travels up the eastern side of Lake Te Anau along the lateral moraine left behind after the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the last ice age. Great views can be had looking towards the west across Lake Te Anau and up its arms deep into the Fiordland mountains. Lake Te Anau arms mirror the fiords on the Tasman Sea side of the mountains.

Self-drive map with highlights

Figures are driving distances in kilometres from Te Anau.

Te Anau Downs – this sheltered harbour is the departure point for Milford Track Walkers.

Boyd Creek – an easy 250m walk to view pleasant waterfalls.

 Boundary to Fiordland National Park and entrance to Eglinton Valley – red, silver and mountain beech forests, interspersed by tussocky alluvial river flats and wetlands, dominate the Eglinton valley floor and slopes.

  Walker Creek – campsite.

Totara Creek – campsite.

Mackay Creek – campsite.

Viewing lay-by – stunning views of the Eglinton Valley can be had from here with the Earl Mountains on the left (west) and Livingston Mountains on the right. Looking due north the two outstanding peaks of Pyramid Peak (2295m) and Ngatimamoe Peak (2164m) can be seen. A short walk through tussock leads to information panels describing geology and glaciology of the valley.

  East Eglinton bridge – campsite.

Mirror Lakes – a boardwalk leads through an attractive beech forest and wetlands with pools reflecting the Earl Mountains opposite.

   A long straight stretch of highway known as “The Avenue of Disappearing Mountain”. The forward movement of your vehicle along the slowly rising road creates the optical illusion that the mountains ahead are sinking into the surrounding beech forest.

   The road crosses the 45° South parallel – the halfway point between the equator and the South Pole.

Deer Flat – campsite.

Knobs Flat – so named for the kames or hummocks left behind by the retreating glaciers. There are also a campsite, toilets and a phone provided here.

Kiosk Creek – campsite.

Smithy Creek – campsite.

  Car park – start of the walking track to Glade House on the Milford Track via Dore Pass (1390m). This is a strenuous hike.

Upper Eglinton campsite.

Cascade Creek / Lake Gunn (477m) – a pleasant nature walk along a loop track through red beech forest and along the lake edge (45mins return).

Lake Gunn lookout.

Lake Gunn campsite – last Campsite before Milford Sound.

Lake Fergus – source of the Eglinton River.

Windy point lookout.

Lake Lochie.

The Divide (532m) – the lowest east – west pass in the Southern Alps. This is also the starting point of the walking tracks to Key Summit, and the Routeburn, Greenstone and Caples Tracks. A shelter and toilets are provided. The Key Summit walk (3hrs return) takes you through native beech forest, then through open ground of tussocks, alpine tarns, shrub land and bogs. The Key summit viewpoint (918m) provides spectacular views of the Eglinton, Hollyford and Greenstone Valleys.

Hollyford Valley Lookout (Pops View) – provides spectacular views over the Hollyford Valley and the Darren Mountains. Directly across the valley lies the Marian hanging valley. At its head are Mt Marian (2101m), Mt Sabre (2162m), and Mt Adelaide. The big peak on the western side of the Marian Basin is Mt Christina (2472m). The Ailsa Mountains lie on the eastern side of the valley and mark the main divide of the Southern Alps.

Marian Corner – this is the junction to the Lower Hollyford Road (no exit). Travel 1km down this road to the Lake Marian Track. It is 10minutes to some splendid waterfalls before climbing quite steeply to a spectacular hanging valley and Lake Marian (695m). 3 hours return. Travel 4kms along the Hollyford Road brings you to the Pass Creek Track which links to the Routeburn and Greenstone Tracks at Lake Howden. 8kms down the road is Gunns camp and 16kms to the road end where the Hollyford Track to Martins Bay begins. There is also a short side-track here that takes you the 275m high Humboldt Falls.

Falls Creek – here there is a view of the bottom of Christie Falls. This is also the departure point to a track that takes you to a spectacular cirque beneath Ngatimamoe and Pyramid Peaks (2 hours one way for experienced trampers).

Monkey Creek bridge and Lyttle's Flat – provides great views of the upper Hollyford Valley.

Gertrude Valley – a track takes you to a high valley of largely unmodified sub-alpine vegetation. A return trip to the head of the valley beneath the Barrier wall is 1.5 hours return. To continue the trip to Black Lake and the Gertrude Saddle (1410m) is 4 hours return and requires you to be very well prepared.

Homer Tunnel (922m) – there are traffic lights at the tunnel allowing for only one-way traffic at a time. It is possible to wait up to 15 minutes until the lights turn green. Build this delay into your travel time to Milford .

The tunnel descends 129m over it 1.2km length, a gradient of 1 in 10, and exits at an elevation of 793m. There are parking bays on the side of the road just before the tunnel and the inquisitive playful kea (native mountain parrot) are frequently found here.

Work on the Homer Tunnel commenced in 1935 when 9 men began excavations with hand tools. Drilling and blasting began the following year. “Hole-through” was achieved in February 1940 and a vehicle driven through in 1942 before work was suspended for World War II. The tunnel was completed after the war and the first private car was driven through the tunnel in the summer of 1954.

Head of the Cleddau Valley – a magnificent view down this U-Shaped valley makes for great photo stop. Descending down the valley will reveal a luxuriant mixed beech and podocarp forest. This contrasts markedly form the east side of the tunnel where the forests are predominantly beech.

The Chasm – easy short walk through the luxuriant forest via a concrete and decked track provides access to a 22m deep ravine where the Cleddau River has cut through the rock (diorite), carving out fascinating formations that resemble Swiss-cheese.

View of Mt Tutuko (2723m) – this is the highest and most glaciated peak in Fiordland National Park.

Turnoff to Milford Sound Lodge – this Backpackers Lodge and Campervan park is the only true public accommodation at Milford Sound. For more information see: www.milfordlodge.com

Milford Visitors Centre and Boat Terminal – there is an easy 5 min walk from the vehicle parking area to the boat terminal building and wharf. You will find the Cruize Milford Sound desk located on the right hand side once you have entered through the main entrance.