Journal Adventures About
New Zealand · South Island

Fiordland
& Milford.

The crown jewel of New Zealand — and it earns that title every time.

The Crown Jewel

Nothing in New Zealand hits quite like this.

Fiordland is raw in a way the rest of the country isn't. Vertical walls of rock dropping into black water. Waterfalls appearing out of nowhere after rain. A drive through a mountain tunnel that spits you out into one of the most dramatic valleys on earth. Give it a full day — or better, stay the night and do the hikes properly.

The Hikes

Two You Shouldn't Skip

Both start from the Milford Road area. Key Summit for the easier incredible day. Gertrude Saddle for one of the best alpine hikes in the country.

Key Summit alpine track
Moderate
Hike 01 — Best Bang for Buck

Key Summit

Fiordland National Park · Off the Milford Road

Distance
5 mi
Elevation
1,200 ft
Time
3–4 hrs
"A short loop off the Milford Road that puts you on an alpine saddle looking out over three separate valleys. On a clear day it's one of the great easy hikes in New Zealand — completely worth the stop."

Trailhead: Divide Car Park on the Milford Road — easy to stop on the way to or from Milford Sound.

Best time: Morning before the tour buses arrive. The summit is exposed so check the weather.

Fiordland NP · New Zealand
Open in Maps
Gertrude Saddle Fiordland New Zealand
Gertrude Saddle alpine terrain
Strenuous
Hike 02 — World Class

Gertrude Saddle

Fiordland National Park · Homer Tunnel area

Distance
5.6 mi
Elevation
2,700 ft
Time
5–7 hrs
"The last section involves scrambling up rock faces with chains to assist — and then the saddle opens up to a view straight down into Milford Sound. One of the most dramatic reveals in all of New Zealand hiking."

Conditions: Partially unmarked. Can be snowy even in summer above the bushline. Check DOC conditions before you go.

Note: The scramble near the top is exposed — not for anyone uncomfortable with heights. But if you're comfortable, absolutely do it.

Fiordland NP · New Zealand
Open in Maps
The Milford Road

Stop Along the Way

The drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound is one of the great drives in the world. Three stops worth making — even if you're short on time.

Mirror Lakes Fiordland New Zealand
~1 hr from Te Anau

Mirror Lakes

A short boardwalk to a series of small lakes that reflect the mountains perfectly in calm conditions. Takes 10 minutes. Go early before the wind picks up — the reflection disappears quickly.

Homer Tunnel Fiordland New Zealand
Homer Tunnel

Homer Tunnel

A one-lane tunnel bored straight through the mountains — raw rock walls, dripping water, single traffic light. Emerges on the other side into the Cleddau Valley with waterfalls dropping hundreds of metres all around you. Genuinely otherworldly.

The Road Itself

Pull Over. Often.

There's no checklist for the Milford Road — just drive slowly and stop when something makes you. After heavy rain waterfalls appear on every cliff face. The Cleddau Valley after the tunnel is worth getting out and just standing in for a minute.

Quick Stop

Lake Manapouri

On the way in or out. Worth 30 minutes.

Lake Manapouri New Zealand

"Quieter than Milford, less visited, and genuinely beautiful in its own right. The reflections on a still morning are something else."

Lake Manapouri sits just south of Te Anau — the town you'll pass through on the way to Milford. It's worth a short detour to the lakeshore. One of the deepest lakes in New Zealand, surrounded by native bush and mountains that drop straight into the water. A proper fiordland lake without the crowds.

Doubtful Sound — arguably more spectacular than Milford — is accessible from here by boat. If you're staying in the area an extra night it's worth looking into.

Open in Maps
The Finale

Milford Sound.

Everything leads here.

Milford Sound Mitre Peak New Zealand
Milford Sound waterfalls New Zealand
Milford Sound cruise New Zealand

"Mitre Peak rises 5,500 feet straight out of the water. After rain — and it rains here constantly — waterfalls cascade down every wall of the fiord. It's one of those places where photos don't work."

The standard visit is a cruise — 2 hours out and back through the fiord. In calm conditions the reflection of Mitre Peak in the water is one of the most photographed images in New Zealand. After rain it's somehow even more dramatic — waterfalls that don't normally exist appear on every cliff face.

Go in the morning if you can. The afternoon light is good but the morning cruise has calmer water for the reflections and fewer people fighting for the same shot.

The Cruise
2-hour nature cruise. Book ahead in summer — it fills up. Mitre Peak Cruises and Real Journeys are both solid operators.
Best Conditions
Rainy days are actually incredible — waterfalls double or triple. Don't be put off by bad weather.
From Queenstown
~4 hours. Long day trip or stay in Te Anau the night before to do the hikes properly.
Fly In Option
Scenic flight from Queenstown landing at Milford. Extraordinary but expensive — worth it if that's your thing.
Open in Maps

Part of the New Zealand guide

← Back to New Zealand