Attraction
Skyline Queenstown
Queenstown's gondola climbs from the top of Brecon Street to Bob's Peak, where a viewing complex, restaurant, café and two luge tracks look over Lake Wakatipu.
Milford Sound / Piopiotahi
Fiordland's best-known fiord, 15 km of sheer cliffs and permanent waterfalls under Mitre Peak, reached from Queenstown by coach, car or scenic flight.
At a glance
- Type
- Fiord and national park
- Area
- Fiordland National Park, Queenstown, New Zealand
Good to know
- Day trips from Queenstown
- Cruises
- Marine reserve
Why we recommend it
Milford Sound, officially Milford Sound / Piopiotahi, is a fiord on the south-west coast of the South Island and one of the most visited places in New Zealand, with somewhere between half a million and a million visitors a year. It runs about 15 kilometres inland from the Tasman Sea, with walls that drop straight into the water. Mitre Peak rises 1,692 metres above the sound and is the shape most people know from photographs. The Māori name, Piopiotahi, refers to the piopio, a bird that is now extinct.
It is not close to Queenstown. The road distance is 291 kilometres, via Te Anau, which is 121 kilometres from the sound, and the final section crosses the mountains through the 1.2-kilometre Homer Tunnel. That road is prone to avalanches and can close in winter, so check conditions before you set out. Many visitors from Queenstown take a full-day coach and cruise package; others drive, or fly in on a scenic flight and connect with a boat.
Once you are on the water, the highlights are the two permanent waterfalls, Lady Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls, and the scale of the cliffs. Rain is part of the experience rather than a problem. Mean annual rainfall is over 6,000 millimetres, among the highest of any inhabited place in the country, and after heavy rain many temporary falls pour off the rock faces. Daily totals can reach 250 millimetres, so a wet day can be more dramatic than a clear one.
Wildlife is a bonus. Seals live in the sound, which also has the southernmost wild bottlenose dolphins, Fiordland penguins breed here, and humpback and southern right whales are occasionally seen. The waters form the Piopiotahi Marine Reserve, the land sits within Fiordland National Park, and the whole area is part of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage site.
Plan for a long day if you are based in Queenstown, and build in flexibility for the weather and road. If you have more time, staying a night in Te Anau shortens the drive considerably. A proposal to charge international visitors an entry fee has been discussed, so check the current position with the Department of Conservation or your tour operator before you travel.
Milford Sound / Piopiotahi FAQs
How far is Milford Sound from Queenstown?
It is 291 km by road, via Te Anau. Te Anau is 121 km from the sound.
Can you do Milford Sound as a day trip from Queenstown?
Yes. Coach and cruise packages and scenic flights run from Queenstown, but by road it is a long day, so many people prefer to stay a night in Te Anau.
Is the road to Milford Sound open all year?
The road passes through the 1.2 km Homer Tunnel and is prone to avalanches and closures in winter, so check conditions before travelling.
Which waterfalls will I see?
Lady Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls flow all year, and many temporary falls appear after heavy rain.
How high is Mitre Peak?
Mitre Peak rises 1,692 metres above the sound.
What wildlife can you see?
Seals, bottlenose dolphins and Fiordland penguins are seen in the sound, and humpback and southern right whales occasionally visit.
Is it worth going when it rains?
Yes. Mean annual rainfall is over 6,000 mm, and heavy rain creates temporary waterfalls down the cliffs.
What does Piopiotahi mean?
The Māori name refers to the piopio, a native bird that is now extinct.