Visited the 20th in April 2025
There’s truly no place more extraordinary than Milford Sound, nestled deep within New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park. Milford Sound was one of the places I had really wanted to visit while I was in New Zealand.
I went there in April and drove from Te Anau in a rental car. It was raining on the way and the mountains were covered in mist, so at first I wasn’t sure how much I would actually be able to see during the cruise.
In the end, the weather turned out to be almost perfect for me.
The rain stopped shortly after the cruise started, and because it had been raining until just before then, there were waterfalls all over the mountainsides.
Finally Getting on the Milford Sound Cruise
I was pretty excited when I got on the boat.
Milford Sound is one of the most famous places in New Zealand, so I had been looking forward to finally seeing it for myself.
The boat had a café, plenty of seats inside and enough space to walk around. It wasn’t crowded when I went either, so there was no problem finding somewhere to sit or moving around the boat.
I remember waiting for the boat to leave and thinking that I just wanted to get a coffee and watch the scenery from the deck.
The View from the Deck
The first thing that impressed me was honestly just how big everything looked.
There wasn’t really one particular thing that stood out at the beginning. The mountains, cliffs and waterfalls all looked impressive at the same time.
Milford Sound was formed by glaciers, and from the boat you can really see how steep the sides of the fiord are. The mountains rise almost straight out of the water, and there were waterfalls running down the rock faces everywhere.
At the start of the cruise, there was still quite a lot of mist around the mountains.
I actually liked it.
It gave the place a slightly spooky atmosphere, with parts of the mountains disappearing into the mist.
As the weather improved, everything gradually became clearer and I could see much more detail in the mountains and waterfalls.
There Were Waterfalls Everywhere
The number of waterfalls was probably one of the things that surprised me most.
You can see waterfalls in plenty of places, of course, but I don’t think I’d ever seen so many at the same time.
Because it had been raining before the cruise, smaller waterfalls had appeared all over the mountainsides as well as the larger permanent ones.
That was probably why the timing worked out so well.
At one point, a rainbow appeared near one of the waterfalls. Later, I saw another one somewhere else.
By then, I was just thinking that I’d been very lucky with the weather.
I Stayed Outside for Most of the Cruise
I get seasick quite easily, so I usually prefer staying outside when I’m on a boat.
But even without that, I probably would have spent most of this cruise on the deck anyway.
The scenery was the main reason I was there.
Photos really don’t do it justice, though.
One thing they don’t show very well is how large the mountains feel when you’re actually underneath them.
After we had gone around part of the fiord, there was one particularly large mountain on the left-hand side that I remember looking at for quite a while.
You could see the shape of the rock and the way parts of the mountain had been carved away.
That was probably one of the moments when I really understood the scale of the place.
Getting Close to a Waterfall
Towards the end of the cruise, the boat went close to one of the large waterfalls.
I knew this was something Milford Sound cruises often do, so I stayed outside for it.
I got much wetter than I expected.
My hair was completely soaked, and afterwards I was wet enough to start feeling cold.
It was still fun, though.
Getting drenched by a waterfall felt like part of the experience.
Wildlife on the Cruise
I didn’t see any dolphins.
I did see one seal in the distance, although it was quite far away and I could only just make it out.
For me, wildlife wasn’t really a major part of the cruise.
The scenery was much more memorable.
Is Milford Sound Worth Visiting in the Rain?
For me, yes.
After going there, I don’t think rain is necessarily a bad thing at Milford Sound.
Wet weather creates temporary waterfalls all over the cliffs, so you may actually see more waterfalls than you would on a completely dry day.
I was lucky because the rain stopped soon after the cruise started, but even if rain is forecast, I wouldn’t immediately think you’ve picked a bad day.
I’d just make sure to bring a proper waterproof jacket.
Driving from Te Anau to Milford Sound
I drove from Te Anau in a car.
I don’t remember the exact time I left, but I think it was sometime after 8 am. My cruise was at around 10:30 or 11 am, and I wanted to make sure I arrived with enough time before departure.
It was raining on the way, so I didn’t stop at any of the viewpoints.
I decided that I would get to Milford Sound first and stop somewhere on the way back if I had enough time.
For me, that was the better choice because I didn’t want to spend the drive worrying about missing the cruise.
The drive from Te Anau takes at least around two hours without stops, and there are quite a few places where you might want to stop along the way, so I wouldn’t leave too late if you have a cruise booked.
How Long Was the Cruise?
My cruise lasted around two hours.
Personally, that felt about right.
I never got bored because I spent most of the time outside looking at the scenery and taking photos.
The two hours went by pretty quickly.
Book an Early Cruise If You Can
Based on my experience, I’d recommend choosing an early departure if you can.
It gives you a better chance of finding parking without too much stress, and the cruise may also be less crowded. When I went, there was plenty of space to move around the boat, take photos and sit down with a coffee without feeling packed in.
That made the whole experience much more relaxing.
Was the Milford Sound Cruise Worth It?
Yes, definitely.
Milford Sound itself was much more impressive to me than even the drive there.
What stayed with me most was the sheer size of the landscape and the number of waterfalls.
There wasn’t really anything about the cruise that disappointed me.
I would happily do the same cruise again.
The only difference is that next time I might take fewer photos and spend a bit more time just looking at everything.
Although knowing me, I’d probably still take far too many.
Practical Information for Visiting Milford Sound
A few things are worth knowing if you’re planning to drive to Milford Sound yourself.
Driving time from Te Anau:
The drive is about 120 km. Allow at least two hours without stops, but around three hours is more realistic if you want some extra time along the way. If you plan to stop at several viewpoints, allow even longer.
Arriving for your cruise:
Don’t plan to arrive at Milford Sound just before departure. You need time to park and walk or get to the cruise terminal, and cruise check-in is usually required before departure.
Parking:
Paid parking is available near the Milford Sound boat terminal. There is also a free parking option further away, which involves a longer walk to the terminal.
Cruise duration:
My cruise lasted around two hours, although the exact duration depends on the cruise operator.
Before you leave Te Anau:
There are no fuel stations between Te Anau and Milford Sound, so fill up before you leave.
For the latest road conditions, parking information and travel advice, I recommend checking the official Visit Fiordland website before you go.
