New Zealand · city guide
Te Anau: the last town before Milford Sound
A quiet lakefront, a full tank, and the start of the most beautiful road I've ever driven.
Te Anau is where I based myself for Fiordland, and I'd tell anyone to do the same. It's the last proper town before Milford Sound, on the edge of a huge lake, so this is where you sleep, fill the tank and stock up before the drive in. I did Milford as a long day from here rather than winging it from Queenstown two hours the other way, and basing here was the single best decision I made on the whole South Island. Here's exactly how I'd spend a day or two.
- The gateway base for Milford Sound and Fiordland
- Last fuel, supermarket and phone signal before the Milford Road
- About 2 hrs from Queenstown, and 2 hrs up to Milford
Best things to do
Drive the Milford Road as the main event
The stretch up past the mirror lakes and the Chasm is some of the most beautiful filming I've ever done. Fuel up first, leave early and give it hours, not minutes, so you can stop at every pull-out that makes you gasp.
Cruise into Milford Sound
The highlight of my whole week: a boat gliding right under the fjord walls with waterfalls dropping beside it. I booked an early departure on purpose, fewer boats and softer light, back on the road before the midday coaches.
Slow morning on the lakefront
Wander the lake edge with the mountains across the water, grab a coffee and watch the floatplanes come and go. The easiest free morning here, and a gentle way to ease in before a big drive.
Walk a taste of the Kepler Track
The trailhead sits right by town, so you can walk a few hours through the beech forest to the lake control gates and back without committing to the full Great Walk.
Where to stay
Getting there & around
You really need your own car here; Te Anau is about 2 hours from Queenstown and there's no easy way around Fiordland without one. Milford itself is a day-drive up the Milford Road, roughly 2 hours each way, so fuel up in Te Anau the night before, download your maps offline and pack warm layers. There's no fuel and almost no phone signal once you leave town, and the road closes for avalanche risk and rockfall, so check the status before you set off.
Eat & drink
- Sandfly Cafe — The local morning spot for a proper coffee and a cooked breakfast before the long drive up.
- Te Anau supermarket — My budget move: stock up on picnic bits and water here, because there's nothing to buy on the Milford Road.
Day trips
On the map
Book this trip
A few of these earn me a small cut at no extra cost to you — only ever things I'd actually book.
Frequently asked
Should I base in Te Anau or day-trip Milford from Queenstown?
Base in Te Anau. It's the last town before Milford, so you fill up, sleep close and start the drive fresh, instead of doing four hours each way from Queenstown and rushing the best road on the South Island.
Do I need to book the Milford cruise ahead?
I would. The early departures fill up and they're the ones worth catching, fewer boats and softer light. Book the cruise, then leave plenty of time on the road so you're not flooring it past the mirror lakes to make it.