Getting to Fiordland means getting to Te Anau first, then onto one of two fiords that are reached in completely different ways. Here is the road from Queenstown, the Milford Road stop by stop, the tunnel, the parking and the lake crossing to Doubtful Sound. If you would rather not drive, see the Fiordland National Park tour from Queenstown options.
DOC calls Te Anau the gateway to Fiordland. It is the largest town in the area, on the shore of Lake Te Anau, and DOC calls it the closest town with facilities. From here Milford Sound is 120 km up the road and Manapouri, for Doubtful Sound, is 21 km away.
You reach Te Anau on SH6 and SH94 from Queenstown, 179 km and about 2 hours 20 minutes, or on SH1 and SH94 from Invercargill, 150 km and about 2 hours. If you are driving yourself, a night in Te Anau turns the Milford day from 12 hours into 8.
Queenstown to Milford Sound and back is 600 km, a 12 to 14-hour day. DOC recommends planning the return trip to Milford from Te Anau instead. The coach days from Queenstown do the whole thing in one go: they leave between 6:30 and 7:30 am and run 11 to 13 hours.
The other way is to fly. The small planes from Queenstown reach Milford Sound in 30 to 40 minutes, over the mountains the road goes around. The fly-cruise-fly days take 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours in all. Weather is the catch: a flight cancelled for weather is rebooked or refunded.
DOC puts the Milford Road at about 2 hours without stops, and Visit Fiordland suggests allowing 3 for the stops and short walks. The walks themselves are described in things to do in Fiordland. Freedom camping within 200 m of the road is not allowed.
William Homer found the saddle in 1889, and work on the tunnel began in 1935. It is 1.2 km long and 945 m above sea level, about 3.81 m high, and it slopes steeply down towards Milford. In the summer peaks, traffic lights control it, with delays of up to 20 minutes.
Kea, the alpine parrot, wait at the tunnel mouth. DOC asks you not to feed them. From May to September, snow and ice are possible on this stretch, and from the Hollyford Road junction to The Chasm is a Restricted No Stopping Zone because of avalanche risk.
| Where you park | What it costs | Walk to the terminal |
|---|---|---|
| The main car park | NZ$10 an hour, by card at the machines | About 10 minutes |
| Deepwater Basin | Free | About 40 minutes |
| Overnight, main car park | NZ$30, from 2pm | About 10 minutes |
| Disability parking | Outside the terminal | At the door |
DOC's advice is to allow at least two hours from Te Anau and 45 minutes to park and walk to the terminal. The main car park takes cards only at the machines. If you do not mind a longer walk, the car park at Deepwater Basin is free.
Coach days from Te Anau or Queenstown, or a plane from Queenstown: compare the ways in side by side.
From May to September the Milford Road can bring snow and ice, and chains may be required. You can rent them in Te Anau. DOC suggests setting off from 9 am in winter, and says that if you are not confident driving in winter conditions, you should take a bus.
The busy season runs from October to April, with more traffic and more tunnel waits. Plan for both, and check the road status before you leave Te Anau.
You cannot drive to Doubtful Sound. From Pearl Harbour in Manapouri a boat crosses Lake Manapouri to West Arm, and a coach takes you over Wilmot Pass, 671 m, to the fiord at Deep Cove. Every Doubtful Sound day includes both.
Private vehicles need a permit for the Wilmot Pass road, and the Meister Services barge from Supply Bay, 21 km from Te Anau, usually sails only on Wednesdays. For almost everyone, the tour is the only practical way in.
DOC says regular buses run to Te Anau from Queenstown and from Invercargill. From Te Anau, the Milford coach days collect you in town, and the Great Walks Bus meets the Milford Track day at 1 Lakefront Drive. The Doubtful Sound coach day leaves from 85 Lakefront Drive.
The routes, distances, driving times, the tunnel, winter driving, the no-stopping zone, the Wilmot Pass permit, the barge and the buses are the Department of Conservation's, checked 21 September 2026; the 3-hour allowance is Visit Fiordland's. The parking figures and meeting points come from the tours' own listings.
Thirteen hours from Queenstown with 15 guests at most, a picnic lunch, road stops at the lakes and in the valley, and a boutique cruise on the fiord. A flight home can be added when you book.
From $215 per person
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The road in with stops at the lakes, the flats and the valley, a 2-hour cruise out to the sea and a picnic lunch, then a 40-minute flight home to Queenstown.
From $540 per person
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The quiet fiord from Te Anau in 8 hours 30 minutes: coach to Manapouri, the lake crossing, the pass by coach with photo stops, and three hours on the water.
From $218 per person
Check AvailabilityNext: see the Fiordland map, check the weather, or compare every tour on Fiordland Tours.