Fiordland National Park covers the south-western corner of New Zealand, and the tours start from four places up to 300 km apart. Here is where Queenstown, Te Anau, Manapouri and Milford Sound sit, how far apart they are, and where to meet for the Fiordland National Park tours.
Te Anau is the largest town and the gateway, on the shore of Lake Te Anau at the park's eastern edge. Manapouri is 21 km from it, on Lake Manapouri. Milford Sound is 120 km away, at the end of the Milford Road. Queenstown is outside the park altogether, 179 km from Te Anau by DOC's figure.
The two fiords are reached in different ways. Milford Sound has the road, through the Homer Tunnel. Doubtful Sound has none: you cross Lake Manapouri and ride over Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove. Fourteen fiords cut into the park in all, from Milford Sound in the north to Preservation Inlet in the south.
| Where you meet | Town | What starts there |
|---|---|---|
| The Station, Shotover and Camp Streets | Queenstown | A small-group Milford coach day, with hotel pickups as well |
| Your hotel | Queenstown | The flights and most Milford coach days |
| 88 Beach Street | Queenstown | The Doubtful Sound day from Queenstown |
| Central Te Anau accommodation | Te Anau | The Milford coach day with walks |
| 1 Lakefront Drive | Te Anau | The Great Walks Bus for the track day |
| 85 Lakefront Drive | Te Anau | The Doubtful Sound coach day |
| The historic wharf | Te Anau | The Faith cruises on Lake Te Anau |
| Fiordland Jet | Te Anau | The jet boat rides on the Waiau River |
| Pearl Harbour | Manapouri | The Doubtful Sound day and overnight cruises |
| Milford Sound Visitor Terminal | Milford Sound | The day cruises and the Fiordland Jewel overnight |
Your booking names your own meeting point, so check it before you set off. In Te Anau the meeting points are all in town, most of them on or near Lakefront Drive. At Milford Sound, every cruise checks in inside the same terminal, at its own counter.
| From | To | Distance and time |
|---|---|---|
| Queenstown | Te Anau | 179 km, about 2 hours 20 minutes |
| Invercargill | Te Anau | 150 km, about 2 hours |
| Te Anau | Manapouri | 21 km, about 20 minutes |
| Te Anau | Mirror Lakes | About 56 km |
| Te Anau | Cascade Creek and Lake Gunn | About 78 km |
| Te Anau | The Chasm | About 109 km |
| Te Anau | Milford Sound | 120 km, about 2 hours without stops |
| Queenstown | Milford Sound and back | 600 km, 12 to 14 hours |
| Te Anau | Kepler Track car park | 5 km |
The distances along the Milford Road are measured from Te Anau, as DOC gives them. Mirror Lakes is roughly halfway, and The Chasm is the last stop after the Homer Tunnel. The return day from Queenstown is 600 km, which is why DOC suggests basing yourself in Te Anau.
Most of the Te Anau meeting points sit along the lake front. The historic wharf, where the yacht Faith sails from, is behind the visitor centre at the end of the main street. Fiordland Jet is in central Te Anau, with free parking behind its office, and a bus takes you from there to the river. The Doubtful Sound coach leaves from 85 Lakefront Drive.
The Kepler Track car park is 5 km from town, and Rainbow Reach, the other end of the day walks, is 12 km. In Manapouri, the boats for Doubtful Sound leave from Pearl Harbour, where the overnight cruise lists free parking. Give yourself time: the overnight cruise asks you to check in at least 20 minutes before it leaves.
From Te Anau you drive 21 km to Pearl Harbour in Manapouri. The boat crosses Lake Manapouri to West Arm. A coach climbs the gravel road over Wilmot Pass, 671 m, and drops to Deep Cove, where the fiord boat waits. You come back the same way.
DOC lists airports at Te Anau, Manapouri and Milford Sound. The scenic flights leave from Queenstown and land at Milford Sound in 30 to 40 minutes, crossing the mountains the road goes around. At Milford Sound the airstrip sits on the foreshore, and the walk from the lodge to the terminal passes it.
Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
Te
Anau, Manapouri, Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound
The map loads from Google only when you press the button. Te Anau is on the eastern edge of the park, and Milford Sound at the top left.
The distances, the driving times, the airports, fuel, toilets and signal are the Department of Conservation's, checked 21 September 2026. Every meeting point comes from the tour's own listing.
A day from Te Anau with a nature guide and no more than 15 guests: short walks on the road, a 2-hour small-boat cruise to the Tasman Sea and a packed picnic lunch.
From $157 per person
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Seven hours from Pearl Harbour in Manapouri: across the lake, over the pass by coach with a rainforest stop, and three hours on the quiet fiord. Food and drinks are on sale on board, card only.
From $205 per person
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One hour 45 minutes from the Milford terminal on a boat that sails about half full, with coffee, tea and biscuits. No food is sold, so bring your own; wheelchairs and strollers can board.
From $110 per person
Check AvailabilityNext: plan the drive on getting to Fiordland, read the visitor guide, or compare every tour on Fiordland Tours.