15 must-see stops Te Anau to Milford Sound scenic drive

Explore every beautiful nook and cranny in Fiordland National Park with this short road trip from Te Anau to Milford Sound. See why this place is considered one of New Zealand’s highest-rated attractions, stopping at sights like Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Homer Tunnel, The Chasm and many more!

Use this 2-day guide when planning your road trip from Te Anau to Milford Sound. It can be modified to suit the exact number of days you have available and also includes all the best sights and camping spots. Plus, we’ve thrown in a heap of extra information like drive time, distance, the best season to travel and much more!

Want to travel in style and comfort? Use Camplify to find campervan hire on the South Island.

Te Anau to Milford Sound: 15 places you can’t miss.

Total Distance: 165 km | Recommended duration: 1 - 2 days | Best Time to Visit: Between September and November | Route on Google Maps

1. Te Anau

Your journey starts in the quaint town of Te Anau , known in Maori as the “Place of Swirling Waters”. This is the gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound - New Zealand’s highest-rated attraction.

But before you start exploring the fjords, glaciers and forests, descend below the earth with a tour of the Te Anau Glowworm Caves , a mysterious underground cavern lit by hundreds of luminous glow worms.

Thrill-seekers may want to jump aboard the Fiordland Jet for a two-hour tour of the National Park. Hold on as your jet boat speeds along the crystal-clear waters of the Waiau River before taking a walk amongst an ancient beach forest with your guide.

If you’re travelling between October and April, consider walking part of the famous Kepler Track (one of New Zealand’s Great Walks). It starts from a car park just outside of Te Anau and you can turn around once you reach the picnic and swimming areas at Dock or Brod Bay (5.3km / 3 hours return).

And don’t miss Lion Lookout Point, a raised viewing platform that offers sweeping views over the town and the lake. It’s easy to access for people of all ages. Just remember, the best photo ops are early in the morning.

Stay at the Te Anau Lakeview Kiwi Holiday Park & Motels, which offers a lakeside camping ground with brilliant facilities, including a spa pool.

Check out the best Te Anau camping grounds for your adventure!

2. Te Anau Downs

Leave from Te Anau to Milford Sound, making your first stop at the quiet Te Anau Downs. This lakeside location is the starting point of some of the best walking tracks in Fiordland National Park.

The Lake Mistletoe Walking Track is a short and sweet walk through a forest to the peaceful Lake Mistletoe. This lake is home to some amazing native fauna, including scaup (duck), frogs and other wetland wildlife. At 1.3km return (45-minutes), this easy track is suitable for all ages.

Those wishing to take on the famous Milford Track (another of New Zealand’s Great Walks), can catch a water taxi from Te Anau Downs to Glade Wharf (the start of the track). Nicknamed the ‘finest walk in the world’, this 53.5km trek takes 4-days to complete, passing through glacial valleys, ancient rainforests and waterfall cascades.

3. Eglinton Valley

As you drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound, you’ll pass through Eglinton Valley. Watch as the scenery changes to steep rocky mountains and valleys covered in golden tussocks.

This is a spectacular part of the drive, as the road follows alongside the Eglinton River. It’s also home to more than 30 rare, threatened or endangered species, including New Zealand’s only land mammal - the short-tailed bat (which crawls along the forest floor instead of flying!).

If you’re a fan of the Lord of the Rings movies , you’ll also notice that the Eglinton Valley was the filming location for the Misty Mountains scenes. To discover more filming locations nearby, see our ultimate Lord of the Rings road trip itinerary.

4.Mirror Lakes

Within Eglinton Valley, you’ll find the famous Mirror Lakes. One of the highlights of Fiordland National Park, the Mirror Lakes are renowned for the way they reflect the surrounding Earl Mountain ranges.

For the best photo opportunity, crouch down low when shooting the reflections on the lake. Whilst you’re down there, see if you can spot the native eels, trout and scaup (New Zealand’s smallest duck).

Stretch your legs with the Mirror Lakes Walk, an easy 400m return (10-minute) walk amongst the small lakes. This path is suitable for kids.

5. Lake Gunn

From one lake to another, continue from Te Anau to Milford Sound and stop at picturesque Lake Gunn.

Stroll around the Lake Gunn Nature Walk, an easy 1.4km loop (45-minute) walk around the edge of the lake. Along the way, you’ll pass through red beech forest that is covered in moss. Admire the surrounding mountains and watch for forest bids like tomtits and riflemen.

6. The Divide

The Divide is a simple little rest area that marks the lowest east-west pass in the Southern Alps (531m). Stop here for a picnic lunch and to use the toilets.

It also marks the start of the Routeburn Track, another of New Zealand’s Great Walks (33km / 2-4 days). If you’re travelling between November and April, consider taking on one of the shorter walks , such as the Earland Falls Track or Key Summit Track (see below).

7. Key Summit

If you only do one walk on your drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound, it should be the Key Summit Track. At 6.8km return (3+ hours), this walk offers spectacular views over the Humboldt and Darran Mountains and surrounding alpine lakes.

Along the way, you’ll pass through a range of environments, including beech forest, shrubland, alpine tarns and even bogs. There’s also a heap of birdlife around, including tomtits, robins, New Zealand pigeons and bellbirds.

8. Pop’s View

Pop’s View is a popular scenic lookout on the road from Te Anau to Milford Sound, offering a birds-eye view over the forested Hollyford Valley. Just be warned, it can sometimes be difficult to find a parking spot.

9. Lake Marian

Take a slight detour down Hollyford Road (off of the road from Te Anau to Milford Sound) and you will find the start of the Lake Marian Track.

At 6.2km return (3 hours), this tramping track leads you down to the alpine lake which sits within a beautiful hanging valley. Along the way, you’ll cross a swing bridge and see a spectacular series of waterfalls , before enjoying reflections of the surrounding mountains on the surface of the lake.

10. Monkey Creek

Continue along the road to Milford Sound and you’ll pass through Hollyford Valley, home to the beautiful Monkey Creek.

Monkey Creek is a glacier-fed spring , spitting out water so pure that you can fill your water bottle in the bubbling brook and drink straight from the source. It’s also a great photo opportunity, set amongst towering mountains on either side.

In the Monkey Creek car park, you may also spot a few of New Zealand’s famous alpine parrots - kea.

11. Gertrude Valley

Continue toward Milford Sound, pulling over at the Gertrude Valley lookout point. From here, you can enjoy views over the snow-covered peaks of the Darran Mountains.

If you’re an avid explorer, you may consider taking on the Gertrude Saddle route. This is an advanced alpine trek that should only be attempted by experienced trampers in good weather.

12. Homer Tunnel

One of the most famous landmarks on the road from Te Anau to Milford Sound is Homer Tunnel, a 1.2km-long tunnel through the solid rock Darran Mountain range.

As you pass through the tunnel, you’ll notice how steep it is as it descends into the Cleddau Valley. It was first opened in 1954 and took 19 years to build, providing the first road access to Milford Sound.

13. Hundred Falls and 1855 Lookout

As you leave the Homer Tunnel, you will see two scenic resting areas on either side of the road - Hundred Falls lookout and 1855 lookout.

Look up at the surrounding rock faces and you’ll see hundreds of waterfalls pouring down the side. Naturally, they are at their best after recent rains.

14. The Chasm

The Chasm is a series of powerful waterfalls that have sculpted a basin out of rock. Watch as waters cascade off the rockface and swirl around in the pool below.

The best way to see this natural wonder is via The Chasm Walk, an easy 400m return (20-minute) walk. On your way to the chasm, you’ll pass over the Cleddau River via a series of footbridges, which is great fun for kids of all ages.

15. Milford Sound

Marking the end of your road trip from Te Anau to Milford Sound , you can easily spend a few days exploring this amazing destination.

Be sure to book one of the numerous cruises around Milford Sound, which is the best way to see the fiord. Whilst the daytime cruises are brilliant, couples may also be interested in a romantic overnight cruise.

Alternatively, make your own way around the fjord on a Milford Sound Kayak tour. Glide around in a kayak, passing close to roaring waterfalls and towering cliffs. You may even run into some of the local wildlife , including seals, dolphins and penguins.

There are several easy walks around Milford Sound. The Foreshore Walk is an easy 400m (30-minute) loop that passes along the sandy foreshore and offers great views of Mitre Peak. The Lookout Track offers equally impressive views and is just as easy.

And don’t miss your chance to take a photo on the Milford Swing, an Instagram favourite amongst tourists.

Stay at the Rainforest Campervan Park, the only campervan park inside Milford Sound. Nestled in the heart of the world-heritage Fiordlands rainforest, it is one of the best campsites in New Zealand.

Hire a campervan for your road trip from Te Anau to Milford Sound

Campervan example: Perch

You’re almost ready for your road trip from Te Anau to Milford Sound. All that’s left to do is to arrange your wheels (and accommodation)!

Camplify makes it easy for holidaymakers to find the ideal rental van for their adventure.

Need to arrange campervan hire in New Zealand?

Simply enter your pickup location, adjust the optional filters and within seconds, you will find the perfect motorhome, caravan or campervan for your road trip from Te Anau to Milford Sound!

All the rental vans on Camplify are privately-owned and offer a unique experience. Plus, every booking comes with a range of extra benefits…

Why Camplify?

We are proud to be New Zealand’s fastest-growing private caravan, campervan and motorhome sharing community. When you hire a van through our platform, it comes with lots of advantages:

• Comprehensive hire insurance

• Nationwide AA roadside assistance

• 24/7 customer support

• All members are verified

By hiring with Camplify, you are also helping local families who share their van on our platform and supporting many local companies across NZ in addition to ours. So we are very grateful to you.

Sign up if you want to join our beloved community of van life lovers and receive our most recent news and offers.