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Forever magic
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Sandflies
In a nutshell
Right at the top of the must see list for any visit to NZ.
al2401 Says: The Chasm is a natural rock feature caused by the waters of the Cleddau river rushing over the rocks. The force is such as to cut holes in the rock to create a waterfall into a huge chasm.The Chasm is reached by a 20 minute easy walk from the car park through temperate...
al2401 Says: There ae a variety of companies offering cruises on Milford Sound - some offer a buffet lunch for an extra cost. Regardless which boat you use you will enjoy your trip. The fjord is spectacular in all weather.
al2401 Says: The Homer Tunnel, opened in 1954, allows New Zealand State Highway 94 to pass under the Homer Saddle, linking Milford Sound to Te Anau and Queenstown. It the Eglinton and Cleddau valleys. The tunnel is straight and the road now sealed although the walls remain unlined...
al2401 Says: Mirror Lakes is a set of small lakes on the road from Te Anau to Milford Sound. They are in the Eglinton Valley in Fiordland National Park.The lakes are set back from the road but there is a well maintained track. If you are not aware of them it is easy to overlook the stop.
winnietankl Says: There are few cruises to choose, whether you take it during summer or winter and how long is the cruise. I took the scenic Milford Sound Cruise which is NZ$76 (adult) and NZ$16 (child) for 1 hour 45 minutes which include of buffet lunch and the cruise start at 11am. Milford...
winnietankl Says: There are a few of helicopters services round the area of Milford Sound. The prices are variable as it depands whether you want to take a short or long ride up the mountain. I took the 35 minutes Alpine snow landing and i paid for NZ$295. The pilot is very skillful and...
Kakapo2 Says: On my first Milford Sound visit I cruised with Red Boats and was happy with it, last time I opted for Mitre Peak Cruises and was even happier.The two reasons for my choice:1. Mitre Peak Cruises is one of the operators who only have relatively small boats on the water, so...
BurgerQueen Says: We visited "the chasm" after following the signs on Milford Road.The signs will lead you to a parking area, then you'll have to walk for 5 minutes into the wood (the path is well maintained and accessible even in rainy days!) to reach one of the most impressive nature...
Blue Duck Café & Bar: Coffee, Cakes & Bar Food with a splendid View
Kakapo2 Says: Staff at the cruise terminal told us the fare at the café is not of outstanding flavour. From what we could see it was not fresh but kept warm on buffet facilities, so I can imagine that pasta gets a little muddy by the time. The hot lunchtime fare is more for the hungry...
The Blue Duck is the only option for eating or drinking in Milford. Well, I guess there is the concession stand in the port building, or the possibility that you prepare your own. But outside of those two, there is nothing else in town.
The menu is pretty good and there are usually some chalkboard specials. The beer flows freely as there are several choices on tap. For those who have more refined tastes, they do make decent cocktails.
If you play darts or pool, they do have those also. But if you'd rather sit back and watch the game on TV, they do have a satellite receiver that puts the game on the big screen.
Its only about 15 minute walk from the Milford Sound Lodge. If you don't want to walk it, and did not drive yourself, pay attention to the time. The bar staff will call the lodge for you for the free shuttle, but they don't typically run after ~8pm.
Dress Code: Dress code is completely casual.
Written Sep 29, 2010
Address: State Hwy 94, Milford Sound
Phone: (03) 249 7926
robertgaz Says: Milford Sound is 295km's from Queenstown where most of the tour buses to the sound departing from. The drive passes through mountain landscapes before entering the 1.2 km Homer Tunnel.The winding mountain road is very prone to avalanches and is closed during the winter...
Kakapo2 Says: -There are three ways to get to Milford Sound: on foot on the Milford Track, by airplane from Queenstown or Te Anau, or by car/coach. The latter is the most common option.The Milford Road, part of SH 94, is the only access road to the fiord. From Te Anau, the trip is 121...
Milford Sound is a tiny pin point on the map at the end of a 120km road from Te Anau. It is literally unplugged from nearly everything.
Cell phone coverage is lost just a few kilometers after leaving Te Anau. Only a few pay phones exist, so other options is to ask kindly at the lodge or bar to use their phone.
Electricity from the national grid also stops not far from Te Anau. Milford Sound gets all of its electricity from a hydro-generator operating from the water in one of the nearby hanging valleys.
Also, to help protect the environment, there is no local trash disposal. What you bring in, you should bring out. Try to tread lightly to minimize the impact and be kind to dispose of your rubbish properly.
Written Sep 29, 2010
grets Says: In the car park at The Chasm, is a kea, a New Zealnd mountain parrot, just sitting there. I didn't expect it to be so tame. Apparently keas are a real nuisance in New Zealand, as people feed them and they become too tame and mischievous, causing damage in camp grounds and...
BurgerQueen Says: Sandflies are particularly annoying in Milford Sound, their stings are incredibly itchy and may endanger your stay. If you don't have any product to protect you, my advice is to buy some lavender lotion at the ticket counter. It smells really nice (if you like lavender) and...
Warm Clothes and Sandfly Repellent
Kakapo2 Says: You need warm clothes if you go on a cruise, especially in the morning or late afternoon. Temperatures do not get very high here anyway, and on the water it always feels a bit cooler. Plus, if you are not sailing at midday, the steep and high mountains keep the sun from...
pepples46 Says: most travellers take the chance to visit Queenstown on the way to Milford Sound, so did I.....and as I said, not very lucky with the weatheras soon as you leave Queenstown towards Fjordland you drive through the most striking features of a World Heritage Scenery,most of us...
Helpfulness
I have not paddled at Milford Sound myself, just want to let you know that it is possible.
The latest kayak trips of the day start at 2.30pm - because they return at 7.30pm. Any later start would make you return in the dark. This is far too dangerous for such activities.
Tour operators:
www.roscosmilfordkayaks.com
www.fiordlandseakayak.co.nz
Updated May 23, 2009
Sightings of Rare Animals - Whales and Dolphins
DSwede Says: Milford Sound is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. Obviously there are many hikes and trails to explore and it expected that you treat them kindly to minimize the human impacts.But other than the typical draw to the area such as the mountains, the waterfalls...
Get Information and Snow Chains in Winter
Kakapo2 Says: -Transit New Zealand has an Information Kiosk 8,5 kilometres north of Te Anau, on the way to Milford Sound. It is open during winter when vehicles have to be fitted with chains. According to the info on the Transit website, this happens about 20 times a year between June and...
As all the other sounds in Fiordland, Milford Sound is a fiord, created by a huge glacier more than two million years ago, and it is New Zealand’s most famous fiord. It has inspired generations of...
Milford Track Nov 29-Dec 3 2006
As there is no VT page for milford track, my milford track expereinces are listed here. I stepped over the edge of the ferry and made the ominous discovery that the jetty was covered in 3 inches of...
Milford Sound -Glimpse of the Fiorland
Milford Sound is an easy 2hrs drive from Te Anau. Milford Sound is the famous of all of the fiords and the only one that can be accessed by road. It is about 16km from the head of the fiord to the...
The closest town to milford is Te Anau, driving to which is a fun experience, as tourist buses roar passed you travelling the opposite way. Milford Sound is about an hour or so drive away from Te...
Milford Sound, in New Zealand's South Island, is a 22km-long breathtakingly beautiful fjord, flanked by the 1695 metre high Mitre Peak. It was named after Milford Haven in Wales by John Grono, the...
Build your own Milford Sound page
Comments (2)
Milford Road, the tourist route, is closed at the moment due to rockfall risk. Check official website for uptodate status: nzta.govt.nz/projects/milfor...
Milford Road is expected to open today.
The road will be closed again tonight 7pm to 7.30am to clear rockfalls. nzta.govt.nz/projects/milfor...
The Milford Road is now open after being closed, you can check status daily here: nzta.govt.nz/projects/milfor...
There was a major rock slip, covering the road.
Road open again.