Milford Sound Car Rental

Things to do in Milford Sound

Suffice to say, if you’ve ever been there before, there’s not much else to do in Milford. The town exists only of 150 residents, made up of staff from the tour boats and eateries down near the Sound. There are some fishermen too, but mostly, just one café and a pub.

So, what’s the point? Ahh, you definitely haven’t been there…

Milford is quite possibly the most beautiful place on earth. Seriously though, it’s a must if you’re doing your first trip to the South Island. Not only where they shot parts of Lord of the Rings, but even the drive there is breathtaking.

Maybe the word breathtaking doesn’t explain it though. Think exhilarating, death defying and awe inspiring. The road to the Sound will have you making the steepest of winding turns, dodging avalanche fallen boulders, and clearing the fog off your windscreen from the cold. Summer driving is less involved of course, but hardly as fun to describe.

In winter, Milford Sound is magical, snow falls heavily and grey mountains tower over you with gloom only the theatrical can appreciate. In summer, the Sound is rich and green, a true beauty which will have you staring wide eyed, trying to memorise every scene before your tour is over.

They say, you can never have a bad day on a tour here (rarely, anyway). Good weather will give you clear skies, reflections of the mountains on calm waters and the greenest environment known to man. Silence prevails on the Sound and you’ll be so captivated, you won’t want to disturb it.

Bad weather, however, also works in your favour. The rain drenches the mountains and soon you can witness the most spectacular waterfalls known to man. The air is foggy and sky dark, a gloom only Frodo himself could have felt. The mountains are deep and sinister, giving you the most intense of photo opportunities.

Tours operate through many different companies in the Sound, all offer large tour boats for group bookings and singular tickets. All are pretty much the same regarding price and style, so you can be confident with whatever you choose. You can also show up on the day and buy a ticket, risking no availability on the boats (so it's best to book ahead).

While the drive there from Te Anau (left) may possibly wrack your nerves, it’s a stark reminder of the treacherous environment New Zealand is famous for. The road is a crazy mess of curves and 90 degree, sometimes 180 degree turns. In the wet, the road is slippery and you should observe the speed limit and signed rules at all times, you really never know what’s around the corner.

Don’t drive from Te Anau if you are tired or low on petrol, there is nowhere (at all) to stop along the way. Locals generally drive fast so if you need to pull over, make sure you’re out of the way and definitely not in an avalanche zone. You don’t really want to learn that lesson.

As far as your trip to Milford Sound in a car rental goes, be sure to take out the extra insurance, just in case. There are countless opportunities for something to happen to you or the car along the Te Anau to Milford drive, but this is the price you pay for adventure! Also be sure that your company will allow you to take the roads you need to travel to Milford, some suppliers will not allow a car to be driven between Te Anau and Milford Sound.