The history of Milford Sound dates back over a thousand years, when New Zealand was a pristine landscape of dense forests, towering mountains, and flowing rivers. The Māori tribes of the South Island were the first to appreciate the beauty of Milford Sound, travelling to the area for fishing, hunting, and collecting valuable pounamu (greenstone). These journeys often followed ancient routes, including what is now known as MacKinnon Pass on the Milford Track.
European settlers initially missed entering Milford Sound multiple times during their explorations, unaware of the magnificent landscapes hidden behind the narrow entrance from the Tasman Sea. It wasn’t until 1823 that John Grono, a sealer, became the first European settler to visit the area. He named it Milford Sound after Milford Haven, a long narrow inlet on the Welsh coast.
Milford Sound was first accessible by road in the 1950s, with the original construction of Milford Road led by Altitude Tours guide Shelley Skinner’s grandfather, Tom Plato, in the 1920s. Work on the Homer Tunnel began in 1935, and after many years of drilling through solid rock, road access was finally established in 1954.
Today, Milford Sound is New Zealand’s most famous tourist destination. The journey from Queenstown to Te Anau and along Milford Road is filled with Southland farmland, breathtaking landscapes, stunning lake views, pristine rainforests, open valleys, and abundant native New Zealand birdlife.
Upon arrival in Milford Sound, you’ll be greeted by majestic mountains, including the iconic Mitre Peak, and incredible cascading waterfalls. Wildlife such as seals, dolphins, and, on occasion, whales and blue penguins can also be spotted. A nature cruise on Milford Sound allows you to get up close with the waterfalls and experience the pristine, untouched landscapes that epitomise New Zealand.
Noted as an absolute must-visit location in New Zealand, Altitude Tours makes accessibility easy with our fully guided, award-winning tours from Queenstown. Our small group settings are highly recommended by guests, allowing you to escape the crowds, enjoy more scenic stops away from other tourists, and receive personalised attention from your Altitude Tours guide.
On average it typically rains 182 days a year in Milford Sound, however don’t let that put you off visiting, Milford Sound is beautiful in all weather, more rain = more waterfalls!
The drive is approximately 4 hours from Queenstown to Milford Sound, however when you join us on our Milford Sound day tour, we will make plenty of stops on the way to make it a pleasant and relaxed journey and to ensure you get to experience the best of the scenery.
Travelling the Milford Sound Road is something you don’t want to miss. The journey offers breathtaking sights like Mirror Lakes, Lake Gunn, and the stunning Eglinton Valley, the Homer Tunnel etc. At Altitude Tours our expert drivers are confident in navigate the winding roads, allowing you to relax and enjoy the scenery through panoramic windows in our comfortable Mercedes vehicles, some even equipped with glass roofs.
Opting for our small group experiences ensures a more personalised attention from your guide, escaping the crowds and free from the stress of self-driving.
We handle all logistics, ensuring you arrive on time for your cruise, while our knowledgeable guides share fascinating insights about the landscape and history. You can choose to return via the scenic route or upgrade to a scenic helicopter ride or plane flight back to Queenstown for unforgettable aerial views of Fiordland National Park.
When visiting Milford Sound it is recommended that you enjoy a cruise through the sound to experience its beauty and see the waterfalls and wildlife up close.
We are always keeping an eye on the weather and in touch with the road crews to ensure we are able to arrive and depart from Milford safely.
It is certainly one of the wettest places in New Zealand and the world with an average of 182 rainfall days every year. The environment benefits from so much rain creating the rich forests and beautiful waterfalls seen on a tour to Milford Sound.
As it is actually a fiord, Milford Sound was formed by the erosion of glaciers millions of years ago.
Well just to make it confusing, Milford Sound was incorrectly named and is actually not a sound but a fiord. A sound is formed when a river is flooded by the sea whereas a fiord is formed by the erosion of glaciers.
We make no promises on the weather, we’ve seen Milford Sound in pouring rain and stunning sunshine, and either way it is absolutely brilliant. Just make sure when visiting Milford Sound to be prepared for all weather, it has its own microclimate so whilst the weather may be one way in Queenstown or Te Anau it can be completely different once you arrive in Milford Sound.
Experiences you’ll forget to pull your phone out for.