Making the most of Milford Sound
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Passengers do not normally disembark here. Those booked on overland excursions tender ashore for the 5-hour journey to Queenstown, New Zealand's best-known resort.
Carry a rain jacket and umbrella, as rain falls on about 200 days each year.
A local boat usually transfers cruise passengers to Fiordland National Park.
Check the cruise calendar.
Fiordland National Park occupies the south-west of New Zealand's South Island and is known for the glacier-carved fiords of Doubtful and Milford sounds. A trail through beech forest on sandy Milford shore looks towards soaring Mitre Peak. Nearby Mirror Lakes reflect the rugged Earl Mountains in their glassy water. Beside the Cleddau River, bridges on the Chasm Walk overlook powerful waterfalls.
Whether visiting for the first time or returning as a lifelong local, Milford Sound is one of New Zealand's most instantly breathtaking places. Beautiful Mitre Peak dominates the 22-km-long fjord, whose lovely waters reflect the sheer surrounding summits. Although remote, the sound attracts visitors worldwide with its raw, unspoilt scenery and rare marine wildlife.
A cruise through the sound reveals Bowen Falls, Mitre Peak, Anita Bay, Elephant Falls and Stirling Falls. If your camera still has film or memory remaining, look for dolphins, seals and penguins surfacing in the calm water on fine days.
Getting around
Excursions are generally not suitable for wheelchairs.
Nearby places
Picturesque Queenstown is celebrated for outdoor pursuits and adventure activities. It introduced bungy jumping to the world, provided a backdrop for much of the Lord of the Rings filming and, with its surrounding district, produces award-winning Pinot Noirs.
Ride the iconic Queenstown Skyline Gondola for stunning scenery on the Southern Hemisphere's steepest cable-car lift. It climbs 480 metres above Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu to Bob's Peak, where a spectacular 220-degree panorama encompasses Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Walter and Cecil Peak, as well as Queenstown itself.
A 2-day excursion to Dunedin may be offered, rejoining the cruise ship there.
Money
New Zealand's currency is the New Zealand dollar. Some traders, especially in visitor destinations, take foreign currency. The approximate US-to-NZ dollar conversion is US$1=NZD1.30.
Cash machines, known locally as 'the hole in the wall', are present in almost every town.
Staying connected
English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language have official status in New Zealand. English is universal and uses Commonwealth, or "British", spelling.
New Zealand's emergency phone number is 111.
Many public libraries provide internet access, generally for a charge.