Fiordland and Southland
HubThe deep south is New Zealand at its wildest: Milford and Doubtful Sounds and three Great Walks in Fiordland, then the Catlins coast and Stewart Island/Rakiura in Southland. Te Anau is the closest town to Milford Sound, about 2.5 hours away. There is no fuel between Te Anau and Milford, so fill up first.
Quick facts
- Te Anau to Milford
- 119 km, about 2.5 hours each way (DOC)
- From our Milford Sound day trip from Queenstown guide
- Standard Milford cruise
- From $179, about 1 h 45 min to 2 h
- From our Milford Sound cruises compared guide
- Dunedin to Invercargill via the Catlins
- About 260 km, 3 hours 40 minutes (estimate)
- From our The Catlins guide
Plan it:Milford Sound day trip from QueenstownThe 14-day South Island road tripThree weeks in New Zealand
Fiordland and Southland on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)Drive times are routing estimates without stops. Prices and rules were checked for each guide; follow the link for the official sources.
Coming up in Fiordland and Southland
See the events calendarOfficial links for Fiordland and Southland
All useful linksInvercargill Airport (opens in a new tab)
The usual gateway for Southland and the Stewart Island ferry.
Fiordland (opens in a new tab)
Official visitor site for Te Anau, Milford Sound and the Fiordland walks.
Southland NZ (opens in a new tab)
Official information for Invercargill, The Catlins and the rest of Southland.
Stewart Island (opens in a new tab)
Official visitor information for Rakiura/Stewart Island, including the ferry and walks.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (opens in a new tab)
The official source for road rules, licences, vehicle licensing and state highways.
NZTA Journey Planner (opens in a new tab)
Live road conditions, closures, webcams and a journey planner for state highways.
More Fiordland and Southland guides
SouthlandThe Catlins: waterfalls, wildlife and a slow coastal drive
FiordlandDoubtful Sound vs Milford Sound: which fiord should you see?
FiordlandMilford Sound day trip from Queenstown: coach, self-drive or fly?
FiordlandMilford Track: how to get a booking and what the four days are like
FiordlandTe Anau or Queenstown: the best base for Milford Sound and Fiordland
FiordlandRouteburn Track: bookings, transport and day hike options
NationwideThe NZ Great Walks: which one to do, booking dates and costs
NationwideKayaking in NZ: Abel Tasman, Milford, Doubtful and beyond
NationwideFerries in NZ beyond Cook Strait: Waiheke, Stewart Island and more
South Island