Milford Sound with Kids, New Zealand

One of the best places to visit in New Zealand is the iconic Milford Sound, located in the south west of New Zealand’s South Island. Piopiotahi, as it is known in Maori, is a sound in the Fiordland National Park. It just happens to be a World Heritage Site. Milford Sound was named the World’s Top Travel destination in 2008 and Rudyard Kipling called it the Eighth Wonder of the World. With all that going for it, it was definitely somewhere we wanted to visit on our New Zealand trip. Here’s our guide to visiting Milford Sound with kids.

WHAT EXACTLY IS A SOUND?

For those of you wondering why it’s called a sound, a sound is a large ocean inlet which is wider than a fiord. And yes, a fiord in New Zealand is spelt differently to a Norwegian fjord, but is the same feature. Whilst we’re on the geographical theme, Milford Sound is the wettest place in New Zealand and one of the wettest places in the world. It has an annual rainfall of nearly 7 metres per year and it rains nearly 200 days of the year!

Milford Sound was discovered by a Welsh sealer, Captain John Grono. He found shelter in the sound during a bad storm, in 1810. He named it Milford after Milford Haven, a few miles from his birthplace. It was previously missed by Captain Cook in 1770, who sailed in these waters, because it’s narrow sea opening didn’t give any indication of what lay beyond.

VISITING MILFORD SOUND WITH KIDS

We visited Milford Sound on a day trip from Te Anau, having driven here from Queenstown the day before. Staying in Te Anau allows for a leisurely two to three hour drive to the sound, with plenty of time for stops at the various scenic points and plenty of time to explore the sound.

The very small town of Te Anau is located two hours south of Queenstown and is also just two hours away from Milford Sound. This splits the distance between the two destinations, making for a much more enjoyable time touring this area.  We spent two nights at Te Anau Top 10 Holiday Park.

UP EARLY TO GET ON THE ROAD

We were up and out early for our trip to Milford Sound leaving the campground at 8.30am. This gave us three and a half hours to drive the 119 km to Milford Sound with plenty of time for stops along the way. At 12.30pm we had a cruise booked on the sound itself.

The drive to Milford Sound is very much part of the experience. The scenery is spectacular as you drive through mountains and valley’s, and past cascading rivers and waterfalls.

There are plenty of opportunities for the kids to get out of the car and stretch their legs along the way.

We even found a lady selling coffee, tea and hot chocolate en-route out of the back of her van.

VIEWPOINTS ALONG THE ROUTE

There are various viewpoints along the way. We stopped at Mirror Lake for a lovely reflection of the nearby mountains.

Another stepping point en-route is the Chasm, a spectacular chasm where water rushes through a narrow gorge.

Prior to arriving at Milford Sound we traveled through the Homer Tunnel, a one way tunnel, dug out by hand. It opened in 1953. At 1.2km long, it is dimly lit and dripping with recent rainwater.

GO ORANGE CRUISE

We arrived at Milford Sound in plenty of time and checked in for our 12.30pm cruise at the Milford Sound Cruise Terminal. We had chosen Go Orange for the trip. There are a number of companies offering a two hour cruise on Milford Sound, all with nearly identical itineraries.  Go Orange was our choice because of its great value. We paid for just two adults during peak season on the 12.30pm cruise as the three children travelled for free (an offer they had for children all through the school holidays). Free fish and chips were also offered for lunch. Great value.

Update: Children are no longer free aboard Go Orange. Children aged 5-14 years pay a child price, while infants aged 0-4 years travel free.

CRUISING MILFORD SOUND

Milford Sound has some of the highest sea cliffs in the world rising 1200 metres from sea level. The sheer rock faces make for dramatic views as they rise from the dark waters.

Our cruise took us right out into the Tasman Sea where the boat was rocking and rolling on big seas. This area is known as the “Roaring Forties” due to it’s latitude and weather conditions. It’s a dangerous place for ships in the open seas.

As well as spectacular scenery we also saw fur seals lying on the rocks and playing in the sea.

PREPARE TO GET WET!

As it had been raining for several days prior to our cruise we witnessed spectacular cascading waterfalls all along the sound.

At one point the captain of the boat got us really close to the falls. We all received a super soaking. The boys loved it and were perched right at the very front of the boat.

For the last part of our cruise on Milford Sound, the overcast skies turned to rain. The rain, mist and cloud all added to the drama of the scene.

With a blend of wildlife, scenery and fun we loved our Go Orange cruise through one of the most beautiful locations on earth.

A HIKING OPTION ON YOUR RETURN TO TE ANAU

We had wanted to do a hike on our return from Milford Sound but by now the weather had closed in. We had been lucky as it had been dry for the journey from Te Anau to Milford Sound, and then for the first hour of our cruise on the sound itself.

Not far past the Homer Tunnel on the way back to Te Anau is the Divide car pack. It is here that people can start the world famous Routeburn Track. This is a multi-day hike that takes trampers through some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery. We wanted to do the Key Summit Hike, a three hour hike, that would take us on a section of the Routeburn Track. However we decided against the hike as by now it was pouring down and visibility was limited.

THINGS TO KNOW WHEN TAKING A TRIP TO MILFORD SOUND

We stayed at Te Anau Top 10 Holiday Park, situated close to the centre of Te Anau. It’s a small place and everything is walkable from the campsite.

The town of Te Anau has a well stocked supermarket and plenty of small restaurants.  There is a waterfront area in town with great views across Te Anau Lake.

It takes roughly two hours to reach Te Anau from Queenstown, not allowing time for any stops. The route is very scenic so you will likely stop to take some photographs along the way.

The drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound takes about two and a half to three hours, allowing for a few short stops at scenic points along the way. If driving from Te Anau, give yourself at least three hours, just to make sure you reach Milford Sound in time for your cruise.

We used the company Go Orange for our Milford Sound cruise. We paid for just two adults on a mid-day cruise as all children travelled free during the summer holidays. Free fish and chips was offered for lunch. For our family of five in January 2017 we paid $160 NZD.

Milford Sound can be visited as a day trip from Queenstown but this makes for a super long day. Board a bus in Queenstown for a four hour scenic drive to Milford Sound, take a cruise around the sound for two hours, and then repeat the long bus ride back to Queenstown. Go Orange offer this option too.

Check out our video of our day at Milford Sound:

FOR MORE ON NEW ZEALAND:

18 Fantastic Things To Do on the South Island of New Zealand with Kids

Things To Do In Queenstown with Kids:The Adventure Capital of the World

Touring New Zealand in a Campervan

Any post on this site may contain affiliate links which earn us a small commission at no additional cost to you.