Scenic Drives in New Zealand best experienced by Coach: Te Anau to Milford Sound

WHERE:

From crystal clear lakes and towering mountains to lush glacier formed meadows, the road from Te Anau to Milford Sound offers some of the most beautiful and iconic scenery in the country—and there’s no better way to experience it than from the comfort of a spacious, wide windowed coach.

Skirting the shores of Lake Te Anau, you’ll travel through dense brush scrub before emerging onto grassy plains ringed by mountains. A little further and you’re greeted by a canopy of lush rain forest that extends for several kilometres before stopping at the renowned Mirror Lakes where the water is so still and clear, the mountains are perfectly reflected. 

Continuing on you’ll wind your way through a narrow canyon before arriving at the Homer Tunnel—an engineering marvel at 1219 metres long. From here it’s only a short distance downhill to the small village of Milford Sound where you’ll see the imposing Mitre Peak rising in the distance while sheer cliffs rise from hundreds of metres below the water’s surface — a dramatic and awe-inspiring sight. The fiord is 16 kilometres long and is best explored on a cruise. Marine mammals such as dolphins and seals can often be seen, and after a large downpour the hundreds of waterfalls along the way are thunderous—and a real sight to behold.

DISTANCE:

It is 121 kilometres from Te Anau to Milford Sound and the drive by coach takes two and a half hours, not including stops. All coach tours are different, but most will stop 2-3 times at various points along the way. 

HIGHLIGHTS YOU’LL SEE ALONG THE WAY:

• The Mirror Lakes
• Ancient red beech forest.
• The Homer Tunnel
• Waterfalls and rivers
• Snow in the winter and snow-melt in the summer
• Mitre Peak