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Often named as New Zealand’s number one must visit destination, Milford Sound is a fiord in the country’s south island. Famed for its spectacular natural beauty and impressive wildlife, it is considered to be essential to any South Island itinerary. Is Milford Sound worth it? Many people return from there with wonderful experiences having spotted local wildlife as they’ve glided their way on a beautiful boat through the majestic waters. I, however, want to tell you about my visit, because I’m all about keeping it real and sharing what the likes of Lonely Planet probably definitely won’t tell you.

Is Milford Sound worth it?

Getting to Milford Sound

Milford Sound is quite a remote destination. If you are self driving then I would strongly recommend finding accommodation in Te Anau to break up your journey. Te Anau is less than 2 hours drive from Milford Sound and is considered the gateway to the fiords. A day trip to Milford Sound is a LONG day, especially if you are coming from Queenstown like we did, so my biggest regret is not finding a hotel in Te Anau.

If you choose not to stay in Te Anau, then the likelihood is you will be travelling from Queenstown. According to Google Maps, the journey from Queenstown to Milford Sound is around 4 hours. I SWEAR our journey took around 5-6 hours. But that may have been my anxiety-induced perception (which you will learn all about later). Although we had hired a car in New Zealand, neither of us really fancied driving the lengthy journey. So we booked an organised coach tour. An organised tour to Milford Sound is a great way to explore the region as you can sit back, relax and admire the scenery. Most tours include pick up from your accommodation in Queenstown, a scenic boat ride across the fiord plus lunch on board the boat. Not to mention a guide/driver doing all the hard work for you!

My honest (too honest) experience

As I mentioned before, we travelled via coach from Queenstown. Our driver Lucy picked us up in the morning and remained bright and friendly throughout our trip. She told us all stories of her childhood on a farm and made several rest stops on route. Sadly for us, the weather was not being kind. Even though we’re British and quite used to the rain, the more than damp weather was dampening our spirits the closer we got to Milford Sound.

After a long journey, we made it to the boat where the rain was still pouring and the wind was blowing a gale. The crew on board could obviously sense our coach load of disappointment. They tried to remain enthusiastic and marvelled at the many waterfalls spilling down the rocks because of the torrential downpour. I don’t know if they were genuinely that excited about the waterfalls or if they were just putting a positive spin on things in order to lift our spirits.

We received lunch on board the boat – wraps, cookies and drinks. I chose a falafel wrap and shortly afterwards found myself in the toilets with an upset stomach, to put it politely. Needless to say, the rest of my Milford Sound boat ride experience was spent locked in a cubicle. And my anxiety of what happens once the boat stops was off the chart.

Granted a bout of food poisoning isn’t enough to dismiss an entire attraction, however I didn’t miss much on deck. My husband ventured out to battle the elements but didn’t see any wildlife or rainbows beyond the drizzle and clouds. Sure, you could say it’s dramatic and atmospheric, like many people who visit Milford Sound during bad weather. But it was disappointing for him and the other passengers. And excruciating for me.

The 90 minute boat ride was soon over and everyone was pretty keen to just get back to Queenstown. Our driver had to ask another couple (who had prime location seats at the front of the coach) to switch with us. That way I could be at the front of the coach in case I needed to ‘go’ again. I would have felt guilty (they had paid extra for those seats!) and mortified had all my energy not been focussed on making it through the next 5 or so hours. The trouble with New Zealand is that rest stops are few and far between. Fortunately, having dosed myself up with the necessary medication, I made it back to Queenstown just fine.

And thus concludes the worst day I had in my whole backpacking trip down under.

What’s so special about Milford Sound?

People love Milford Sound because it is one of the most dramatically scenic natural landmarks in the world. Its high annual rainfall fuels hundreds of permanent and temporary waterfalls. And for wildlife enthusiasts, there are seals, dolphins and penguins that can be spotted. Milford Sound feels very much untouched by human development and has even been referred to as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’.

Is Milford Sound worth it?

I had a terrible time at Milford Sound, so in my case the answer is no. HOWEVER, if I could have my time again, I would book a hotel in Te Anau and self drive. You can book the scenic boat cruise without the coach tour, so still get the experience cruising the fiord without the lengthy journey from Queenstown.

There are two sides to every story of course. So if you want to read a good experience of Milford Sound then I’m sure there are a bazillion other travel bloggers out there who will gladly share that.

Check out some of my other New Zealand posts

• 8 things to do in and around Queenstown New Zealand
• Where to see seals in Kaikoura New Zealand
• Is Punakaiki New Zealand’s Coolest Coastal Stop?
• Unusual Things to do in Wanaka