Milford Sound Cruises
Cruises in the Milford Sound will surely be one of the highlights of your visit to Fiordland. Both daytime and overnight cruises are available.
There are about 6 or 7 Cruise companies in Milford Sound. We’re a long time partner of Cruise Milford, who offer smaller and more personalised experiences, and we highly recommend them. Other operators include RealNZ, Mitre Peak Cruises, Red Boats, and a few others. Within Milford Sound, you can also view the Underwater Observatory and experience kayaking (see below). We’d be more than happy to book any of your activities for you if you want to spare yourself the administrative hassle and focus on relaxing instead. Just talk to us at the front desk!
The departure point for Milford Sound cruises is 2 hours drive from Te Anau Lodge along the incredible Milford Highway.
Pick-up options to the Sounds are available from the Lodge for those who prefer not to drive.
Doubtful Sound Cruises
Cruises in Doubtful Sound will surely be one of the highlights of your visit to Fiordland. Both daytime and overnight cruises are available.
There are about 2 or 3 Cruise companies to Doubtful Sound. The largest operator of cruises is RealNZ whilst smaller and more personalised cruises are offered by Southern Secret Fiordland Cruises and Fiordland Exhibitions. Within Doubtful Sound, you also have the opportunity to take part in fishing and kayaking activities on-board.
The departure point for Doubtful Sound Cruises depart from Lake Manapouri, 20 minutes drive from the Lodge.
Pick-up options to the Sounds are available from the Lodge for those who prefer not to drive.
Glowworm Cave Tours
RealNZ also offers trips across Lake Te Anau to visit the fascinating Glowworm Caves. Experience a mysterious underground world of rushing water before drifting in silent darkness beneath the luminous shimmer of hundreds of glowworms.
Fiordland Historic Cruises
Join an elegant Fiordland Cruise aboard a historic sailing ship while exploring the Fiordland National Park. Sail across half a century and magnificent Lake Te Anau to mystical discoveries in middle and south Fjords with the Faith in Fiordland.
Scenic Helicopter Flights
A variety of helicopter flights are available over the Sounds and Fiordland National Park.
Several Companies also offer scenic helicopter trips out of Te Anau.
Fiordland Helicopters, creators of the highly acclaimed Ata Whenua (see trailer below), offer trips retracing the flight taken in the movie over the Fiordland National Park.
Southern Lakes Helicopters also offer a variety of flight options, including a Scenic Te Anau, Mt Luxmore heli-hike, Doubtful/Dusky Sounds, Milford Sound locations.
Te Anau Helicopter Services which operate from Manapouri Airport also offer many scenic flights in Fiordland.
Scenic Airplane Flights
A variety of scenic plane flights are available over the Sounds and Fiordland National Park
Wings and Water operate a floatplane which departs from and lands on the waters of Lake Te Anau. They offer scenic flights to Milford, Doubtful and Dusky Sounds, Mountain Highlights and a Mystery Flight.
Fly Fiordland have a fixed wing plane and offer ‘flights to remember’ departing from the airstrip near Te Anau, such as Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly and Doubtful Sound overfly.
Ata Whenua Film – Fiordland Cinema
A trip to Te Anau is not complete without a visit to Fiordland Cinema to see the amazing cinematic journey that is Ata Whenua.
Ata Whenua – Shadowland brings you the Fiordland Wilderness you would otherwise never see. Mysterious, evocative, exhilarating and utterly spectacular.
Jet Boating
Fiordland Jet operates jetboat tours on the beautiful Upper Waiau River which flows between Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri. Their exhilarating and informative tours allow you to view 3 actual Lord of the Rings film locations of the ‘River Anduin’ and will take you out onto beautiful Lake Manapouri to view the lake and magnificient snow-capped mountains. Jetboat and Heli option available up to Jackson Peaks on the Kepler Mountain Range.
Hiking and Walking
Tramping and walking independently on the Great Walks
Te Anau is the gateway to Fiordland National Park, home (to three of New Zealand’s Great Walks) of the Milford, Kepler and Routeburn Tracks. These can be done (hiked) independently or guided. These are multi-day tracks. For more information on guided walks see Ultimate Hikes.
For shorter day trips you may wish to consider Trips and Tramps who offer a variety of walks some of which can be combined with a Milford Sound Cruise. (They offer a 3 Day Taster which includes day walks on the Milford, Routeburn and Kepler Tracks)
There are also many day walks close by and also leaving from Lake Te Anau. We will be happy to point you in the direction of some favourite walks in the area.
Kepler Track
The Kepler Track is a 60km loop in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. It showcases the grandeur of Lake Te Anau, The Murchison Mountains and The Jackson Peaks. The route traverses mountain ridgelines and twists through native beach forest.
The track is well-maintained and the huts and excellently located to break up the days.
Enjoy a day walk. Kepler Track carpark to Dock Bay and Brod Bay | Kepler Track carpark to Rainbow Reach | Rainbow Reach to Shallow Bay or Moturau Hut | Kepler Track carpark to Luxmore Hut
Lake 2 Lake Cycle Trail
Lake 2 Lake, Te Anau to Manapouri Cycle Trail
This beautiful, scenic route runs from Lake Te Anau towards Lake Manapouri. The trail length is around 19km and starts from the township of Te Anau, running alongside the lake then meeting up with the Upper Waiau River. Someday soon this trail will be extended all the way to beautiful Lake Manapouri, but for now the trail ends at Balloon Loop, around half way down the river.
At Te Anau Lodge, we have some complimentary mountain bikes which can be used to ride into the town centre, or along the lake to reach the Bird Sanctuary and further on connecting to the Lake 2 Lake Cycle Trail. For e-bikes or bike rental, Wild Rides offers all range of alternatives and cycle tours.
Kayaking
Spectacular Sea Kayaking is available on both Milford and Doubtful Sounds.
In Milford Sound, Rosco’s Milford Kayaks, Go Orange and Southern Discoveries and, in Doubtful Sound Fiordland Adventure and Go Orange are local companies offering kayaking trips.
Kayaking Trips range from a 1 hour taster to half and full-day trips. Sometimes, there is the option of kayaking on the Overnight Milford and Doubtful Sound Tours.
Fly Fishing
Fiordland attracts Fishing Anglers world-wide. The Waiau River is truly one-of-a-kind. Teeming with Brown and Rainbow Trout and bordering Fiordland National Park, the Waiau combines low fishing pressure with extraordinary Mayfly hatches for a fly fishing experience that’s truly world class. Fiordland fly fishing is back-country, remote with stunning landscapes. Gin-clear water offering up outstanding sight fishing for mountain river bred Brown and Rainbow Trout. Helicopter or water taxi into Fiordland National Park and access these exceptional and un-pressured fishing locations.
We are able to direct you to nearby fishing spots or alternatively organise an expert guide like the locally owned FishJet Te Anau to take you to some of the more ‘hidden’ spots.
Golf
Golf Te Anau Golf Course (5582 metres) provides magnificent lake views approximately 5 kms from Te Anau. There are green fees for all visitors and NZ affiliated members and, cart and club hire are available at this stunning Golf Course.
Disc Golf
Te Anau Disc Golf is set in beautiful Ivon Wilson park, a few kilometers from the town centre. The 9 holes (or Potts) set through the park offer a great fun activity for family and friends.
This is a great short course that plays through the woods and around a small bog. Small signs mark the tee pads (single square blocks mark the front), and markers on the basket point to the next tee and give distances. Discs for sale at Outside Sports Te Anau.
The Te Anau Lodge has some frisbees and a 7 hole course in the grounds too.
Bird Sanctuary
The Te Anau area and Fiordland National Park are a haven for bird watchers. Fiordland is home to several threatened native species including the Takahe – a flightless alpine bird long thought extinct until rediscovery in the late 1940s.
The nearby Eglinton Valley is a strong hold for Yellow-Crowned Parakeets, Yellowheads (Mohua) and long-tailed bats. Brown Teal, Blue Duck and Southern Crested Grebes are found on Fiordland lakes and streams.
Visitors are also likely to see common forest birds like Tomtits, Brown Creepers, Grey Warblers, Fantails, Tuis, Bellbirds and Wood pigeons. The cheeky mountain parrot, the Kea, is a regular entertainer at high altitudes.
