When choosing where to visit after our time in Queenstown the choice seemed pretty easy. I had seen and heard so much about Milford Sound, and all reports were glowing! You can visit the area in a very long day trip from Queenstown, but will a toddler in tow, we decided to take our time and drive to Te Anau, where we would stay for a few nights, exploring the area the following days. I will write about our time at Milford Sound in another blog but if the truth be known, for me, the surrounding area and the drive to and from the sound was a much bigger highlight than the sound itself. The scenery was so stunning, varied and unexpected. From the tiniest of perfect yellow flowers, to the moss and lichen covered trees, the contrast of the bright purple lupin flowers against the murky skies, the impossibly clear aqua waters, to the epic snow and fog covered craggy peaks and mountain tops. It was a feast for the senses on every possible level and one I absolutely loved.

Where to stay

Having left booking our trip very late there was not much in the way of accommodation left. New Zealand is such a popular destination I would recommend booking as far in advance as possible.

If we ever visit the area again I would love to stay in one of these beautiful, eco-friendly, luxury chalets.

But for this time we stayed in this original farm cottage with sweet vintage touches and a beautiful open fire which we loved lighting at night. It is definitely not modern but it is comfortable, spacious and full of character, with great views and farm animals for the children to visit.

The drive to Milford Sound

We had been advised to leave as early in the morning as possible to avoid being caught up with all the tour buses which descend on the drive from Queenstown. It is also a good idea to get to the sound early so you can make the most of the good weather if you are lucky enough to arrive to blue skies (or at least no rain), or have time to wait it out if the weather has turned foul. Another benefit of leaving early was enjoying that glorious morning light as it appeared over the mountains. A magical hour and photographer’s dream! We stopped at a few vantage points along the way but tried to make it a direct route there, promising ourselves we’d take our times on the way back to do some exploring.

Early morning on the road to Milford Sound

Eglington Valley

Views from Monkey Creek

The Chasm

Our first stop after cruising and wandering Milford Sound, and lunch at the cafe, was The Chasm. As the luck would have it Layla had fallen asleep in the car so Andy kindly offered to stay with her whilst I took myself and my camera for an explore. It is an easy walk, about 20 minutes return through gorgeous thick forests full of lichen and moss covered trees, look up for the beautiful views through the treetops and down for the pretty flowers which cover the forest floor. There are river views galore, and of course the famous chasm.

Mirror Lakes

This gorgeous little spot is definitely worth the stop. Just a short walk along a boardwalk, so perfect for little ones, you come to the viewing point over the stunning lakes that are so crystal clear and still (on a good day!) that you can see the beautiful scenery reflected in them.

Lake Marian Falls hike

This hike is just a little off the main road (the carpark is just off Hollyford Road) but is also a great option for little legs. The path is flat and easy walking and it doesn’t take long before you get to the pretty Lake Marian Falls. Our little one loved crossing the bridge (numerous times!) and running up and down the little hills on the path.

Rainy day drive

After an epic day visiting Milford Sound and soaking in every detail of the spectacular natural beauty surrounding it we woke bleary eyed and sleepy the next morning. The rain was falling heavily outside and it felt like a great excuse to take it easy and rest whilst we waited for skies to clear. Eventually, the rain still falling, we got in the car and began driving towards the start of one of the hikes we were hoping to do, the beginning of the Routebourn Track. We made it to the carpark and the rain continued to fall. Had it just been the two of us we probably would have put on our wet weather gear and started along the trail anyway, but with Layla along for the ride we decided to cut our losses and enjoy the views from the road. We stopped near a little river to admire the bright purple lupin and then drove back to Te Anau for a wander in town (and to buy Layla some New Zealand wool socks to keep her toes warm!) and dinner by the fire at the pub.

The next morning we left early to drive back to Queenstown for our flight home. Another short but very sweet trip to New Zealand complete.