Milford Sound Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
fiord in the southwest of New Zealand's South Island
About Milford Sound
Milford, Doubtful and Dusky Sounds are actually all fiords, i.e., formed by glaciers. They were incorrectly named 'sounds' by Captain Cook, who charted the region in the 1770s. He bypassed Milford Sound on his journeys for fear of venturing too close to the steep mountainsides, afraid that wind conditions would prevent escape. John Grono was the first European to discover Milford Sound around 1812, and named it afterMilford Havenin his nativeWales. The fiord was officially renamed Milford Sound/Piopiotahi in 1998, as part of a Treaty of Waitangi settlement with local iwi (Māori tribe) Ngāi Tahu. Overland access was severely limited until the discovery of Mackinnon Pass in 1888 and the formation of the Milford Track. The Homer Tunnel opened in 1954, providing road access to the fiord. Haile
Top Attractions in Milford Sound
Explore the best things to see and do in Milford Sound:
- ★Cruise Milford NZ
- ★Lady Bowen Falls
- ★Milford Deep Underwater Observatory
- ★Mitre Peak
- ★Mitre Peak Cruises
- ★Southern Discoveries
- ★Stirling Falls
Where to Stay in Milford Sound
- 🏨Milford Sound Lodge
- 🏨Real Journeys
Milford Sound Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 9 sections including: