Tours in Te Anau

Te Anau tours head out along the Milford Road to Milford Sound, across Lake Te Anau to the glowworm caves and onto the Great Walk tracks. Milford Sound is about a 3-hour drive away, so those tours run as full days, while the caves, jet boats and lake cruises fit into a morning or afternoon. Pick-up points vary, and many tours collect you from Te Anau accommodation.

Milford Sound tours from Te Anau

The Gem of the Sound coach and cruise leaves central Te Anau at 10am and returns at about 6pm, with a 2-hour cruise and lunch included. A smaller group suits the scenic nature tour and cruise, which picks up from your accommodation at 8am, stops at Mirror Lakes and adds morning tea before a guided nature cruise.

The Milford Sound cruise and guided walk caps the coach at 15 people and mixes short guided walks with a small-boat nature cruise and lunch. Sailings that start at the Milford terminal add more choice in Milford Sound cruises from Te Anau.

Te Anau tours that carry on to Queenstown or Dunedin

Several tours leave Te Anau and finish somewhere new. The full-day tour from Te Anau to Queenstown stops at Mirror Lakes and Lake Gunn, cruises Milford Sound and serves a picnic lunch. Heading east, the Southern Scenic Coast tour to Dunedin leaves at 7am and crosses the Catlins to the fossilised forest at Curio Bay, Purakaunui Falls and the Nugget Point Lighthouse lookout.

Glowworm caves and lake tours

The Te Anau Glowworm Caves tour crosses Lake Te Anau by catamaran and takes in the caves, with 9am, 11.30am and 3.15pm departures from November to April. The 3-hour scenic cruise and guided walk crosses the South Fiord and walks through native forest with a guide.

Guided walks and Great Walk day trips

Te Anau is the starting point for three Great Walks. The Routeburn Track to Key Summit guided walk and the Lake Marian day walk both drive the Milford Road from Te Anau accommodation, with morning tea and a picnic lunch, leaving at 8.30am and back at 4.30pm. The Kepler guided hike and jet boat adds a Waiau River jet boat ride past Lord of the Rings filming locations and a crossing of Rainbow Reach suspension bridge.

Prefer your own pace? The self-guided Milford Track and Kepler Track day walks include water taxi transfers and run from October to April. Water taxis and coaches to the trailheads are part of Te Anau transport.

Jet boat and bike tours on the Waiau River

The Pure Wilderness jet boat ride runs down the Waiau River to Lake Manapouri with a beach landing and guided forest walk, and a combination trip adds a riverside mountain bike ride. The same river is the centre of Te Anau water sports.

Is Te Anau worth visiting?

Te Anau is worth the stop if you want Fiordland on foot, on the water or from the air. The town sits on the largest lake in the South Island at the edge of Fiordland National Park, with Milford Sound about 120 km north, Doubtful Sound trips leaving from Manapouri 20 km south, and the Milford, Kepler and Routeburn Great Walks nearby. Things to do in Te Anau fill several days, from scenic flights to Te Anau activities close to the lakefront.

Choosing between tours

Coach and cruise days suit anyone who wants the driving handled and a seat by the window. Small-group days make more stops. Self-guided walks and the cave tour take far less time, which leaves a day for the road to Milford.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to get from Te Anau to Milford Sound on a tour?

Tours from Te Anau to Milford Sound split into coach and cruise days, small-group days with more stops, and one-way trips to Queenstown. The road is 120 km and a 3-hour drive each way.

How long are Milford Sound tours from Te Anau?

Milford Sound tours from Te Anau run as 9-hour to 10-hour days. The Gem of the Sound coach and cruise leaves at 10am and returns at about 6pm, and the small-group nature tour leaves at 8am and returns at 5.30pm.

Do Te Anau tours pick up from accommodation?

Many Te Anau tours include pick-up from Te Anau accommodation, such as the Lake Marian day walk, the Routeburn and Key Summit guided walk and the small-group Milford Sound nature tour. Coach and cruise days leave from central Te Anau stops.

What is there to do in Te Anau at night?

Things to do in Te Anau at night start with the 6pm sailings. The evening champagne cruise leaves at 6pm on Lake Te Anau, and an extra 6pm jet boat departure runs from October to March.

What are the best things to do in Te Anau with kids?

Things to do in Te Anau with kids include the Glowworm Caves tour, which is suitable for all ages except infants, and scenic helicopter flights, which have no age restrictions. Children under 4 fly free on a parent's lap.

When can you do the Milford Track and Kepler Track day walks?

The self-guided Milford Track and Kepler Track day walks are available from October to April, seven days a week. Water taxi transfers are included.

Te Anau tours cover Milford Sound, the lake and the walking tracks, and the choice comes down to how long you have and how much walking you want. Pick one long day for the fiord and a shorter one for the caves.