Milford Track
Fiordland offers a feast of hiking options, but by far, the most spectacular and most iconic is the Milford Track. Base yourself at Milford Sound Lodge and sample the world-famous Milford Track for yourself with an incredible day walk from Milford Sound.
The Milford Track Day Walk
See for yourself why the Milford Track is one of the world’s most sought-after hiking experiences. A half-day walk on the world-famous track with return boat transfer.
Take a water taxi transfer from Milford Sound to Sandfly Point and step onto the Milford Track for an unforgettable short day walk. Easily accessible from Milford Sound Lodge, the Milford Track Day Walk combines a return boat journey with a gentle, yet inspiring half-day hike.
The friendly, family-run team at Fiordland Outdoors Co. transport you from Deepwater Basin (Milford Sound) to the starting point of your Milford Track walk. From here, you can walk a spectacular section of the track at your own pace and return with Fiordland Outdoors Co. later in the day. The track is flat and easy-going, making it suitable for just about everyone.
What will I see on a day walk from Milford Sound?
A popular destination for a Milford Track day walk is Giant Gates Falls. At around 30-metres high, Giant Gates Falls is a highlight of the Milford Track, as it tumbles out from the hillside. It is an ideal picnic lunch spot, and the pools below the falls may just entice keen swimmers on a hot day. It takes 1.5 - 2 hours to hike to Giant Gates Falls, making this a perfect 3-4 hour return hike.
For much of the hike, the track follows the picturesque Arthur River. Lake Ada is a short detour off the track and worth it for the photo opportunities. You will see the mighty beech and rimu trees as well as the pretty tree-fuschia, remarkable for its large size and the many birds which love to feed on its nectar.
With very few native mammals in the forest, the birds are a highlight for nature lovers. Among the foliage on the Milford Track, you are likely to see (or at least hear) bellbirds, tuis and grey warblers. Little robins and fantails are often curious about hikers passing through their habitat.
The Milford Track offers a breathtaking display of rainforest, pristine rivers, lakes and waterfalls; all on show when you take this spectacular Milford Sound day walk.
Find out more about what you see on a Milford day walk here.
Looking for more? Hike the full Milford Track
It takes four days and three nights to hike the Milford Track. In that time, you will cover 53 kilometres of spectacular scenery within Fiordland National Park, part of Te Wāhipounamu - South West New Zealand World Heritage Area. More than a walk, the Milford Track is a breathtaking journey through lush rainforest, along pristine rivers and lakes, over high alpine passes and up close to Sutherland Falls, New Zealand’s tallest waterfall.
Milford Track Water Taxi departure times
- Deepwater Basin boat ramp (Milford Sound) to Sandfly Point
Departs every half hour from 8.30am - Return Sandfly Point to Deepwater Basin
Last departure 4.30pm - Available October – May, pre-bookings required.
Milford Sound Walk + Accommodation Packages
Combine your hike with a night or two at Milford Sound Lodge. Within the lodge’s tranquil rainforest setting, rest and recuperate in luxury.
