leahallan

Hi I am need of some advise!
My friend and I are doing the milford trek independently in nov and we are trying to decide what to do the night post the trek.
One site reccommended strongly that you should stay another night at milford sound or do the overnight cruise! I have looked into the cruise and it looks spectacular but I need advice on whether it is too much after the trek (we are early twenties- so we have a bit of fight left in us!).
thanks guys!

Melnq8

You'd be missing a treat if you went all that way and didn't take a Milford cruise. The daytime cruises are about 90 minutes long, so you could do that and return to Te Anau for the night, or do the overnight cruise.

If you meet the 2 pm launch back to Milford, you'd probably have time for a late day cruise and the drive to Te Anau. The drive back is one of the best bits, so you definitely want to do it in daylight (sunset is between 8-9 in November).

Just keep in mind that there isn't much to Milford itself, other than the boat terminal, a cafe and some accommodation...and lots of sandflies.

If it were me (and I was a young whipper snapper like yourself), I'd take the overnight cruise, then enjoy the drive back the next day, stopping along the way to soak up the scenery, and perhaps walk one of the tracks between Milford and Te Anau (depending on your remaining energy and type of transport).

KensingtonGirl

I agree you should definitely do the cruise. The first time we went to Milford Sound, we did kayaking on the Sound which is highly recommended also. The second time we did the Milford Track (guided) and they include an early morning cruise the following day. The cruise got us out further out into the Sound than kayaking and gives you a different perspective.

One thing to think out is logistics. How will you feel coming off the track if the weather is bad - would you prefer to spend the night in the Milford Sound Lodge/Hostel, get cleaned up and dry and then do the cruise early the next day or head straight for the boat for an overnight from the Track. Will you have dry clothes in your pack for the boat if the weather has been bad. (For just a 90 minute cruise, its doable but an overnight with limited area to clean up might be more of a challenge.)

Or you could do your overnight cruise on the Doubtful Sound which is suppose to be as nice or nicer than Milford.

Melnq8

Doubtful Sound is indeed nice, but presents even more logistical issues. It leaves from Manapouri, which is about 2.5-three hours from Milford Sound. And it leaves around noon.

aussiefive

We did the trek (independent)and followed it with the overnight cruise. Then we did the Routeburn after that.

The cruise is quite relaxing. We did a bit of kayaking that they offered on it. My sons (early twenties late teens) particularly enjoyed the buffet dinner on the cruise after eating trekking food for 4 days!