Could I have been dreaming - I thought I read from some sites that the nonstop roundtrip drive between Te Anau and Milford is 3 hours... Then more people told me it's more like 3 hours one-way...

** I would like to know the basic nonstop time so as to plan for the stops accordingly.

Can someone please clear that up for me please?

Does it make sense to drive nonstop there early in the morning, and then make stops on our way back as the "inbound" traffic builds up? But I guess that would just save us time stuck in traffic? And there'll be crowds at the sites of interest anytime anyway? (we'll be there around Christmas)

P.S. As we'll be doing the Doubtful Sound cruise, we plan only to drive the Milford Road but not the Milford cruise.

If you look at http://www.bonz.co.nz/hmm/drivingTimesNorth.html you will see that they say 2 hours 20 minutes for a one way drive. They tend to be conservative and you could certainly do the return trip faster.

I have never been stuck in traffic except at the tunnel waiting for the lights to change.

well if you drive it early (i.e.for the 11am sailing) then there will be hardly any traffic because all the tours buses take the 1pm sailing.

We left Queenstown at 5.50am and made it with a bit of time to spare for the 11am sailing including a few stops on the way - although hubby is a great driver, we are used to windy NZ roads and he sped quite a bit (although we "accidentally" took a half hour detour near queenstown - my fault - hey it was dark .

I'd give yourself 3 hours because it ain't a dual carriage motorway!!! And the scenery is fab so you'll want to take it easy. I reckon you could do it in two hours but it is not worth the stress.

Oh and do the cruise. I think you can get a ticket for like $50NZD that's about $30USD. That cruise is the best day on holiday I have ever had.

Oh and a side note to any other potential tourists reading this: Can you please remember that Milford raod is in a National Park. The law is you must take away all rubbish. I saw some Brits smoking on one of the look out points and they all just dropped their cigarette butts on the ground. And that annoyed me. It is not like anyone lives there to pick up after them. Those cigarettes will be there for years. Just my pet peeve. Don't mean to sound like a grinch.

My Thrifty Car Rental map of NZ gives Te Anau to Milford as 2 hours 20 mins ONE WAY. It's a long and winding road, very beautiful

On our last trip to NZ, we allowed 3 hrs drive (one way) to Milford Sound from Te Anau, and its a good idea to get an early start before the coaches ascend upon you.
I also agree with Wilees, do the Milford Sound Cruise, such a pity to drive all that way, and not do the cruise, and like RalphR stop & take in the countryside enroute.
Hi Tangata! good to see you giving excellent NZ advice (you might remember me from Lee75 on another chat board)