Milford Sound or Doubtful
 

Our visit to NZ at the end of the month will allow time for us to visit either Doubtful Sound or Milford Sound but not both. We would appreciate any feedback which would help us make a choice. Thank you.

Both are magnificent but Milford is the more touristy of the two. Loads of visitors there and consequently much more crowded. I assume you will stay at Te Anau and drive to Milford - the scenery along the way is beautiful and the sound breathtaking. I think the drive takes about 90 minutes each way. There is only a small hotel at Milford (stacks of accommodation at Te Anau) and one restaurant. <BR>The trips to Doubtful Sound leave from Manopouri, about 10 minutes drive from Te Anau. From memory we took a boat trip, then a short bus trip and then onto another boat for Doubtful Sound.<BR>Hope this helps.<BR><BR>

Thank you, Marg. We would like to avoid being over run by other tourists, so I suppose it's Doubtful Sound for us. Glad to hear that they're both magnificent.

I agree with marg. The drive to Milford is much longer than the short drive to Pearl Harbor, the departure point for Doubtful Sound. That drive to Milford is spectacular though, and worthwhile in its own right. The road is the only one that passes through the mountains and descends to sea level in all of Fiordland. <BR><BR>The Doubtful Sound trip is much longer than a Milford Sound trip. A boat takes you from Pearl Harbor, across Lake Manapouri. Then a bus takes up up over Wilmont Pass and down to Deep Bay, where you pick up another boat that heads out onto Doubtful Sound. We found the Milford Sound tour to be spectacular, but crowded with tourists on many different tour boats milling around. On Doubtful Sound, it is doubtful (ha ha!) that you will see another craft during the whole passage.<BR><BR>If you have the time and money, a really special thing to do is to take an overnight trip on Doubtful Sound. There is little that compares to waking up and taking a pre-breakfast solitary kayak trip along an isolated arm of Doubtful Sound.

Definitely Doubtful Sound!! We did both, and although I agree with everything that is said about Milford (the great ride there, etc.),Doubtful is by far a better choice if you only have time for one. It is much, much bigger than Milford, so there is more wildlife, more scenery, more waterfalls. And absolutely do the overnight cruise...the highlight of our trip. Kayaking in the afternoon on the sound, an excellent buffet dinner, the most beautiful night sky you can imagine, a short terrain hike before breakfast, and a buffet breakfast. Well worth the money. <BR><BR>If you do decide to go to Milford, I don't recommend driving. Enjoy the ride on a motorcoach, and then fly out from Milford...even more breathtaking from above.<BR>Leslie

I agree with Leslie about Milford Sound. I just got back from NZ. We took bus to Milford Sound and flew back, flight back was highlight of trip.

Hweinberg or anyone else-does anyone have recommendations for tour companies for an overnight visit to Doubtful Sound? Exactly what would these companies have to offer and what should I not miss during this visit? Thanks, Abby

I would recommend Real Journeys (http://www.realjourneys.co.nz/index....btfulovernight). Their boat is larger than some of the other operators', but it carries a large number of kayaks, so anyone can use one at any time. They also carry a large inflatable boat for side excursions. I think that one of the biggest issues for you to decide is how much privacy you need. The smaller boats are more intimate, but the sleeping arrangements may also be a bit too intimate for some.

Hello again ALF! What would I do with my car and luggage if I went on an overnight Doubtful Sound cruise? Can I bring a big rolling suitcase on one of these cruises? I will be driving around NZ for a month. Thanks.

There is a parking area along the road at Pearl Harbor, where the boats leave for the trip across Lake Manapouri. We just parked our van there, then returned and drove off the next day. If you are worried about your stuff, you may be able to get the tour operator to hold your suitcase for you at their Pearl Harbor office. Alternatively, you can park your car in Te Anau or Queenstown, then have the tour operator bus you to Pearl Harbor.

Abby, we went on the Real Journeys tour. I actually think they do all of the Doubtful Sound trips. At any rate, the boat was pretty large, and very comfortable. We paid to have a private room with a double bed. There were also quad-share rooms, but we were honeymooners, and well, that would just not have worked for us. :)<BR>We packed our backpacks, and our B&amp;B simply held the rest of our luggage for us. The food was great, and we loved the kayaking in the late afternoon. Those that don't want to kayak can go out on the tendercraft motor boat.<BR><BR>I do not think there will be room to bring a very large suitcase. The rooms are small, and the trip to the sound is an excursion in itself...we bused from Te Anu to Lake Manapouri, boat ride across the lake, bus trip to Doubtful Sound, and then board the boat at the sound, transferring our luggage at every step of the way. <BR><BR>I would suggest that you arrange to stay at the same place the night before the trip, and the night after the trip, and then ask your accomodations to hold onto your luggage while you go on the overnight cruise in between those two nights. That's what we did, and the B&amp;B said that they do that all the time.<BR>Leslie

Thanks Leslie! That is great advice. Is there any kind of special clothing that I will need for the trip? I will be going in July when it will be cooolllddd..Thanks again.