Hi, We leave on Monday so your quick response would be appreciated. We would like to arrange a trip from Queenstown to Te Anau, do Glow worm caves, stay overnight, Milford Sound the next day then back to Q'town. Any suggestions of where we can overnight? Te Anau? Others? Can we Doubtful Sound from there too? Many thanks. Jerry

Jerry. I'd stay in Te Anau. Drive Q'town to Te Anau and do the glowworm trip in the afternoon or evening. Overnight in Te Anau and do the beautiful drive to Milford in the AM. Cruise on the sound and then drive to Q'town (about 4 hrs)late in the day. Te Anau is just a few kms from Manapouri, the base for Doubtful Sound. To do the cruise on Doubtful as well, you would have to add a full day (at least one more night) to your stay in Te Anau.

RalphR. Thanks for the response.(1) Any suggestions about accommodations in Te Anau? (2) Could we drive Q'town to Te Anau, do glow worm caves then on to Doubtful Sound and do a cruise and stay there - all in one day?. (3) Next day Doubtful to Milford then to Q'town?

Hi Jerry,
I can recommend The Explorer Motor Lodge in Te Anau. Very comfortable, quiet motel.
Suggest you look at this website - http://www.fiordland.org.nz/Explore-...Doubtful-Sound for some info about the trips you can take on Doubtful Sound. I suspect your amended option #2 is a tad ambitious! However, you may be able to make adjustments when you have checked out the above web-site.
Enjoy this beautiful area - the drive to Milford from Te Anau is absolutely awesome. Watch for wildflowers on the way, they brighten the fields immensely.
Dot.

Jerry: We stayed 3 nights at Radfords Lakeview Motor Lodge right on the lake. It was $NZ 160 per night for the four of us (2 adults, 2 kids) in one unit (2 bedrooms, kitchenette and lounge area. Very nice, VERY clean and the owners were nice and friendly.

No chance at all of doing the glowworms and Doubtful or Milford and Doubtful in one day. The trip to Doubtful Sound is an all day affair involving a cruise across Lake Manapouri, an overland drive and a cruise on the sound. Similarly the day driving to Milford and back from Te Anau coupled with a cruise on the sound is not that much shorter.

Jerry, in Te Anau try the Anchorage Motel, or if you want something upmarket, then try Fiordland Lodge, just out of Te Anau on the road to Milford Sound, a bit expensive, but 5 star accommodation.