“On a Mish” #451 Milford Sounds Great. Piopiotahi / Milford Sound. Fiordland National Park. 10.5.2026. I recently had a friend come visit me all the way from France (Celine) and she wanted to do something cool while in the Te Anau / Fiordland area. I love nothing more than showing people my amazing backyard, however there is always a little difficulty choosing where to go in New Zealand’s biggest national park. After some thinking and the fact that I had an insider who could help, I decided that a mish to Milford would be best, and after relaying the idea to my friend she agreed, ‘Milford Sounds Great!’…
Along with a cruise of the famous fiord, I wanted to give Celine the full ‘tourist’ experience, starting with a voyage of many stops while en route to Milford. A majority of tourists come to Te Anau as a way of getting to Piopiotahi Milford Sound. Unless traveling by air, the incredible Milford Road is the only way to get there, and it is a stretch of highway that must not be rushed if you really want to get the most out of your Milford adventure. We were not going to be rushing!
The short days of May meant we started in the dark and watched as the light was slowly introduced to the mountains that surround Lake Te Anau. The road was quiet and the air very still. The remains of clouds from the overnight rain clung to the sides of the peaks and slowly dissipated as the morning went on. It was a good representation of how one minute in Fiordland can look completely different to the next.
Thanks to the time of the year (between summer and the winter ski season), the road was almost completely deserted. It was strange to pull up to a location like the Eglinton Valley viewpoint or Mirror Lakes and not see another vehicle. It took me back to just after Covid when our tourism numbers were at their lowest. As much as we need the tourists for our economy, it is nice to visit places that are normally polluted with people and see next to nobody.
After many stops we finally made it to the stunning sights – and many sandflies – of Piopiotahi Milford Sound. By now the clouds had nearly fully cleared and the mountains were on display. The vista of the Fiords and sheer cliffs either side is one of marvel and wonder, and a view I will never get tired of looking at. It was time to head out on the water for a cruise.
I have a great mate Harsh, who works as a chef for Southern Discoveries, and he had hooked us up with a deal on not only a cruise of the fiords, but also a delicious buffet lunch. The food was amazing, and matched the magnificent surroundings, also the reserved table meant we had a place to graze, and then gaze, at the wilderness as the cruise took us out to the Tasman Sea. Fiordland views and fantastic food is about as good as it can get!
After finishing our cruise, we thanked Harsh (LEGEND!) and the rest of the crew that he worked with, and then we began our journey back to Te Anau. Luckily the only way back (unless flying) is via the Milford Road, and traveling in reverse with most of the cloud now completely gone is almost like driving on a different road. It was just as magical as during the morning and reinforced how awesome this part of the world really is and why so many come to see it. So, if somebody offers to take you to Piopiotahi then the answer should most definitely be ‘MILFORD SOUNDS GREAT!’
