Te Anau & Fiordland
What to do, where to eat and who to book with. Written by your hosts, from five minutes up the hill.
What to do, where to eat and who to book with. Written by your hosts, from five minutes up the hill.
Summer has the long days, autumn the colour, winter the snow and the stars, spring the waterfalls at full force.
Most people book two nights and spend one of them driving to Milford and back. Everything below is the reason to make it three.
Lake Te Anau is the second largest lake in New Zealand. The only way to understand the scale of it is to get out on it.
Aboard The Faith with Fiordland Historic Cruises, or further and faster up New Zealand's only inland fiords with Cruise Te Anau.
A short cruise across the lake into a limestone cave lit by nothing but glowworms. The one almost every guest says they are glad they did.
Down the Waiau River between Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri with Fiordland Jet. Or the Wairaurāhiri from Lake Hauroko, which must be booked ahead.
Fiordland is mostly unreachable by road. An hour in the air shows you more of it than a week of driving.
Helicopters leave from the township itself, so there is no transfer to think about. Wings and Water fly the float plane off the lake.
Lake Te Anau to Lake Manapouri through native forest, wetlands and farmland. Suitable for all abilities. Bike hire and shuttles in town.
From gentle lakeside strolls to alpine viewpoints. Conditions change with the weather and the season, so check with the Department of Conservation before you set out.
Lake Te Anau Foreshore
Gentle, close to town, asks nothing of you.
Rainbow Reach to Moturau Hut
A section of the Kepler as a day walk, beech forest and wetland.
Kepler by water taxi
Cross to Brod Bay, climb to Luxmore Hut. A proper day out.
Lake2Lake Trail
Walk or cycle, bush and wetland between the two lakes.
Te Anau Bird Sanctuary
Short and peaceful, and a chance to see the rare takahē.
Key Summit
Half a day on the Routeburn to an alpine viewpoint.
Lake Marian
A steep climb to a hanging valley lake. Worth every step.
Mt Burns Tarns
Remote subalpine walking from Borland Road near Lake Monowai.
Gertrude Saddle
Spectacular, and experienced hikers only. Steep, exposed, weather dependent.
Te Anau is the base for some of the most celebrated hiking in the country. Whether you have four days or one, there is a version that fits.
Three to four days, starting and finishing near Te Anau. Lakeshore, ancient forest, alpine ridgeline. Sections work as day walks.
Often called the finest walk in the world. Four days from Glade Wharf to Sandfly Point, through rainforest, alpine passes and waterfalls.
Alpine passes and valley views, with Key Summit at the Te Anau end for a taste of it without the full track.
Three days from the mountains to the Tasman Sea, with guides and lodges rather than huts, and a bed at the end of each day.
New Zealand's newest Great Walk, south of here, with coastline, forest and the old timber viaducts.
Two hours without stopping. Allow six to eight hours return, because the road is the attraction.
The stops below are in the order you meet them. Fill the car before you leave Te Anau, because there is no fuel between here and the Sound.
Mirror LakesA short boardwalk where, on a calm day, the Earl Mountains sit perfectly upside down in the water.
Eglinton ValleyA sweeping alpine valley framed by ancient beech. The one people pull over for without planning to.
Monkey CreekGlacial water straight off the mountains, and frequent visits from the kea. Watch your belongings, they are famously curious.
Homer Tunnel1.2 kilometres bored through solid granite, opening onto alpine scenery on the descent. Expect a wait at the lights in summer.
The Cleddau ValleyTowering peaks, waterfalls and rainforest on the way down from the tunnel.
The ChasmA short forest walk to powerful falls and rock sculpted over centuries by the water running through it.
Milford Foreshore WalkEasy and short, through beech forest and along the sand, with the best free view of Mitre Peak you will get.
A guided tour takes the driving off you and adds the history, the wildlife and the stops people miss. Most include a cruise.
A nature cruise, or a kayak if you would rather be at sea level with the seals. Food up there is limited, so book a table or take lunch.
Milford is the famous one. Doubtful is the remote one, and the one people come back talking about. A cruise across Lake Manapouri, over the Wilmot Pass by road, and water so still the mountains sit upside down in it.
Day trips run year round. The overnight is the version worth saving up for.
Ata Whenua is a short local film and the best introduction to the region there is, with aerial footage of country you will never otherwise reach. Deer Wars tells the history of Fiordland's wild deer.
Five minutes back towards Queenstown. Fiordland country life, friendly animals, and somewhere to eat while you are there.
Hire a cart and clubs at the Te Anau Golf Club, or try disc golf at Ivon Wilson Park, which costs nothing and is harder than it looks.
The trout observatory, the Two Wee Bookshops down at Manapouri, and a wander through the Town Centre. Enough to fill the gap between a late breakfast and an early dinner.
A photography course with William Patino, a massage with Manaaki Massage, or a session at Wildwood Sauna.
Te Anau is small, the season is short, and the good tables go. Book ahead, and check the hours before you walk down, because they move with the season.
Oil, salt and pepper are already there. Town is five minutes down the hill, so you can stock up once and not leave again.
Fresh Choice Te Anau is the full supermarket in the Town Centre, Te Anau Four Square the smaller one. For meat and bread, Fiordland Meats and Nonna's Foods.
Sandfly Cafe for breakfast and lunch. Milford Merchant for coffee and an ice cream on the way through. Sprig and Thistle, and Davaar & Co next door.
Woodstone Farm, where you can meet the animals while you eat. And Miles Better Pies, famous in Te Anau for a reason and open early enough for the Milford run.
A scenic lake cruise, the Te Anau Glowworm Caves, Fiordland National Park itself, the cafés and restaurants in town, the lakefront on foot or by bike, Fiordland Cinema, and a scenic helicopter flight if the weather is kind.
Yes. It is one of New Zealand's most iconic places, and the towering peaks, the waterfalls and the wildlife earn the reputation. Go early.
Milford is easily reached and famous for the drama of it. Doubtful is remote, quieter and has far fewer people in it. Both are exceptional, and if you have three nights you can do both.
About two hours' drive without stopping, but allow six to eight hours return so you can actually use the viewpoints along the way.
Yes. Cruises, guided walks, scenic flights and kayaking should all be booked ahead, and in summer that means well ahead.
Dolphins, New Zealand fur seals, Fiordland crested penguins in season, plenty of native birds, and occasionally whales.
Layers and a waterproof jacket, comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, insect repellent, a camera and a reusable water bottle.
The Lake2Lake Trail, the Kepler as a day walk or the full track, Key Summit, Lake Marian, and the Routeburn.
It changes quickly. Rain is common all year, and it is exactly what makes the waterfalls the region is famous for. Come prepared rather than hopeful.
The operators we send guests to, with the numbers to ring.
Track conditions, opening hours and sailing times change with the weather and the season. Check with the operator before you set out, and with the Department of Conservation for anything on a track.
One house, two people, floor to ceiling glass over the lake and the mountains, and a cedar hot tub on the deck for the end of a long day out. Book direct and you deal with us, not a platform.