Te Anau & Fiordland | New Zealand
Down in Southland, at the very bottom of New Zealand, lies Fiordland National Park and its gateway town of Te Anau. My journey through New Zealand’s South Island had included several national parks, from Abel Tasman to Westland to Mount Aspiring, and Fiordland was the final one. The southwest region of the country is a vast, wild expanse of steep mountain ranges carved up by deep fiords. Much of it is inaccessible or can only be reached by boat. For those who do come to explore, the small town of Te Anau will normally be your base. I left the hustle and bustle of Queenstown and caught a bus just a couple of hours south down to Te Anau & Fiordland. With the 2nd January public holiday, I had a long weekend here, plus a week working, with time to explore this stunning land in between.
Glow Worm Caves
Public transport is doable but limited in the South Island, so I had to catch an early morning bus to Te Anau. It’s essentially a Milford Sound tour; they just dropped me off en route! This meant I had the whole day ahead of me. Luckily, I was able to check in early, but I still had an afternoon activity booked. I strolled along the lakeshore into town and boarded a boat to visit the Glow Worm Caves.
The caves are on the other side of the lake from Te Anau, technically inside Fiordland National Park. So you basically get a bonus cruise with onboard commentary. Lake Te Anau is the largest in the South Island, second only to Lake Taupō in the whole country. The water stretched far to the west, the snowy mountains just visible on the horizon. Closer to the town, the lake’s “arms” wiggle outwards on the opposite shore to squeeze between the mountains. I was lucky with sunny weather to capitalise on the views as well!
Arriving on shore, we had a presentation about the caves and a short walk through the native forest. Then it was time to head underground! I went to the Waitomo glowworm caves earlier this year, so there was obviously a degree of similarity. No photos in either! We walked through the caves alongside the small underground river, crouching beneath rock hangs. There was even a small waterfall inside one of the caves! At the deepest point for us, we boarded a tiny boat to cruise silently through the darkness. It’s an enchanting experience, gazing at the twinkling lights of the glowworms all over the roof and walls. Given that these are native to New Zealand, it’s definitely something for everyone to witness at least once here!
Milford Sound Day Trip
The Journey
Milford Sound is probably the number one tourist attraction in New Zealand, so I had to check it out! Many people go from Queenstown as a day trip, but that adds a couple of hours each way to an already long drive. Since I had enough time to stay in Te Anau, it made more sense for me to visit from here. I chose a small group tour, trying to avoid the larger coaches. Although, of course, we passed many of them along the way! We departed Te Anau that morning and set off deep into Fiordland towards Milford Sound. While that is, of course, the destination and highlight, there’s a lot more to see along the way as well! We made several sightseeing stops to soak in the gorgeous landscapes.
First up was Englinton Valley, a huge open flat nestled between the mountains, allowing us to see far off in the distance. The scale and size of these landscapes are just staggering! Then we did a short walk by Mirror Lakes, which, as the name suggests, are a handful of small ponds that offer reflective views of the mountains when their water is still and undisturbed. We then popped by a field of lupins, catching the last of their colours as they start to fade for the year (not quite as vibrant as Tekapo was!). Followed by a morning tea stop, with baked goods, at an overlook high up in the mountains to admire the views as we munched! Our last stop on the way there was Falls Creek, a vibrant blue waterfall just off the side of the road.
The Cruise
Then we drove through the long Homer Tunnel, deep beneath the mountains. It’s a winding, zig-zag road down the other side as well – driving yourself to Milford Sound isn’t for the faint-hearted! Before we finally arrived at the end of the Sound to board our boat. Technically, it’s not a sound at all – it’s a fjord, as a glacier carved it out during the Ice Age. Many people say it’s best to cruise the Sound in the rain, as this leads to more and larger waterfalls tumbling down its steep sides. But I enjoyed the sunny weather we had, painting the land in bright shades of green and blue, with white snow capping some of the mountains.
The cruise drifted through the fjord, those vast, steep mountains and cliffs towering on both sides. There was onboard commentary as well, and we sailed right up close to the moss-covered rock faces. The calm weather meant we could sail all the way to the end, almost out into the sea, and look back up the Sound from the other direction. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you can spot dolphins out here, though none came along to see us today. We glimpsed a few seals basking on the rocks, though! On the way back up the Sound, we sailed up close to Stirling Falls, one of the largest waterfalls here. Standing on the boat’s front deck, as I chose to do, you will get showered with the spray, but it was worth it in my opinion!
The Return Journey
Back on land, our guide took us to a short hiking trail nearby for a stunning view of the Sound from a higher vantage point. You can take a scenic flight to see it from above as well, but when you’re scared of small planes and eco-conscious like me, this is an excellent alternative! On the drive back to Te Anau, we made a couple more Fiordland stops to break up the drive. First was Monkey Creek for some beautiful scenery while strolling by the water. Then we had time for a longer hike (approx 30 minutes) along the Lake Marian Track. This took us under the cover of the native forest and followed the river past a few small waterfalls and rapids. It was a great opportunity to stretch my legs after a lot of time spent sitting in the van!
We were back in Te Anau by the early evening, much earlier than if we were going all the way back to Queenstown. Milford Sound is definitely a busy, popular location, so you have to book early for day tours or cruises there. But I understand why, and it was still well worth it in my opinion. Going from Te Anau meant we arrived ahead of many of the Queenstown coaches, and the smaller group size on this particular tour made for a more intimate, personal day out. I’ve heard excellent things about Doubtful Sound, if you want a much quieter alternative, but it takes even longer to get there and is more expensive, hence I gave it a miss. Milford Sound is certainly stunning though, and lived up to expectations!
Kepler Track to Luxmore Hut
On the second day of the weekend, I headed out on another of New Zealand’s Great Tracks. I’d chosen a section of the Kepler Track to do as a day hike, up to the Luxmore Hut and back. This is another suggested day route from Fiordland Outdoors, which I used for my Routeburn Track transport as well. They operate a water taxi service from Te Anau to Fiordland on the other side of the lake to access the track. It’s a quick, regular and relatively cheap crossing!
From the beach, it’s a fairly long, steady ascent through the forest for a couple of hours as you head uphill. I’m pretty used to New Zealand’s native forests at this point, so the surrounding foliage feels familiar now – nothing new or exciting, but pleasant and peaceful. And it was a pretty easy, clear track to follow. I zoned out by myself for the couple of hours heading up. As I approached the tree line, a few viewpoints started to open up between the trees, offering glimpses at the scenery to come.
Mt Luxmore
Then I eventually broke from the trees and emerged on top of the hill. Yet again, the weather was on my side and the sun lit up the landscape around me. Lake Te Anau stretched up one side, while Lake Manapouri was just visible on the other. The track continued on a boardwalk across the long hilltop, heading towards the southermost “arm” of the lake. It was absolutely breathtaking, particularly since I didn’t think the hill was high enough to see so much! I popped into the Luxmore Hut to use their bathrooms – very handy! Then continued further up the hill (not all the way to the peak) to find a quiet spot for my picnic lunch. I sat gazing down on the lake, just enjoying what a beautiful part of the world I’d found myself in.
Eventually, it was time to head back down, retracing the same route. The downhill through the forest can get a little tedious when you no longer have the views at the top to look forward to! I arrived back down at the beach in plenty of time for the return water taxi. Which made it the perfect moment to take off my hiking boots on the sand and go for my customary lake paddle. It was a gorgeous day out hiking, which I thoroughly enjoyed, probably even more so than I’d expected!
Te Anau Town
While working from my accommodation through the week, I wandered into town a few times in the late afternoons. I was staying at the far end of the town, so it was about 20 minutes along the lakeshore to get to the centre. I walked a bit further along the lakeshore past the town one day as well, which is an easy, flat route with lovely views of the lake and mountains. You can watch the seaplanes taking off and landing on the lake as well!
The town of Te Anau is pretty small, but the main street has plenty of shops and restaurants to choose from. I was actually quite surprised by the selection! I browsed a few of the shops, looking at souvenirs, jewellery and clothing. There’s also a small park with a “mini” Lake Te Anau, which I very much enjoyed! It’s a small pond shaped like the lake with shrubs and sculptures to mimic the mountains.
You also can’t miss the big takahē sculpture near the lakefront! After believing these native birds had gone extinct, they were rediscovered still alive in the 1940s in the nearby Murchison Mountains. That area is now part of the Fiordland National Park, and the Department of Conservation works to protect the takahē population still living there, as well as across the rest of the country. After first seeing takahē in Zealandia back in Wellington, they have quickly become my favourite New Zealand birds! More on them coming below…
Ata Whenua Shadowland Film
As part of my Milford Sound tour at the weekend, our guide gave everyone a complimentary ticket to a short film at the local Fiordland Cinema. It screens multiple times a day, so I figured, why not go check it out one evening? Ata Whenua Shadowland is 30 minutes long and features scenery and wildlife from Fiordland National Park. I especially enjoyed some of the animals featured, especially the kea, a large endemic parrot species that walks more often than flies, and nests in underground burrows.
A lot of the film was shot from helicopters, in locations that are otherwise inaccessible in the rugged, impenetrable mountains. It was filmed in 2004, so isn’t maybe quite as high definition as we’re used to now, 20 years later, but there’s still some incredible footage in it. Even if you don’t have a complimentary ticket, it’s reasonably inexpensive, so well worth checking out!
Kepler Track to the Waiau River
For my final day in Te Anau & Fiordland, I had all day before catching a bus back to Queenstown (a coach returning from Milford Sound) in the early evening. I had decided to head back across the lake with Fiordland Outdoors, this time to follow the Kepler Track in the opposite direction along the lakeshore. Then I would leave that track and join another to bring me around Brod Bay and back into town. It wasn’t quite as sunny today, but most of the track was under tree cover anyway.
This is a much lower elevation hike than Mt Luxmore in the opposite direction. I was mostly walking on flat ground through the forest, not far from the lakeshore. It was quite peaceful amongst the ferns and trees, though a little tedious after a while. I was leaving the Kepler Track where the Waiau River meets Lake Te Anau, but I got there much quicker than expected. So I opted to follow the track a bit further, alongside the river instead. There were some nice views of the river peeking between the trees, though it was hard to get a decent shot for photos. When I was ready to turn back, I retraced my route towards the lake, crossing the river and continuing around the bay. This section has less tree cover, meaning more visible lake views!
Te Anau Bird Sanctuary
My last stop was on my way back around Brod Bay, not too far from my accommodation, actually. The Te Anau Bird Sanctuary is an outdoor park with various native bird enclosures. The Department of Conservation runs the sanctuary, so the birds are there for conservation and protection. I was mostly excited to see the takahē, knowing there’s such a large wild population in Fiordland!
They have a big enclosure, with lots of tall grass and foliage, so it can be tricky to spot them! I had to wander around it a couple of times, keeping a close eye out for flashes of their bright blue plumage or striking red beaks. I managed to find one of them taking a bath in the stream, shaking water over itself, which was amazing to see! And then I spotted another elsewhere, who had a chick nearby as well, but the chick stayed hidden from view. I watched the adult walk around, pecking at food on the ground. It also turns out the chicks are born black, which I had no idea about!
The sanctuary has plenty of other bird species as well! In particular, there were lots of native duck species, and it was very peaceful to watch them in the ponds. A group of ducklings were learning to dive, which was adorable to witness! There are also several Antipodes Island parakeets, which aren’t native to the main NZ islands, but instead hail from the sub-Antarctic islands. They are kept here as an “insurance” population, in case anything befalls the wild population, since it’s an isolated species only found in the Antipodes. Like the kea, they are ground-dwelling and nest in tunnels. I knew nothing about them before, so they were a fun discovery to cap off my week!
Exploring Te Anau & Fiordland
That evening, I caught my bus back to Queenstown, staying there for just a night before setting off towards Dunedin. I think many people skip Te Anau & Fiordland, instead staying only in Queenstown, but I’m really glad I had time for it. It’s most popular as a destination for walkers, and I can see why, with several Great Tracks in the area. Even though I only did a couple of day hikes, they were a very memorable part of my entire South Island trip! It was also really lovely to spend time in a quieter town after the busy New Year’s Eve crowds in Queenstown. Being so lucky with sunny weather was certainly a massive plus as well!
I was nearing the end of my time not just in the South Island, but of my entire year in New Zealand (I’m writing this months later now!). I only had a few weeks and a couple of more destinations to go. The last few stops were mainly cities as well, so Te Anau was my final small town. I was headed to the east coast too, so I was a bit sad to be leaving the spectacular Southern Alps scenery behind! But there were still a few more NZ adventures to come…
