Milford Sound has an abundance of wildlife and is home to New Zealand fur seals and bottlenose dolphins year round. Rare Dusky dolphins are also known to visit the fiord. The world’s rarest penguin, the Fiordland crested penguin, visits Milford during the breeding season (November) and moulting season (March/April). While there is wildlife in Milford Sound, we can’t guarantee sightings as these are wild animals in their natural habitat. A visit to the Milford Sound Underwater Observatory offers more wildlife viewing with an abundance of sea life below the surface.

There are sandflies in Milford Sound. To avoid being bitten, bring mosquito spray with you and wear long sleeve clothing and trousers. Mosquito spray is available for purchase from the Blue Duck Café & Bar in Milford Sound.

There are disabled parking spaces outside the Milford Sound Visitor Terminal building. The only vessel with wheelchair access is Pride of Milford (Milford Sound Scenic Cruise) where access to the vessel is by ramp. There are no wheelchair accessible toilets onboard the vessel, instead these are located in the cruise terminal building.

Milford Sound is one of the wettest places in the world with an average annual rainfall of 7 metres per year. Rainfall can reach 250 millimetres in 24 hours and creates dozens of temporary waterfalls (as well as a number of more permanent ones) that cascade down the cliff faces, some reaching a thousand metres in height, and is why it’s renowned for its spectacular waterfalls and rainforest. The temperature in Milford can vary depending on the season and can go from an average high of 19C in summer (Dec – Feb) to 9C in winter (Jun – Aug). All our vessels have spacious indoor areas with comfortable seating for cruising in all weather conditions.

Due to the changeable nature of the weather in Milford, it’s a good idea to bring a waterproof jacket, warm clothing and wear comfortable shoes. Raincoats are provided for passengers on Encounter Nature Cruises and Discover More Cruises.