With no direct road access, the only way you can to get to Doubtful Sound is by a cruise across Lake Manapouri and a coach trip over Wilmot Pass. ... And if you prefer not to drive to Manapouri (where the trips depart), we can get you there by coach from Queenstown and Te Anau.

Can you drive from Te Anau to Doubtful Sound?

If you are travelling from Queenstown or Te Anau to Doubtful Sound, the farthest you'll be able to drive in your vehicle is to Manapouri. You can choose to self-drive to Manapouri, purchase a ticket on a coach, or even fly in a scenic flight to here.

How do you travel to Doubtful sounds?

1. Getting there.
2. The easiest way to get to Doubtful Sound is to travel by boat from Pearl Harbour wharf in Manapouri, across the lake to West Arm, then travel by coach over the Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove. This needs to be booked in advance with one of the local transport operators.

Can you drive over the Wilmot Pass?

There's no direct road access, so the only way you can to get to Doubtful Sound is a cruise across Lake Manapouri and a coach trip over the Wilmot Pass.

Is it worth going to Doubtful Sound?

Doubtful Sound is truly a place that is good year round and I'd even argue that it's worth seeing in all weather so no matter if you get sun or rain on your trip, you'll just have to come back to see it again!

Real Journeys Overnight Doubtful Sound Cruise! New Zealand Travel Vlog!

Why is it called Doubtful Sound?

Doubtful Sound was originally named Doubtful Harbour by Captain Cook. Back in 1770 when Captain Cook sailed on by, he named the sound 'Doubtful harbour'. He didn't enter the inlet with his ship as he was uncertain whether it would be navigable under sail. ... Doubtful Sound is a Fiord.

How do you get Doubtful Sound from Manapouri?

There's no direct road access, so the only way you can to get to Doubtful Sound is a cruise across Lake Manapouri and a coach trip over the Wilmot Pass. This isolation makes this fiord a very special place, a place only those in the know get to see.

How do I make my boat Doubtful Sound?

To access Doubtful Sound, trailer boats can be barged across Lake Manapouri to West Arm and driven over the Wilmot Pass to Doubtful Sound (contact Real Journeys for barge booking). There is a charge for using the Wilmot Pass Road (contact Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre for details).

How was Doubtful Sound formed?

About Doubtful Sound

Like Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound is actually a fiord; formed by glacial activity (a sound is a river river valley that has been flooded by the sea, whilst a fiord is a glacial valley). ... At 421 metres deep, Doubtful Sound is the deepest of all the fiords.

How do I get to Deep Cove NZ?

To get to Deep Cove, you must travel by boat across Lake Manapouri and then by vehicle by road over the Wilmot Pass. Tracknet are able to provide your transport should you need to get to Deep Cove Hostel. For further information about Deep Cove hostel, please visit the Deep Cove Hostel website.

Can you drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound?

The drive from Te Anau to Piopiotahi / Milford Sound is 120 kms (74.5 miles). Allow 2 hours driving without stops. We highly recommend allowing longer to drive to Milford Sound so you can enjoy the spectacular scenery and short walks along the way.

Can you launch a boat in Milford Sound?

You are able to launch the boat at Milford Sound, it is quite a climb up to the tunnel on the Milford road and down the other side, but it will not be a problem.

How deep is the water at Milford Sound?

At 265 metres deep, most of the sound's water is salty, but the top 10 metres or so is freshwater. It comes from the seven to nine metres of rainfall that the area gets every year, empty into the sound via its many rivers and waterfalls.

How do you get to Doubtful Sound from Queenstown?

Doubtful Sound can be approached from Queenstown and Te Anau via Manapouri. It is not directly accessible by road though. If you are going by road, you need to take a coach from Te Anau or Queenstown till Manapouri.

Where is Doubtful Sound in New Zealand?

Doubtful Sound / Patea is a fjord in Fiordland, in the far south west of New Zealand. It is located in the same region as the smaller but more famous and accessible Milford Sound. It took second place after Milford Sound as New Zealand's most famous tourism destination.

What is at Manapouri?

Situated at the edge of Fiordland National Park, the lakeside town of Manapouri provides a base for journeys into the glacier-carved wilderness. Lake Manapouri is the second deepest lake in New Zealand and has a large hydro power station at the end of its west arm.

What is the closest city to Milford Sound?

Te Anau, located on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau is closest town to Milford Sound.

Where do you stay when visiting Milford Sound?

There is a campsite at Knobs Flat on Milford Road. Those doing the Milford Track need to book their place in the DOC huts, while others can stay at the only accommodation provider in Fiordland National Park, the Milford Sound Lodge, which caters for all travellers and budgets.

Why is it called Milford Sound?

In 1823 a sealer called John Grono was the first European settler to visit. He named it Milford Sound after Milford Haven, a long narrow inlet on the Welsh coast. Later that century, a Scotsman called Donald Sutherland became Milford Sound's first permanent resident.

Can you take dogs to Milford Sound?

There are no shops or fuel stations between Te Anau and Milford Sound. A limited selection of supplies is available at Milford Sound and at Gunns Camp (detour down the Hollyford Valley Road). ... Public toilets are only available at Te Anau, Knob's Flat and at Milford. Remember, dogs are not allowed in the National Park.

What is there to see between Dunedin and Te Anau?

The top stops along the way from Te Anau to Dunedin (with short detours) are Tunnel Beach Track, Cycle Surgery, and Nugget Point/Tokata walks. Other popular stops include Mirror Lakes Walk, Curio Bay Cliffs, and The Lost Gypsy Gallery.

What is a fjord in New Zealand?

The fiords of New Zealand are all located in the southwest of the South Island, in a mountainous area known as Fiordland. A fiord is a narrow inlet of the sea between cliffs or steep slopes, which results from marine inundation of a glaciated valley.

What's the difference between a sound and a fjord?

What is a sound? Like a fjord, a sound is a valley that has been filled with sea water. However, a sound is usually formed by the flooding of a river valley, not a glacial valley. This means that the topography is usually less narrow and more gently sloping than a fjord, but it is no less spectacular.

Are there whales in Milford Sound?

Whales. We don't want to get you too excited, but on rare occasions, Milford Sound is visited by the southern right whale – the rarest of all large whales. They are usually seen around the mainland of New Zealand and appear to be part of the New Zealand sub-Antarctic population.

Can you fish in Milford Sound?

The inky depths of Milford Sound are home to a wide variety of fish. Tarakihi and hapuka (also known as grouper) can be found year-round, while you may also find kingfish, tuna and broadbill – depending on your equipment.