Visiting Piopiotahi / Milford Sound Access Guide
At Pure Milford, we are committed to providing a safe, enjoyable, and inclusive experience for all our visitors. We recognise the importance of making Piopiotahi / Milford Sound inclusive to everyone, regardless of their individual needs. Please read through our access guide below, which shares more in-depth information on what is required for visitors to enjoy the beauty of Piopiotahi / Milford Sound safely and comfortably.
How to Use This Guide
At Pure Milford, we realise that every traveller has unique requirements. We have provided this comprehensive Access Guide to offer transparent, technical details about our fleet and facilities. By sharing specific measurements and step counts, we aim to empower you to make an informed decision about which experience best suits your comfort and mobility needs.
Experience: What to Expect on Your Cruise
Check in for the cruise opens 30 minutes before departure at the Pure Milford desk in the Milford Sound Visitor Terminal. You will be given your boarding passes and directed to Berth 5 for boarding, which begins about 10 minutes before the cruise. Once boarded, you will be welcomed by our friendly crew who will share a safety briefing before setting off to cruise around the stunning fiord.
The cruise travels along the left-hand side of the fiord, turns around at the Tasman Sea, and returns on the opposite side. You will pass towering cliffs, ancient rainforest, cascading waterfalls, distant glaciers and local wildlife if you are fortunate! There will be live commentary from our skipper, or available through our commentary app in both audio and written formats.
There is no assigned seating and you are free to move around the vessel at your leisure. There are various options for seating and standing, both indoors and outdoors, across multiple decks.
The cruise is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes in length. As it can be all seasons in one day at Piopiotahi / Milford Sound, we recommend bringing warm layered and waterproof clothing, as well as sun protection and bug spray to keep the sandflies at bay.
Our Cruise Vessels
We want all our guests to enjoy the incredible experience of cruising through Piopiotahi / Milford Sound. Please note the following important information regarding access to our vessels.
The Gem of the Sound
This vessel is designed to be inclusive, offering a user-friendly experience with booth-style seating that allows for easy transfers to and from many wheelchairs. During summer (October to April), this vessel usually departs at 11:00 am and 1:30 pm.
- Main Deck: Step-free access via a ramp to the bottom deck, which houses the Café/Bar and an outdoor viewing platform at the rear.
- Toilets: Accessible toilets are conveniently located on the bottom deck.
- Indoor Obstacles: To access the front of the vessel, there are three deep steps to overcome to reach the indoor viewing deck.
- Bow Access: Reaching the outdoor viewing deck at the bow requires surmounting a large 150mm sea-sill.
The Maiden of Milford
There are a number of steps and stairs required to navigate this vessel, which is accessed through the rear door on the main deck. During summer (October to April), this vessel usually departs at 9:30 am, 12:00 pm and 2:30 pm.
- Sea-Sill: Access requires overcoming a large sea-sill that is approximately 300mm high.
- Ramp Access: Due to the height limitations of the door, we are unable to place a ramp over this sill, so it must be stepped over.
- Main Deck: This level is large and open with a Café/Bar and plenty of indoor viewing with bench seating, but has no access to outdoor decks.
- Vertical Access: Upper decks are reached by a steep set of approximately 15 shallow stairs, while toilets on the lower deck are down a very steep flight of approximately 12 shallow stairs.
Experience: What to Expect on Your Coach Tour
Our coach and cruise day tours depart Queenstown and Te Anau three times daily in summer (October to April), and once daily in winter (May to September). The coaches pick up at various bus stops along a set route in Queenstown, and pick up at a central location in Te Anau (Kiwi Country and Kea Café). On boarding the coach, the driver will take your lunch order and provide you with your boarding and lunch passes for the cruise.
The trip begins with an early morning departure from Queenstown. It includes a two-hour drive through Southland farming country before arriving in Te Anau. There are no stops made on this part of the journey. This is an opportunity for a rest break for using the restrooms (there are accessible bathrooms available at the Kea Café), grabbing a coffee or some hot or cold refreshments from the café.
Once the Te Anau crew have boarded, the coach departs for Fiordland National Park. Our knowledgeable driver guides share plenty of local insight through their informative commentary and provide photo stops at areas such as Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes and Monkey Creek.
Our Coaches
We endeavour to make travel to and around Piopiotahi / Milford Sound as easy as possible for all guests through sharing detailed access information. We operate large 53-seater coaches accessed via doors at the front and middle of the coach.
- Boarding: Requires overcoming 4 steps, roughly 210mm–250mm high and 260mm–275mm deep.
- Accessibility: Even if you are seated at the back of the coach, you can still use the front stairs for entry and exit if this is more straightforward for you.
- Aisle Width: 400mm at its narrowest point from seat armrest to seat armrest.
- Storage: Large touring coaches have spacious luggage compartments to store baggage, prams or mobility aids.
- Assistance: Due to health and safety constraints, our coach drivers are unable to provide help with fully assisted transfers to and from mobility aids. Guests will need to be able to complete transfers independently, or with assistance from a travel companion.
Experience: What to Expect on Your Flight
At 4–5 hours return including the cruise, this flightseeing excursion is one of the most efficient ways to experience Piopiotahi / Milford Sound. The trip begins with True South Flights close to Queenstown Airport. After check in, a short 100m walk leads you to their fixed-wing planes, which have either 8 or 13-seat capacity.
Soak up some incredible scenery as you soar over snow-capped mountains, hanging valleys, alpine lakes and ancient glaciers on this 35-minute flight. After landing at Milford Airport, you will be transported to the wharf by shuttle bus to board your cruise from Berth 5.
True South Flights: Boarding and Disembarking
If assistance is required, True South Flights can transport passengers from the office to the aircraft by vehicle. Otherwise, it is a 100m walk from the office to the airfield. This is a mostly flat walk along the public road, followed by a short incline up a grass bank.
- Steps: Three steps fold down from the aircraft.
- Step Height: The first step sits approximately 30–40cm from the ground; an additional portable step can reduce this height if needed.
- Spacing: Remaining steps are approximately 25cm apart.
- Safety: Only one passenger may board at a time to maintain aircraft balance. Steps do not have handrails as they fold up into the aircraft.
- Requirement: Individuals must be able to disembark unaided in the event of an emergency.
Our Locations
Queenstown Store
Our Queenstown retail store is situated at 26B Shotover Street at street level.
- Doors: Large double doors with an entranceway of 1950mm when both are open.
- Threshold: A kerb of 100mm at the entrance.
- Toilets: No toilets in store, but public toilets are available on Athol Street, approximately 150m away.
Milford Sound Visitor Terminal
The terminal serves as the central hub for your cruise check-in and boarding.
- Amenities: The terminal itself is all single level and accessed by single doors, although it can facilitate a double-door entry. Accessible toilets are available and a ramp provides access to the wharf for boarding the cruise vessels. While there is no café on-site, there are small vending machines selling confectionery.
- Check-In: The Pure Milford desk is situated on the right-hand side as you enter the Visitor Terminal.
- Parking: Paid parking in Piopiotahi / Milford Sound is located in Freshwater Basin, which is a 10-minute step-free walk to the terminal involving a mix of gravel, boardwalk and paved walkways. Free parking is available at Deepwater Basin, which is a 25-minute walk to the terminal.
- Mobility Parking: There are four mobility car parks located directly at the terminal building close to the bus bays. To reach these, follow the signs for "Coaches Only". Please note there is still a charge for mobility parking, which can be paid for inside the terminal.
- Wheelchairs: Two complimentary wheelchairs are located in the terminal building for passengers with mobility requirements to travel to and from cruises. These are not available for hire. If you require one, please contact our team in advance so we can do our best to arrange this for you.
- Guide Dogs and Service Animals: While most dogs are not permitted in Fiordland National Park, certified and registered service animals are permitted at Piopiotahi / Milford Sound and within the National Park area. As well as advising us of your service animal, you must notify the Department of Conservation Fiordland National Park office on +64 3 249 7924 or fiordlandvc@doc.govt.nz prior to your visit.
CONTACT OUR TEAM FOR ACCESSIBILITY ENQUIRIES
Hāpai Access Card
Pure Milford is proud to support accessible and inclusive travel. Please contact our team before your visit if you have specific accessibility requirements or would like to discuss which experience is most suitable for you.
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