How to find the Milford Sound Swing

Ah, the Milford Sound swing – you’ve probably seen the gorgeous photos on your Instagram feed. That’s how I first came across it. The Milford Sound swing has the most epic view of Mitre Peak and the surrounding Milford landscape. So, I was obviously very keen to check it out on our recent visit to Milford Sound.

Did you know the Milford Sound swing is actually quite hard to find? It’s not signposted or anything. I guess the locals want to keep it a secret. The story goes that a local worker made this swing for his girlfriend so she could enjoy it on her days off. Now, that’s pretty sweet!

After doing a quick Google search, we found that the directions to the swing were still a little unclear. So, when we got off our Milford Sound cruise, we asked one of the staff, and she gave us detailed directions, even drawing us a little map on a piece of paper.

How to find the Milford Sound Swing

From the car park (not the coach car park) the actual car park, cross the road and enter the start of the Milford Foreshore Walk. Walk to the left, away from the cruise boats.

After several steps, you will cross a wooden bridge. Keep walking for 5 minutes and keep a lookout to your right, through the trees you will see the swing. It’s on a sandy patch jutting out into the water towards Mitre Peak.

We walked through the trees to the sandy area. You will see the swing in front of you. Just keep following your line of sight.

Here’s a map of where the Milford Sound Swing is located –

We were lucky because there wasn’t a soul around when we visited. Meaning we could enjoy the swing and take our time with photographs. We visited the Milford Sound swing at midday when most people were on their cruise.

Top Tips for Visiting the Milford Sound Swing

• Wear closed-toe shoes – the sandy area you have to walk across can be very wet

• Bring insect repellent. There are lots of sandflies in Milford Sound!

• We recommend walking the rest of the Foreshore Walk; it only takes an extra 10 minutes, and there are some great photo opportunities.

• If you get lost, please go back to the Visitor Centre and ask one of the staff members there. They will be more than happy to assist.

And there you have it our detailed directions to the famous Milford Sound swing. I hope you found it helpful. Be sure to take lots of photographs when you visit. Also worth noting is that bad weather can hinder a great photo so be sure to check the weather forecast in advance.

What to do Before Visiting the Milford Swing?

A boat cruise through the otherworldly Milford Sound, of course!

When we visited from our home in Queenstown, we wanted an intimate cruise experience so we booked this small boutique cruise experience. It’s operated by Cruise Milford and has a maximum capacity of 75 guests.

But we were very lucky as there were only 30 people on our cruise. Perfection! The smaller boat can get up close and personal with the waterfalls as well as Milford’s famous seal residents. It’s also an hour and 45 minute long cruise, in comparison to the 90-minute cruise time of most other operators.

As we cruised through the almost-black waters of Milford Sound, our captain detailed the history of the area and pointed all the sights and wildlife. We were blessed to get to see seals and the infamous Fiordland Penguin on our tour!

Tickets for this boutique cruise are $149 NZD per person, and included is free tea, coffee and, biscuits on-board!

If you’d prefer to see the sights on board a larger boat, then we recommend this 3-hour experience which also includes access to the Milford Underwater Observatory. The cruise section of the tour is 90-minutes long and is operated by Southern Discoveries. Like the smaller cruise, complimentary tea and coffee are served on-board!

What sets this Milford Cruise apart from the others is that it includes access to the underwater observatory – which is an aquarium of sorts, except the marine life is free to come and go as they please. Interestingly, Milford Sound is home to unique black coral that can only be seen 50 meters below the surface – so, the underwater observatory is the only way you can see this coral up-close.

This Milford Sound Cruise Including Underwater Observatory costs from $165 NZD per adult and what’s handy is that you can book it now and pay later if you wish!

Where to Stay in Te Anau (the closest town to Milford Sound)

If you fancy spending the night in Te Anau, we highly recommend Kingsgate Hotel. It is situated just a two-minute walk into Te Anua & conveniently, Lake Te Anau is across the road. Be sure to watch the sunset on Lake Te Anau.

The restaurant options in Te Anau are surprisingly good. We loved Paradiso Pizzeria, an authentic Italian with excellent wood-fired pizzas. We also loved Bao Now a food-truck serving delicious Vietnamese fare.

Some of the best places to stay in Te Anau include –

• Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers – Conveniently located smack-bang in the middle of Te Anau CBD, this hostel offers private rooms or a bed in a dorm. And is the perfect choice if you’re on a budget! It’s a super-friendly hostel and is a great place to meet like-minded travelers. Facilities include a communal kitchen, free WiFi and free parking. Expect to pay around $40 NZD for a bed in a dorm here.
• Kingsgate Hotel – This is where we stayed and we loved it’s lakefront location – walking up to Lake Te Anau every morning was bliss! The rooms are comfortable and modern, the on-site restaurant (Jimmy Cooks) is great and, free parking is offered too. It ticked all the boxes for us. Expect to pay around $149 NZD per room per night here!
• Fiordland Lakeview Motel and Apartments – If you want a luxurious place to stay in Te Anau, this is the spot for you! With balconies off every room (which are all stylishly decorated, FYI), a kitchen area in the apartments, and BBQ facilities on-site, it’s a brilliant option for families. A one-bedroom apartment here starts at $260 NZD.

Thanks for Reading!

Tell me: have you been to Milford Sound before? Did you manage to find the Milford Sound Swing? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comment section below.

If you enjoyed this post you may also enjoy reading some of my other most popular blog posts, such as –

Can you visit Queenstown New Zealand on a budget (A Locals Money-Saving Guide)

How to have the BEST 24 hours in Queenstown

11 of the best photography spots in Queenstown

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