Land Transport

The Whole Game Is Timing

The Milford Road is probably the best drive in New Zealand, but it's also the busiest tour bus route in the country. The buses roll out of Queenstown around 6:30am and hit Te Anau by 8:30 or 9am. If you're in a campervan and you're already on the road by then, you're basically zigging while everyone else zags. That's the whole strategy here.

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Doubtful Sound Day Cruise

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Base Yourself Smart

Staying in Te Anau the night before is the move. There are a couple of solid holiday parks right on the lakefront that set you up nicely for an early start. Alternatively, push further in and camp at one of the DOC sites in the Eglinton Valley - the toilets are a bit rough but your campervan has its own, and waking up already halfway to Milford is hard to argue with. The return drive back to Te Anau is actually quieter between noon and 3pm too, while the tour groups are all out on the water.

If you're after Doubtful Sound instead, then Manapouri is where you want to sleep the night before. It's a tiny, chilled-out town and being there early gets you on the first sailing, which is quieter and cheaper than the later one that catches all the Queenstown bus traffic. There's a promo code RANKERS that knocks a bit off the Doubtful Sound cruise too, which helps given it's not a cheap day out.