Things to do in  Te Anau

With its jagged sea cliffs, plunging glacial valleys, and thundering waterfalls, it’s easy to see why Milford Sound is one of New Zealand’s most visited natural wonders. The headline act of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Fiordland National Park is a vast coastal wilderness, fringed by ancient forests and home to fur seals, bottlenose dolphins, rare black coral, and Fiordland crested penguins.

Sprawling along New Zealand’s southwest coast, Fiordland National Park represents the country at its most photogenic: jagged mountains, rugged glacial valleys, and glittering fjords. This UNESCO World Heritage Site harbors some of New Zealand’s most impressive natural wonders, including Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, and Lake Te Anau, as well as rare Fiordland penguins, dolphins, seals, and sea lions.

While tour buses flock to nearby Milford Sound, the wild and remote landscapes of Doubtful Sound are equally impressive and much less crowded. Framed by looming cliffs and peppered with rocky islets and waterfalls, this natural fjord is three times longer and has 10 times more surface area than Milford Sound. Reachable only by boat, it’s a highlight for adventurers exploring the UNESCO–listed Fiordland National Park.

The Te Anau Glowworm Caves are one of New Zealand's most mesmerizing natural wonders, boasting a labyrinth of grottoes, tunnels, dramatic rock formations, and underground waterfalls. Adventure abounds—visitors can cruise across Lake Te Anau, scramble through the caves, and marvel at a glittering canopy of tiny glowworms.

New Zealand’s spectacular Fiordland region is home to Lake Te Anau, the 2nd-largest lake in the country. Explore the lake from the township of Te Anau near the lake outflow, or take a cruise along one of the three fjords forming arms that extend into the old-growth forest on the lake’s western flank.

The short walk to the Chasm, in the South Island’s Fiordland National Park, is an ideal family excursion as it’s not challenging, and kids will love the sight of the powerful waterfalls. The high volumes of rain in this part of the country have carved interesting shapes into the rocks here over thousands of years.

The Routeburn Track, with its hidden lakes, dramatic waterfalls, and rugged alpine scenery, has been heralded as one of the world's best hikes in one of the world's best settings. The 20-mile (33-kilometer) trail is fittingly listed as a New Zealand Great Walk; it is truly something special.