Things to Do in Te Anau, New Zealand: Our Best Tips

Why is Te Anau worth visiting?

Te Anau is absolutely worth adding to your road trip through New Zealand — especially if you’re planning to tackle one of the three Great Walks: the Milford Track, the Kepler Track, or the Routeburn Track.

It’s also the perfect base for Milford Sound — one of the absolute top highlights in New Zealand.

Te Anau itself is a small, quiet town — but its setting on Te Anau Lake on New Zealand’s South Island is seriously stunning.

What can you do in Te Anau?

As mentioned, the real highlights are all in the surrounding area. Here’s an overview of the top things to do in Te Anau and its surroundings.

Let’s take a closer look at all seven attractions.

Milford Sound

What do you need to know? Milford Sound is a fjord best explored by boat. You cruise across the blue water past towering cliffs and mountains — a landscape that’s even more breathtaking in person than in any photo.

Is it worth it? Without a doubt. Milford Sound is the single biggest highlight near Te Anau and belongs on every New Zealand itinerary.

How to get there: From Te Anau, it’s about a two-hour drive to the Milford Sound harbor. You can drive yourself or book a Milford Sound day trip with transfer from Te Anau.

Info: If Milford Sound is the only thing on this list that interests you, it’s not really worth staying overnight in Te Anau. In that case, it makes more sense to book a day trip to Milford Sound from Queenstown instead.

Doubtful Sound

What do you need to know? Doubtful Sound is the quieter, less crowded alternative to Milford Sound. If you’d rather skip the tourist crowds — or want to experience a second fjord on top of Milford — this is the place.

Is it worth it? We haven’t visited Doubtful Sound ourselves, but everyone we’ve spoken to has raved about it.

How to get there: Getting there is a bit of an adventure — you need to combine both a bus and a boat. We’d recommend booking a guided tour to keep it simple.

Book the Doubtful Sound day trip from Te Anau

Glow Worm Caves Te Anau

What do you need to know? The Glow Worm Caves are one of the most popular things to do in Te Anau. They’re less famous than the Waitomo Caves on New Zealand’s North Island, but the glowworms here are just as impressive.

Is it worth it? Yes — though we’d suggest visiting just one glowworm cave during your New Zealand trip. The second time around, the magic wears off a little.

How to get there: The caves are only accessible by boat from Te Anau, and visits are guided-tour-only. Book a tour that includes the boat ride and a guide.

Book the guided Glow Worm Caves tour in Te Anau

Kepler Track

What do you need to know? Te Anau is the starting point for the Kepler Track — one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. The hike takes three to four days, covers 60 kilometers, and you overnight in huts or camp along the way.

Is it worth it? Absolutely. We’ve done the Kepler Track ourselves and it was an incredible experience. Just be prepared — you’ll be on your feet all day and carrying all your food and gear.

How do you get there? From Te Anau, you can walk or take a shuttle to the trailhead. To cut off 5 kilometers, you can also take a boat. Both can be booked through Tracknet.

Our tip: Book your overnight hut stays about six months in advance on the Department of Conservation website. Last-minute spots only come up if someone cancels — so don’t count on it.

Milford Track

What do you need to know? The Milford Track is the most popular Great Walk in New Zealand — and it starts near Te Anau. You spend three nights in huts and hike around 53 kilometers. Scenery-wise, it’s arguably a tiny step above the Kepler Track, though that’s pretty subjective.

How do you get there? The trailhead is only accessible by boat from Te Anau Downs (Google Maps link). You can park at Te Anau Downs or catch the Tracknet Shuttle from Te Anau.

Our tip: Hut bookings (camping isn’t allowed) open on the Department of Conservation booking platform and sell out within minutes. Set a reminder and be ready to book the moment they go live.

Routeburn Track

What do you need to know? The Routeburn Track is the third Great Walk in the area. The 34-kilometer trail starts either at the highway to Milford Sound or at Routeburn Shelter (Google Maps links). You can choose to complete it in two, three, or four days.

Our tip: Huts and campsites can be reserved in advance on the Department of Conservation website. Unlike the Milford Track, last-minute spots here are sometimes available.

How do you get there? We’d strongly recommend taking the shuttle — the start and end points of the trail are far apart, so having transport sorted makes life much easier.

Te Anau Lake

What do you need to know? Te Anau sits right on the shores of Te Anau Lake — the second-largest lake in New Zealand. A stroll along the waterfront is lovely, with great views of the water and the mountains beyond.

Our tip: If you’re feeling brave, jump in — but even in summer the water rarely climbs above 68°F. Trust us though, once you’re in, it’s wonderfully refreshing.

Bird Sanctuary

What do you need to know? If you have a bit of spare time in town, the Bird Sanctuary is a great stop. You can spot several native bird species here, including the takahē — an incredibly rare bird found only in New Zealand.

Is it worth it? If you’re a bird lover, absolutely. But even if you’re not, it’s a pleasant walk — and since entry is free, there’s really no reason to skip it.

The best hotels in Te Anau

Here are our top accommodation picks in Te Anau across all price ranges:

Restaurants in Te Anau

Te Anau has a small but solid dining scene. Here are our favorites:

• Ristorante Pizzeria Paradiso: the best pizza in Te Anau — seriously good.
• Wapiti Bakery & Cafe Restaurant: great coffee and baked goods at very reasonable prices.
• Sandfly Café: our personal favorite café in Te Anau.
• Redcliff: a classic restaurant with a warm atmosphere — perfect for a proper sit-down dinner.

Shopping and stores in Te Anau

Alongside the restaurants, there are a handful of useful shops in town. Here are the key addresses for your stay:

• Freshchoice: the largest and most affordable supermarket in Te Anau — your go-to for stocking up before a hike.
• Bev’s Tramping Gear Hire: a small shop where you can rent hiking gear at very reasonable prices.
• Fiordland Frontier Supplies: your one-stop shop for anything outdoors-related.