Te Anau

The small town of Te Anau is the last service centre on the way to Milford Sound and many backpackers stop here for supplies before moving on to the fjords. There are a few good accommodation options in Te Anau and it is a great place for hiking the nearby tracks, so travellers tend to make this their base to explore the Fiordland National Park.

Te Anau is known as “the walking capital of the world”, and provides easy access to New Zealand’s most famous walks – the Routeburn, Milford and Kepler tracks.

The town has a lovely lakeside setting and other popular activities here include jet boating, fishing and kayaking. The Te Anau glow-worm caves are another popular night time activity.