We chose the morning nature tour and are glad we did as it didn't have as many people on it as the scenic cruise.

Cabin had big windows so you have a good view even if the weather turns bad, and there is plenty of deck space for an uninterrupted view. There's a guide walks around the deck pointing out seals, penguins and features of the landscape during the tour. Milford is a must-see in Fiordland and this was a great way to see it.

Reviewed about 7 years ago

Powered motorhome sites are hardened separated by rock gardens, with a playground.

Large dome building contains enormous camp kitchen with spacious, modern facilities block. Everything appears modern and clean. Management were helpful and friendly.

Reviewed about 7 years ago

Free sites along a waterfront road.

To the left toward the marina, to the right ends in a carpark with access to the beach. Behind the sites are playing fields with clean toilets, ruin of a historic building, a playground and a train station within a short walk. Every facility you need including groceries, cafes and laundry are a short drive away. Staying here we caught the sunset with a quiet glass of wine, and had a restful night before catching the early interislander the next morning. Locals were lovely. When we woke motorhomes and campervans were lined up close to each other and it seems many of us were waiting for the Interislander also.

Reviewed about 7 years ago

This camp is lovely, located on the main road near lots of eating alternatives, and adjacent to a fast flowing tree-lined stream.

The manager was friendly and helpful. Facilities are clean. Laundry had a large number of commercial grade machines. Campsites are large and grassy with picnic tables, and there's a playground. We walked to the local pub for dinner. This was a very enjoyable stay.

Reviewed about 7 years ago

We stayed here 4 nights in September.

It's a Top 10 park so we had high expectations, but these were exceeded. This is the best of the best. The staff and management were incredibly helpful. The powered sites for motorhomes are spaced with a picnic table between each, with two sets of clean modern facilities (with music!), a large kitchen and commercial grade machines in the laundry. There are two kids playgrounds, including the signature bouncy jumping pillow and a pirate ship. They also had a pair of lambs with regular feeding times. The park is located right across from the lake, a very short walk to cafes and the ferry for the glowworm cave tour, and a small yacht club marina with sunset reflections. Tours of Milford and Doubtful Sounds have shuttle bus services so this is the perfect base for Fiordland. And all the tours can be booked at the front office.

Reviewed about 7 years ago

Our favourite DoC campsite from our NZ visit.

This was a surprise find, so near the town of St Arnaud. Flat campsites, with power. Kitchen with a great lake view. Clean modern toilets. We visited in September and found the showers locked, and a laundry with no machines but the DoC ranger explained these are available in high season. Some easy walks start from the camp, including one that leads back to the town. Shine a torch from the jetty in the lake after dark to bring out the long finned eels. Crystal clear water you can see the trout! Lots of birdsong in the morning, and an owl at night. While it didn't snow while we were here there was a good cover on the mountains that surround the lake, and clouds rolled in after dark that made the whole scene surreal. Check out the displays at the DoC office - lots of info there on walks, wildlife, history and the management plan for the area. The DoC ranger was incredibly helpful. We were fortunate enough to find a water taxi active on the day we arrived, and took a tour up to see Whiskey falls and the head of the lake which we recommend.

Reviewed about 7 years ago

We stayed for 2 nights in September.

Great location with a short private walking path to the lake and their own hot beach when the water level is right. The camp has a boiling mud pool of its own with a hangi oven for use by campers. The rear boundary of the park is a hot stream also, and the unpowered sites along that boundary are "heated". Despite this there's no sulphur smell that we detected. Facilities are clean, with the hottest showers we had in NZ. The only downside is the sites were a bit cramped together but there's a hedge in between each to give a little privacy. It's walking distance also to Kuirau Park which has geothermal pools and gardens for free viewing, and that sulphur smell if you're chasing that full experience! Half way to the park are a few shops for takeaway food also. Management was friendly and helpful, and offered advice and loan cooking gear for our attempt at a hangi dinner.

Reviewed about 7 years ago

We stayed for one night in September, which was in the first week of the new management.

New facilities block combines a large kitchen, laundry and clean/modern showers and requires a PIN for access. Shower requires a token to operate that you can buy from the office. Looks like this was a large run down camp on the headland and that area is being allowed to regrow/recover. Sites are large with a gravel area to park the motorhome, with up to 2 or 3 sites in groups with flax growing for privacy and wind protection. Large motorhome access is not a problem. At time of staying there's not much here, with cafe under construction and main office yet to be setup. No wifi. But the location is amazing with views over the bay and along the rocks from several spots on the headland. I could have sat and watched the huge waves crashing in on the rocks all day. Petrified forest is an easy walk starting 200m down the road.

Reviewed about 7 years ago

Beautiful location, surprisingly close to the heart of town.

Campsites are embedded in thick bushland, but they are arranged as pairs so we were very close to one other. I'd have scored 10/10 if only one motorhome per bay. Facilities are new and clean. There's a restaurant/bar onsite and meals were sensational. We'd return here for sure.

Reviewed about 7 years ago

Beautiful part of NZ.

Both bus drivers over the pass were great, and extra marks for Ian our bus driver from Te Anau as he returned my camera I left on the bus to our camp before we even noticed it was gone! Only downside was not enough seating inside the cabin on the at the Doubtful Sound end when the weather is poor.

Reviewed about 7 years ago

This was the most expensive powered site we stayed at in NZ.

On a positive the location is sensational, directly on the lakefront with snowcapped peaks reflected from the far side. At night, if you walk a few hundred metres along the lakefront away from the camp lights, after the moon sets the sky is incredible and everything you'd hope for from one of the best dark skies. But, even with the camp only partially full there were queues at the unisex showers, and while the facilities are modern they are insufficient. The laundry was being redeveloped while we were here, so we had to share the motel laundry which had a single demestic grade drier and two washers completely inferior to the workload. Despite throwing lots of coins at this laundry we departed with wet clothes. Most motorhome powered sites are parked up next to each other in rows without decent separation, though there are some that have views of the lake most do not. You don't get what you pay for here, but the location is unique with limited alternatives.

Reviewed about 7 years ago