Popular Questions

You should be prepared for all types of weather. Bring warm clothing or layers, a waterproof jacket and comfortable/sturdy shoes – especially if your tour includes a remote landing or walk.

A camera is also a must-have so you can snap stunning photos during your flight. You can even let the pilot know if you want a group photo by the helicopter or at your landing location, they’ll be happy to get involved.

Please arrive at our base at the Milford Sound Airport at least 15 minutes prior to your flight departure time. We would also ask that anyone who has booked a flight please contact us 24 hours before your flight time to ensure we are still going ahead. Clients should be advised that flights can be delayed or cancelled due to weather.

Milford Helicopters’ base is located at the Milford Sound Airport at 104 Milford Sound Highway. We don’t have a carpark on-site, but there is plenty of parking in the parking areas at Milford Sound. Our base is a short walk from the main parking area or there is a bus that runs regularly between the parking areas, the aerodrome and the ferry terminal.

We can carry passengers of all ages. For babies and smaller children, we have special earmuffs/headsets available. We also offer discounted pricing for babies and children.

All scenic flights need a minimum of four passengers to go ahead. If you’re flying solo, let us know and we can do our best to organise a flight for you with another group. We can also organise a private charter for you if you prefer the helicopter and pilot to yourself!

English commentary is provided by our friendly and knowledgeable pilots on all flights. They enjoy explaining the sights and history of this region during the tour, allowing you to learn about and connect with the locations you’ll experience.

All flights operate subject to weather. Passengers will need to call Milford Helicopters the day prior to departure for a weather check, as well as to confirm their details and departure time.

Milford Helicopters are proud to hold landing concessions in conservation areas in Fiordland, Otago and Stewart Island. This means that we have access to many stunning locations throughout these areas to land. We also have private access to numerous lodges, farmlands and helipads. 

Please remember that on any tour, the pilot will choose the best flight path on the day, based on weather and other factors. This is at the pilot’s discretion and landing locations may vary due to weather conditions. We will do our best to prioritise an alpine landing during tours where a remote landing is included.

Part of the adventure in Milford Sound is that this location does not have reception. Take a breath, relax and enjoy being disconnected from the outside world.

It takes 3.5 hours to drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound and 1.5 hours from Te Anau. There are many coach and transport services available to and from both areas. Milford Helicopters also offer Queenstown and Te Anau Transfer tours that can get you back to either location with a scenic tour and remote landing thrown in for good measure!

In Milford Sound, there are two permanent waterfalls: Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls. However, there are hundreds of temporary waterfalls that appear during or after a heavy rainfall (which happens often). Milford Helicopters is able to access views of these and many more of Fiordland National Park’s epic permanent waterfalls including Sutherland Falls and Giants Gate waterfalls.

Technically, no. Milford Sound is often called the “8th wonder of the world” because of its awesome beauty. It was British author Rudyard Kipling who came up with the moniker and the area has been colloquially referred to as a wonder of the world ever since.

Interestingly, Milford Sound is actually not a sound at all. It’s a fiord. Sounds are formed when a river valley is flooded by the sea, however a fiord (like Milford and Doubtful) are formed by the erosion of ancient glaciers. Early European settlers made the mistake of naming the area because of its geographic features.