Choose between a scenic flight and overland trip as you travel to Milford Sound from Te Anau or Queenstown. Just don’t snooze through the ride, since the journey into Fiordland National Park is as dramatic as the coastal scenery.

Hit the water on the boat of your choice, with the option to cruise Milford Sound in a sightseeing boat or join a kayak tour along the shoreline. As you head toward the Tasman Sea, watch for the native seals, dolphins, and birds that thrive in the pristine environment.

Head back to shore for the return trip through Fiordland National Park, unless you’ve opted for an overnight cruise. Keep your camera out for the return journey, since evening is a gorgeous time to see the winding roads, lakes, and peaks that you’ll pass along the way.

Spend your second day in Fiordland exploring remote Doubtful Sound, which enchants with clear water, soaring granite, and resident penguins. Get there by boat and coach from Te Anau, then step off the bus to take a closer look; as with Milford Sound, exploring Doubtful Sound is best done by boat.

The lush vegetation that grows here is thanks to impressive annual rainfall, but boats with both indoor cabins and open-air decks ensure you can see Doubtful Sound in any weather; if you arrive in a rainstorm, you’ll be treated to views of the fjord transformed by hundreds of waterfalls.

Unless you’re on an overnight cruise to Doubtful Sound, enjoy sunset views as you wind back through Fiordland National Park on your way back to Te Anau; all that exploring means working up an appetite, but you’ll be back in time for dinner.