When to go · Milford Sound
Milford Sound in January
Great month. Inside Milford Sound's best window: Nov–Apr (long days, road open); rain year-round.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Temperature
- 20°C (67°F)67°F (20°C) / 11°C (51°F)51°F (11°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 18
- Crowds
- High
- New Zealand overall
- Prices
- High
- New Zealand overall
Verdict
Inside Milford Sound's best window: Nov–Apr (long days, road open); rain year-round.
Is another month better than January?
No other month rates higher than January for Milford Sound in this guide.
Weather in January
- Milford SoundHighs around 19.5 °C (67 °F), lows around 10.7 °C (51 °F), rain on about 18 daysHighs around 67 °F (19.5 °C), lows around 51 °F (10.7 °C), rain on about 18 days
- West Coast and Fiordland, New Zealand · Franz Josef, Fox, Milford Sound, Te Anaufine
Among the wettest places on earth (Milford gets 6–7 m a year): rain makes the waterfalls, but slips close roads; sandflies all summer.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
New Year big impact
1–2 Jan · New Zealand
Peak of the summer holiday: campsites, beaches, ferries and lake towns full.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · New Zealand overall
- High
- Prices · New Zealand overall
- High
New Zealand overall: Peak summer and local holidays: long days, warm lakes; book cars, ferries and huts well ahead.
High-price month: see what to book ahead.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Milford Sound, side by side.
Verdict
Jan: Great
Feb: Great
Daytime high
Jan: 19.5 °C (67 °F)67 °F (19.5 °C)
Feb: 20 °C (68 °F)68 °F (20 °C)
Night low
Jan: 10.7 °C (51 °F)51 °F (10.7 °C)
Feb: 10.7 °C (51 °F)51 °F (10.7 °C)
Rain days
Jan: 18
Feb: 16 (better)
Crowds
Jan: High
Feb: High
Prices
Jan: High
Feb: High
Festivals listed
Jan: 1
Feb: 0
January: Inside Milford Sound's best window: Nov–Apr (long days, road open); rain year-round.
February: Inside Milford Sound's best window: Nov–Apr (long days, road open); rain year-round.
Milford Sound: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm layer for the evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast