The airport at Milford Sound is within a National Park where park authorities are attempting to restrict flights . More than a dozen small scenic operators fly to this airstrip from Queenstown, or Te Anau, however smaller operators are being culled. This will continue to drive up the cost of flights for tourists. The flight itself is an amazing journey along valleys between towering peaks. The airspace within Milford Sound is restricted for safety reasons and private flights there need prior approvals. Cruise launches offer excursions into the Sound itself. It is also the terminal for an amazing natural walk on the Milford track. When not threatened by winter avalanches there is also a picturesque road out, via the Homer tunnel to Te Anau. Milford Sound has also a hotel and some cabins with some basic shop facilities and a pub. Queenstown and Invercargill are the two nearest airports with scheduled airline services however a new airport development at Manapouri airport in 2007 may attract a new service. The runway at Milford sound is just 792 metres long , of asphalt with a limited apron space. Approach is strictly visual.