Location: Milford Sound, Fiordland National Park
South Island, New Zealand
If you were to do a Google image search of ‘New Zealand’, it’s inevitable that one of the top 5 photos that turn up is of Milford Sound. Often cited as one of the most beautiful spots in New Zealand, Milford Sound is located in the southern part of the South Island in Fiordland National Park (technically, Milford is a fiord, not a sound!).
Although Milford is geographically located within less than an hour’s distance of Queenstown, the route goes around the mountain and therefore has to cover almost 400km to reach it! While it makes for an incredibly long day on the bus, there are luckily lots of picturesque stops to be had along the way.
What more is there to say? Impressive, simply impressive!
This landscape is straight out of National Geographic!
The entire region is dotted with ice carved valleys, snow-capped mountains and glacier fed lakes & streams.
One of the most “famous” stops along the way are the Mirror Lakes.
Mirror Lakes are exactly as the name suggests: lakes that provide a reflective view of the local mountain range, the Earl Mountains. The stillness of the water created the perfect canvas for the reflection.
It’s a 400m accessible boardwalk that runs along the lakes, with plenty of spots to admire not only the spectacular view, but also the local wildlife that inhabit the wetlands.
There is a major downside however. The hoards of tour bus tourists that descend on the area, armed with their cameras and ready to battle anyone who gets between them and the perfect insta.
There should be a sign at the entrance: enter at your own risk!
The poet Rudyard Kipling once described Milford Sound as “the eighth Wonder of the World’. Running 15km inland from the Tasman Sea, the fiord (it’s technically not a sound, but a fiord) is surrounded by towering cliffs and rock faces, some that rise as high as 1200 meters!
Fiordland has the unique distinction of receiving over 200 days of rain a rain. I was fortunate enough to visit on a rare sunny, clear day!
There are two main waterfalls in Milford Sound (photo: above & below) and the abundance of rain creates a rocky landscape dotted with several more. The only downside of visiting on a sunny day is most other waterfalls are only a trickle.
Milford Sound is definitely a striking part of the country and well worth a visit!
