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Milford Sound is a spectacular glacier-carved fiord in the Fiordland National Park on the west coast of New Zealand and is one of New Zealand's most well known scenic attractions. On display is a spectacular combination of mountains, sheer cliffs, waterfalls, and marine life. It is the best known of a series of fiords in the park, and the only one which is accessible by road.
Technically, Milford, Doubtful and Dusky sounds are all fiords, i.e., formed by glaciers. They were incorrectly named 'sounds' by Captain Cook, who charted the region in the 1770s, but bypassed Milford Sound on his journeys for fear of venturing too close to the steep mountainsides, afraid that wind conditions would prevent escape.
John Grono was the first European to discover Milford Sound around 1812 and named it after Milford Haven in his native Wales. The fiord was officially renamed Milford Sound/Piopiotahi in 1998, as part... Read more
Milford Sound is a spectacular glacier-carved fiord in the Fiordland National Park on the west coast of New Zealand and is one of New Zealand's most well known scenic attractions. On display is a spectacular combination of mountains, sheer cliffs, waterfalls, and marine life. It is the best known of a series of fiords in the park, and the only one which is accessible by road.
Technically, Milford, Doubtful and Dusky sounds are all fiords, i.e., formed by glaciers. They were incorrectly named 'sounds' by Captain Cook, who charted the region in the 1770s, but bypassed Milford Sound on his journeys for fear of venturing too close to the steep mountainsides, afraid that wind conditions would prevent escape.
John Grono was the first European to discover Milford Sound around 1812 and named it after Milford Haven in his native Wales. The fiord was officially renamed Milford Sound/Piopiotahi in 1998, as part of a Treaty of Waitangi settlement with local iwi (Māori tribe) Ngāi Tahu. Overland access was severely limited until the discovery of Mackinnon Pass in 1888 and the formation of the Milford Track. The Homer Tunnel opened in 1954, providing road access to the fiord.
Hailed as the Eighth Wonder of the World by Rudyard Kipling, Milford Sound has been judged as the world's top travel destination in an international survey. Over 400,000 people visit the sound every year, even though the average round trip clocks in at ten hours from Queenstown. Attempts to halve that time for visitors by drilling a new tunnel linking Routeburn and Hollyford Valleys have been strenuously quashed over the potentially huge environmental impact.
Like the rest of the west coast of New Zealand, Milford Sound receives a lot of rain. Some tour operators argue that the sound is best seen on a rainy day as all the waterfalls can be seen in their full glory. Many recommend seeing it during a sunny day and in the rain, to see both worlds as they are very different and both amazing.
It rains every second day on average, so rainwear is recommended and carry an umbrella to protect photographic equipment. Also as with most of the west coast, insect repellent is recommended as the sand flies here can be aggressive.
Once you make the spectacular journey to the fiord, there are a number of tourist boats and services to take you out to see the sights.
Cruise travelers admire the beauty of Milford Sound from their cruise ship. Usually, there's no stop.
However, some ships can anchor and transport their passengers ashore by tender boats. Travelers can take small boat tours or take other sightseeing tours offered by their cruise companies.
One of the most awe-inspiring ways to see Milford Sound is from the water level itself. There are two ways to do this:
There are several boat operators who offer day cruises that pass by waterfalls and local wildlife before going out to the Tasman Sea and re-entering Milford Sound as earlier discoverers did. Most guided tours from Te Anau or Queenstown arrive in Milford around noon, so it is advisable to escape the crowds by going on an early morning or late-afternoon cruise. If you intend to take photographs, the quality of light is usually better around those times as well.
Your proximity to the water in a kayak just serves to make you feel even smaller, and makes the Sound seem even more vast! The pros of doing it this way are that you get to go places that the big cruise ships cannot, you see a great deal more wildlife (penguins, seals etc.) as you move more quietly through the water, you are part of a small group (between 6 and 8) and so getting more personal attention from your guide, and you get some exercise in the process. Cons are that it is quite hard work and you should be prepared to get cold and wet. A good way of doing this kind of trip is on a 'one day package'. You can be picked up from your lodgings early in the morning (around 06:30) in Te Anau by minibus and driven to Milford, where you're kitted out with all the relevant kayak and safety gear and given waterproof bags to take cameras and food with you. The trip lasts until late afternoon (lunch is taken in your kayaks in the middle of the Sound) and you'll arrive back in Te Anau about 18:00.
There is only one place to eat and drink in Milford Sound if you did not bring food in with you, and it is the Blue Duck Cafe & Bar. The cafe offers breakfast and lunch, while dinner is found at the bar. Snacks, drinks, and coffee are also available at the cafe. Montieth's is available on tap.
Some cruises run with meal options on board.
There is very, very little 'shopping' in Milford - just a few merchandise items - eg postcards, books, posters, etc. A small grocery shop at Milford Sound Lodge sells many of the basics and is open daily 08:00–21:00 in the summer.
LOCAL TIME
4:10 pm
July 2, 2022
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LOCAL CURRENCY
NZD
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I decided to take one of the most interesting day trips from Queenstown - a tour of Milford Sound - the New Zealand's capital of the fjords. It takes about 2.5-3 hours on a winding mountain road, although the distance in a straight line from Queenstown to Milford Sound is only 80 kilometers. The... |
The true height of the mountains rising to the sky is especially felt from such pictures - after all, the photo was taken from the 16th deck of the huge liner!
The airplane is soaring between the mountain peaks. The views opening from there are impressive!
And here is the... |
From Thompson Sound to the next big fjord -
Milford Sound
- there are about 62 miles (100 kilometers) along the coast. The ship goes along the cliffs and mountain ridges of the west coast of New Zealand rugged with fjords. This voyage along the coast was one of the most... |
You can read the first part here:
New Zealand. The Fjord Of Milford Sound.P.1
Here's a waterfall:
This is a view from the deck:
The red spot is visible not only from the air:
If you look closely, you can see sea lions on the rocks:
Someone passed by on a fishing boat:... |
Today I will tell you about our flight over
Milford Sound
. The South-Western part of the South Island is covered with fjords similar to Norway. The closest and one of the most beautiful of them all is
Milford Sound
.
The formation of this bay began during the last ice... |