A three-day visit to South Island, starting in adrenalin capital of Queenstown before moving to the more sedate surrounds of Te Anau which we used as a base to visit glow worm caves and the Southern Alps. The highlight of our trip was a boat ride along the incredible fjord of Milford Sound.
New Zealand: South Island – Milford Sound; Te Wahipounamu (UNESCO)
MIRROR LAKES
Sadly, the clear weather of the previous day didn’t make it into the next day, as we woke to a grey, cloud-heavy morning. We had hoped for better as today we were making the 75-mile drive up to the spectacular Milford Sound. The ride itself is worthy of the journey. We journeyed north tracking the Southern Alps, passing through wide glacial valleys. Despite the not so good weather, we made frequent stops along the way to take pictures of mirrored lakes and ice-carved landscapes. The road steadily climbs into the mountains, which offers spectacular views of glacier topped mountains. Luckily the weather had started to improve so we were able to enjoy the unfolding scenery around us. These mountains present an impenetrable barrier, but some intrepid Kiwis decided to make a tunnel through them. It seemed they miscalculated the challenge of the exercise but eventually blew and hacked their way through creating the Homer tunnel, the gateway to Milford Sound.
THE CHASM WALK
Shortly before reaching Milford we pulled off the road at a stop simply named the Chasm. Not knowing exactly what this was we had little in the way of expectations. We took a 20-minute scenic walk through the dense forest. Our peace only being interrupted by a noisy and somewhat dishevelled tour group. Crossing a wooden footbridge we suddenly came across the Chasm. This is an example of the beauty that can be created by the powers of erosion. Spectacular!.
MILFORD SOUND
Eventually, we reached Milford, which is very much the end of the road. Never one to miss a boat (apart from our honeymoon trip to Ireland) we were of course early and waited for our call to board. By now the weather had started to improve significantly, and by the time boarding had started the sun was beginning to shine brightly through the breaking cloud cover. We were very fortunate, as with a mean annual rainfall of 6,813mm on 182 days a year Milford Sound is known as the wettest inhabited place in New Zealand and one of the wettest in the world. Rainfall can reach 250 mm during a span of 24 hours. The rainfall creates dozens of temporary waterfalls (as well as a number of major, more permanent ones) cascading down the cliff faces, some reaching a thousand metres in length.
I had chosen a boat tour which included lunch, so as soon as we climbed onto the boat we joined a queue for the buffet lunch, which turned out to be excellent. But we did miss the early part of our journey whilst we ate at a table with not such a good view!
Milford Sound is a fjord within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. It has been judged the world’s top travel destination in an international survey and is acclaimed as New Zealand’s most famous tourist destination. Rudyard Kipling called it the Eighth Wonder of the World. Having not seen the seven others it is difficult to argue with his claim! But it is certainly spectacular. The sound is surrounded by sheer rock faces that rise 1,200 metres or more on either side. Among the peaks is Mitre Peak which rises 1,692 metres above the sound, the Elephant at 1,517 metres, said to resemble an elephant’s head and The Lion, 1,302 metres, in the shape of a crouching lion. On the sides of these imposing peaks, lush rainforests cling precariously, punctuated by spectacular waterfalls. Milford Sound itself is only 14 km in length and opens out onto the Tasman Sea.
After about 30 minutes of travelling our beady-eyed captain spots a pod of dolphins and we pulled across to join them. Emily was in heaven as 10 or more dolphins ducked and dived around our boat in the glimmering waters of the sound –by this time the clouds had left us and we were bathed in sunlight. A rare occurrence in these parts!
Sadly, we had to move on and the boat travelled down to the point where the sound opened out into the Tasman Sea, which is one of the wildest areas of open ocean in the world. If we carried on our journey west for a day or two we’d eventually hit Australia. Although the sea looked calm today our mission was not trans-ocean so our captain turned us around back to the safety of the Sound. Although we have been referring to Milford Sound as a sound, it is actually a fjord. Sounds are actually formed by the sea flooding a river-carved valley, whereas fjords are valleys cut by glaciers which are then filled by the sea. Milford was formed by glacial carving! It was also the last of the great fjords of Fjordland to be discovered, by Captain John Grono around 1812. Previous explorers like James Cook had missed it on their travels due to the disguise of the narrow opening in the surrounding mountains.
Our return journey down Milford Sound was even more fun than the outbound journey. Firstly we sailed past Seal Rock, which is a more or less guaranteed place to see seals basking in the sun. On this day there was not a lot of action but we still had the chance to spot a couple of young seals hanging out. The seals here are typically young males who have been evicted by the aggressive dominant males from the main seal colony a bit further along the coast. The next stop was the ever spectacular Stirling Falls which cascade 189 metres down the sheer cliff faces. Our tour boat nudged within a few feet of the falls, enabling those who were looking for a good soaking to get to the prow. As we pulled away from Stirling Falls we were once again greeted by our friends the dolphins who enthralled the passengers with their underwater ballet.
The last stop on our tour was Milford Deep Underwater Observatory which is nestled in Harrison Cove, beneath Pembroke Glacier. We disembarked our boat onto the floating observatory. There were a host of interesting displays telling stories of exploration and the geologic formation of Fjordland. Whilst these were informative the main reason for our visit was to see what was going on below the surface of the Sound.
Overlaying the seawater in the fjord is a layer of freshwater, the result of high annual rainfall in Fjordland. This, combined with the narrow shape of the fjord, causes a phenomenon known as deepwater emergence where light is not allowed to penetrate past the freshwater. This creates a similar environment to the deep ocean at a much shallower depth, allowing visitors the chance to see deep-sea species close up together with some wonderful examples of coral unique to this environment.
We descended 10.4 metres into the large, air-conditioned underwater viewing chamber where we were able to observe the intimate and undisturbed life of this vibrant underwater community
Sadly all good things have to come to an end and after glorious hours we returned to port and began our journey back to Te Anau.
In Summary
- Milford Sound is one of the spectacles of New Zealand and well worth venturing down south for
- If you are in Te Anau you should take a tour of the glow worm caves – this is one of several in New Zealand so if you miss them here don’t worry
- Take time to enjoy the spectacular scenery around the lakes and mountains
- Queenstown is a party town full of young thrill seekers – if you want to avoid the nighttime partying and the noise stay somewhere out in the town centre.
Planning your visit to Milford Sound
Bus Tours
There are many operators offering coach tours to Milford Sound. GreatSights, Gray Line, and awesomeNZ all offer exceptional service and include a spectacular sightseeing cruise on the fiord.
Milford Sound coaches are scheduled to arrive at the fiord right before the Milford Sound cruise boats depart, so you can relax on board without worrying about whether you’ll get there in time for your cruise.
On route, there will be several stops to stretch your legs and take photos. These photo stops allow you to stretch your legs, inhale the crisp clean air and most importantly, capture some memorable photographs!
Milford Sound coach tours generally include coach travel (some in a glass-roof coach so you don’t miss the stunning alpine views along the Milford Road) and a cruise on the fiord.
| Company: | Southern Discoveries |
| Location: | Milford Sound Wharf |
| Website: | southerndiscoveries.co.nz |
| Tour Duration: | 1H 45 M to 3H |
| Costs: | NZ$71.10 (US$50) to NZ$89.10 (US$62) |
| Hours: | 10:30 am, 11:15 am & 12:15 pm |
When to go to Milford Sound
Positioned within the South Island of New Zealand, Milford Sound experiences a Tundra climate, also identified as ‘ET’ in the Köppen climate classification. This distinct climate type, shaped by the rugged landscape’s steep fjords and high peaks, presents a unique set of weather conditions. Daily sunlight hours fluctuate from 8.9 hours to 15.5 hours across a year, with meagre sunshine hours, notably from 2 hours up to 7 hours throughout each month. Solar UV indexes sway between 1, signaling very low risk sun exposure in winter months, up to 10, representing very high risk in summer.
Rainfall in Milford Sound is a pivotal climate attribute, underscored by its continuity throughout the year, spanning from 394mm up to 633mm of precipitation monthly. Coupled with high rainy days averaging between 13.1 days to 18 days each month, this prolific rainfall lends a unique character to the weather profile. Meanwhile, the relative humidity attests to the overall moist environment, sustaining a high span from 85.3% to 91.9% across the calendar months.
The terrain of Milford Sound is cooled by its proximity to the sea, recording low to mid-range temperatures. Annual temperature variates from 1.5°C in frigid lows during winter, to highs reaching 19°C in the warmest summer months. Sea temperatures mirror the terrestrial temperature trends, displaying a slight decrease from 14°C to 12°C through the cooler part of the year, before rising again.
The best time to visit Milford Sound
The optimal visiting period for Milford Sound hinges on a balance between rainfall and temperature. With this consideration, the months from January to March emerge as favourable with temperatures peaking near 19°C. Relatively shorter rainy days between 13.1 and 14.7 days, coupled with sea temperatures around 16°C and daylight hours around 13.9 hours to 12.4 hours, make these months desirable for outdoor and water activities.
The worst time to visit Milford Sound
On the flip side, the colder months from June through to August may prove challenging for visitors. The lower temperatures dropping down to 1.5°C, coupled with long rainy spells across 14 days to 15.3 days, shorter daylight periods from 8.9 hours to 10.3 hours, and sea temperatures plunging to 12°C, it makes outdoor exploration less appealing.
Where to stay in Te Anau
1. RADFORDS ON THE LAKE
Radfords on the Lake is an posh resort / motel just across the road from Te Anau Lake and very close to the centre of Te Anau if you want to check out the cafes and restaurants.
The apartments are really well equipped and comfortable and some have spa baths to soothe any aches from your day’s exertions.
2. ADEN MOTEL
If you are on the hunt for something more budget friendly then the Aden Motel is a good opton.
A kitchen or kitchenette with a microwave and refrigerator is standard in all apartments. This is ideal if you are looking to save some money and prepare your own meals.
There is a small outdoor area if you want to grab some fresh air and the centre of Te Anau is only a few minutes walk away.
3. YHA TE ANAU
YHA Te Anau offers peaceful, stylish backpacker accommodation just one block from the shores of Lake Te Anau and a few minutes walk from the centre of town. This hostel has a wide selection of twin/double, en suite, family and shared rooms. Relax on the deck with a BBQ and use the fresh herbs growing in the Edible Garden to cook up your gourmet meal. The friendly staff will help you book activities and transport.
We stayed at the YHA in Te Anau in one of their family rooms. It was very well-located and probably the best hostel we stayed in during our tour of New Zealand.
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