Milford Sound is pure magic. The scenery was magnificent, turning to majestic the further we progressed. The mountains go up vertically on either side. Countless waterfalls plunge down into the fjord. Photographs, of which we took many, cannot show the sheer size of the place. There are no words to describe its beauty; you just need to be there to see it.
I think we were picked up from our hotel at 7am that morning for a 5 hour journey to Milford Sound. The journey to Milford Sound took us along Lake Road to Frankton, past foothills of the Remarkables mountain range. We stopped for morning tea at the quiet and tranquil town of Te Anau. Apparently, Te Anau is the gateway to the serene views of Milford Sound. We then continued into Fjordland National Park, one of the largest in the world; passed through lush subtropical rainforests and tumbling waterfalls which opened up to the mighty Milford Sound. While in Milford Sound, we enjoyed breathtaking views of Mitre Peak and the Sound, whilst relaxing on a cruise. That cruise took us under one of the waterfalls; I think it was called Stirling Falls. This ran down a hung valley and dropped 155 metres into the fjord. Sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? For anyone going to New Zealand this place is a must see. It was well worth getting up early and travelling 5 hours for.
If there is anyone out there who has been and does not appreciate the beauty of the place then they are, quite frankly, off their rocker. Stroppy teenagers would probably get away with criticising the place but anyone else would need help!
We had the added bonus (well, Rob would call it a bonus) of taking a scenic flight back to Queenstown in the smallest aeroplane I’d ever seen: it was only an 8 or 10 seater plane. *Gulp!* Me, not being a huge fan of flying had to pluck up the courage to get on. I have to admit, it was worth it and something you will thoroughly enjoy – once you get over the initial fear of being in the plane that is! It is also worth doing if you want to avoid seeing the same thing over again if you took the 5 hour coach journey back: the scenic flight took just 45 minutes.
Tags: New Zealand