Milford Sound, the breathtaking fjord – Milford Sound, a lélegzetelállító fjord

It’s often described as the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” Towering cliffs, spectacular waterfalls, crystal-clear water – unsurpassed beauty. It’s mesmerizing. It’s a must-see.

Day 73, Sunday, November 17: Fiordland National Park

Situated in the south west corner of the South Island of New Zealand, in 1990, Fiordland National Park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its remarkable natural environment –hundreds of lakes, mountain peaks, rainforests, fjords – never fails to amaze its visitors. Out of its 14 fjords, today we were eager to visit one.

On the road to Milford Sound

Got up early, just after 5 am. Left our luggage, except our backpacks, at the Scenic Suites Queenstown hotel, had an early breakfast at their restaurant, then were picked up by our Cheeky Kiwi Travel driver/guide. We were heading on a fully-guided day trip, together with 13 other passengers, to the world-famous Milford Sound.

After two hours on the road, around 9, we stopped for a break at the Alpine Centre Café & Bar by the highway. People bought their morning coffee and some had their breakfast. From here we could already see the snow-capped peaks of Fiordland National Park.

Along the drive to the park we had stops to admire the beautiful scenery and to take countless pictures. A brief stop at Te Anau Downs allowed us to have a glimpse of Lake Te Anau.

From one of the viewpoints along the Eglinton Valley we enjoyed the great natural panorama and got a real sense of how beautiful this valley was.

Mirror Lake lived up to its name. On this sunny and still day, the crystal-clear reflections of the Earl Mountains were stunning.

Further along the road came the picturesque Lake Gunn, surrounded by native bush.

We stopped to stretch our legs and photograph the majestic landscape a few more times before we reached our ultimate destination.

The road to Milford Sound is truly one of the most scenic drives we’ve experienced. There were so many photo opportunities along the way, many opportunities for walks and enjoyment of what nature created. We could’ve taken more time to take in all of the spectacular sights, but we were on a tight schedule: we had to be at our cruise ship by 12:45 pm.

Milford Sound

It’s one of the most dramatic and beautiful parts of New Zealand. It’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

Milford Sound was named by early European settlers. But they didn’t name it correctly. Sounds were formed when the sea flooded a river valley. Fjords, on the other hand, were formed by the erosion of glaciers. Milford Sound is a fjord, not a sound.

(Note: The word “fjord” is spelled in this way everywhere in the world except in New Zealand, where its “fiord,” as is reflected in the name of Fiordland National Park.)

The best way to see the fjord, in its full glory, is to take a cruise. We boarded our ship – one of the many there – just before 1 pm.

During the one-and-a-half-hour tour, I was overwhelmed by the striking landscape, the countless mountains towering around the deep water, the waterfalls, the beauty around me.

I heard about this place from Steve who first visited this part of the world 44 years ago. I saw countless pictures of it (including his) taken in sunshine and rain and fog.

But, I had to be here, in person, to appreciate how unforgettable this landscape was. The photos don’t do justice.

We were so lucky on our visit to Milford Sound! The weather was sunny, making the visibility remarkably clear. Even though there was a little wind during the cruise, it added to the fun.

On the drive back to Queenstown, our driver dropped us in Te Anau. We were staying there for the night to pick up a tour the next morning.

Our accommodation itself didn’t impress us, but at least it had nice views of the mountains. It was close to restaurants, and we were fortunate to get a table for dinner at a popular place, The Fat Duck Gastropub.