Milford Sound, South Island – ‘Rain makes the Milford Sound sing’
After chasing the sunset from Queenstown to Te Anau the night before, we awoke to an overcast and rather dreary morning. I guess the weather can’t be perfect ALL the time.
I was a little bummed since today was the day we had planned to go explore the Milford Sound, so cold and rainy was not exactly ideal. David, being the perennial optimist, assured me that it would be great regardless, so into the car and onward we went. It’s about a 2 hour drive from Te Anau or 4 hours from Queenstown, however, I definitely recommend giving yourself additional time as there is A LOT to see and do along the way. Also, sheep….yes, this actually happened…
Besides the sheep, here are a few of the highlights of our drive to the Milford Sound (and let me emphasize A FEW):
Eglinton Valley – There are multiple places to park along this beautiful glacier-formed valley, so pick your poison. The area is absolutely spectacular and constantly changing due to the Eglinton River that flows through it.
Mirror Lakes – This is probably the most popular spot to stop and snap a few photos. On a calm, clear day these lakes reflect their name. (Ha, see what I did there?) Unfortunately for us, it was overcast and a bit rainy, however we did get to see a rainbow!
Lake Gunn – Take a 45 minute round trip walk through the red beechwood rainforest to the shores of this beautiful lake. The weather did us no favors, but the view of the surrounding mountains was still amazing! On a nice day, this would be a great spot for a picnic!
Key Summit/Routeburn Track – At The Divide parking lot, you can access the Key Summit hike which follows the Routeburn Track for about an hour before branching off into open alpine shrub land with a beautiful lake and views of the surrounding valleys. It takes around 3 hours round trip, but is definitely worth the effort!
Pop’s View Lookout – This roadside lookout over the Hollyford Valley only takes a moment and the views are splendid!
Lower Hollyford – The only turn-off on the road from Te Anau to Milford Sound leads to Lake Marian and the Hollyford Track. However, if you only want to make a pit stop, the scenery of the surrounding Hollyford Valley is definitely worthy of a picture or two. Take a moment to stretch your legs and appreciate the grandeur!
Homer Tunnel – Everyone loves a good tunnel! Be prepared to stop as this 1.2km tunnel has a traffic light control system which can take up to 20 minutes or more depending on the traffic. No worries though. The landscape surrounding you should keep you occupied!
Latitude 45º South – Hey, it’s not every day that you can say you are three-fourths of the way to Antarctica!
Like I mentioned before, give yourself plenty of time along the Milford Road – you will definitely need it! So after around 4 hours of driving and stopping and driving some more, we made it to the glorious Milford Sound for our tour with Southern Discoveries. We booked the Discover More Cruise & Kayak tour which included a 3 hour cruise through the Milford Sound, a picnic lunch, access to the Underwater Observatory, and a 1 hour kayak in sheltered Harrison Cove. Remember how I was complaining about the weather earlier? Well, according to our skipper, ‘Rain makes the Milford Sound sing’. And she was certainly belting out a tune today!
On a dry day, a few hundred waterfalls can be seen throughout the Milford Sound, but during or right after a rain storm, that number escalates to a few thousand! So, I guess bad weather makes for beautiful scenery!
Besides the majestic Mitre Peak and the countless waterfalls cascading from the mountains above, our cruise took us all the way to the Tasman Sea where we watched seals sunning themselves on a rock and scanned a penguin rookery for chicks. On our return journey, we were given the opportunity to stand under and even drink from the glacial Stirling Falls. And let me be honest, ‘glacial’ doesn’t even describe it! But hey, you only live once!
After a much-needed steaming cup of coffee (or three), we enjoyed the splendor surrounding us as our cruise made its way to Harrison Cove, a sheltered cove at the base of one of the glaciers that feeds the Milford Sound. Donning the provided dry suits, goulashes, and thermal under layers, we headed to the docks for our kayaking adventure. After receiving our safety instructions which were basically ‘DO NOT FALL IN!’, we followed our guide out into the water where he lead us on an informative tour around the cove. We drank glacial water from the Harrison River which, due to its route through camellia shrubs, had a slight tea taste and was actually quite refreshing! We were also fortunate enough to see both bottlenose dolphins and the extremely rare Fiordland crested penguin!
As it began to rain and the wind picked up, we made our way back to the docks, and, boy, was that one heck of an arm work-out! However, the magnificence of the surrounding area was undeniable!
After changing into some dry clothes, we were given the opportunity to explore the Milford Sound Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory. With views of black and white coral, as well as a variety of fish and other sea life, the floating Underwater Observatory offers a unique look into the depths of the magical Milford Sound.
As we boarded the final boat returning to the mainland, I couldn’t help but marvel at all the natural beauty the Milford Sound had to offer. There truly is no other place on earth like it and is an absolute must-see!
