Milford Sound Cruise

The best way to experience the grandeur of this landscape is on the water. Board a Milford Sound cruise and marvel at the sheer rock walls coming straight out of the sea, tumbling waterfalls and, prominent in the centre, the focal point of millions of photographs: Mitre Peak (Rahotu).

Despite all the wow-factor, Milford Sound is also a place of serenity and peaceful wonder: it can feel very humbling to be in the middle of the sea surrounded by this huge landscape created by Nature’s power and patience.

One of the best things about Milford Sound is that it looks good in any weather: pristine in fine weather when the reflected mountains glisten on the water, and moody dramatic and epically beautiful when rainfall amplifies the already impressive waterfalls. The West Coast of the South Island is the wettest part of New Zealand and Milford Sound is the wettest part of the West Coast getting an average of 182 days of rainfall a year – so be prepared: bring both your rain jacket and a small umbrella (to help protect your camera)! While rain and low misty cloud may obscure Mitre Peak, more rainfall means more waterfalls; on a rainy day you’ll see hundreds of temporary cascades.

The journey to Milford Sound by road from Queenstown to Te Anau and then along Milford Road is filled with drop-dead gorgeous picture-postcard views. Some highlights include the Mirror Lakes which provide stunning reflections of the Earl mountain ranges (look for the name sign on the water); the series of gushing waterfalls that make up the Chasm; the glacier-fed Monkey Creek spring with water so pure you can drink it straight from the source, and the dramatic Eglinton mountains will be familiar to some as they represented the Misty Mountains in the Fellowship of the Ring.

After the Homer Tunnel, the road descends into a valley for the last 16km (9.94m) of the journey. You’ll be surrounded on either side by native beech and podocarp forest, drive past some historic bridges, and, finally, after you cross the Cleddau River, you’ll see beautiful Milford Sound in front of you, and – if the clouds have cleared – Mitre Peak’s unmistakable profile.

• There is no mobile coverage and very limited Wi-Fi, so be sure to just live in the moment and update your photos once you get back to our Queenstown accommodation.
• It seems sandflies also enjoy being surrounded by scenic grandeur, so spray yourself with insect repellent and cover bare skin if you are susceptible to being deemed as tasty by small, flying bitey things.
• If you’re due to travel to Milford Sound in December or March and April, you will have more chance of encountering temperate weather and fewer crowds.
• Autumn (March through to May) is when the local wildlife, like penguins and seals, tend to be more active.

Image Credits: Destination Fiordland