Fiordland is the stuff that dreams are made of, the kind of scenery that trumps you and re-focuses your perspective on just how remarkable the earth really is. There are a total of 14 deep, glacier-carved fiords on the West Coast of Fiordland, all of which are called sounds instead of by the correct name fiords, which is by definition a glacier-carved inlet of the sea.
The Milford Sound is one of the 14 fiords and sees nearly half a million visitors each year.
A four hour trip from Queenstown, the Milford Sound was my first stop on my trip through the South Island. It was one of the things I had been most excited about in New Zealand.
My bus left early Tuesday morning, making a quick stop at Mirror Lake, a stunning little lake that reflects the incredible mountain range standing behind it.
We made our way to a friendly, beautiful little town situated right on a lake called Te Anau, where I grabbed a meat pie at Miles Better Pies, which is considered one of New Zealand’s most famous pie shops, and bought my ticket for the Milford Sound cruise with Real Journeys.
At first I could not justify spending 6$ on a steak and pepper pie when I had perfectly good peanut butter and bread to make a sandwich, but I figured it was something I had to try. When I traveled around Australia, I would try a meat pie and a caramel slice in almost every town I stopped in to see where the best ones really were. I felt it was only right to follow suit in New Zealand.
A ticket for a nearly two-hour cruise through the Milford Sound is 68 dollars (if you buy it in Te Anau), which is pricey considering the only thing you get with your ticket (other than breathtaking views) is free coffee or tea.
Though it is known as one of the rainiest places in the world, the Milford Sound gave me a beautifully, sunny day and a fresh start in New Zealand. Interestingly enough, though, the captains and guides said they prefer when it is raining simply because the waterfalls are more active throughout the sound.
There is no other word to describe it than to say that the Milford Sound is absolutely majestic; the setting, the colours, the grandeur of it all is enchanting.
Our boat navigated its way through these sheer, rocky cliffs that rose out of the waters strong, proud and towering overhead. It felt like a wind tunnel at the front of the boat. Along the way we passed waterfalls, saw penguins and New Zealand fur seals.
I found myself thinking of how lucky I was to have seen all the parts of the world I have seen and how grateful I was to have finally made it to New Zealand and cross off the country that has been sitting at the number one spot on my bucklet list for as long as I can remember.
Milford Sound started my trip off in New Zealand on the best note possible.
