New Zealand Interlude: Milford Sound

The Remarkables from Queenstown

When you journey thousands of miles from home to a place you've dreamed of visiting, you want to make the most of it.  With a month's allowance, I'd given myself what I thought was a generous amount of time to accomplish my goals, which revolved around a backpacking sampler of sorts.

Even with 30 days, the choices were absolutely overwhelming.  I spent weeks researching hikes appealing to my tastes, and trying to fit together itineraries that allowed for more doing versus getting there.  I also wanted to get a sense of the landscape; this is after all an environment different from anything I'd ever seen.

A lot of what seemed interesting to me centered around South Island and particularly Queenstown, a middling sized city located in the southernmost region.  For anyone who has gone to New Zealand that's not a surprise, since the town bills itself as the adventure capital of the country.

Lake Wakatipu - Queenstown

Two of the four backpacking outings I planned are in proximity to Queenstown, and my next adventure in the area was due to begin after completion of the Gillespie Pass Circuit.  I built in a two day layover in the city for a couple of reasons: one so I could regroup and resupply; and two so I could experience one of the "must see" attractions in the region - Milford Sound.

Milford Sound

Variously billed as the world's top travel destination and New Zealand's most famous attraction, Milford Sound is truly one of the most spectacular landscapes found anywhere on planet Earth.  Part of Fiordland National Park and a Maori Heritage Area, the iconic landscape is also a World Heritage site, and was once declared by Rudyard Kipling to be the Eight Wonder of the World.  With all the superlatives bestowed on this landmark I could hardly say no.

There are two main avenues which allow visitors to reach Milford Sound, located on the southwestern coast of the island.  The vertical nature of surrounding topography means only one road exists to travel by car or bus, and getting there and back in this fashion from Queenstown takes a full day.

Planning the trip in advance allowed me to weigh different options and respective pros and cons.  My choices were take an all day bus trip, or fly to Milford Sound in about an hour.  Both excursions included a boat tour of the Sound, and while the flight was more expensive I felt it was worth having extra time in Queenstown to run necessary errands.

I chose a company called Glenorchy Air for the excursion, and I have nothing but praise for the entire experience.  From booking and pick up at my lodging, to the flight and arrival at Milford, and subsequent return journey everything was handled efficiently and courteously.  If you are planning a visit and looking to fly I recommend them without hesitation.

Ready for departure

The plane held 9 passengers and a pilot, with a window for everybody.  The pilot provided narration through headphones over the course of the hour plus long flight.  He mentioned at the outset how fortunate we were in the weather; he said many trips had unfavorable visibility either during the flight or at the Sound, and in some cases had to be canceled altogether.

Within minutes after departing Queenstown we were flying high over the Southern Alps, the range of mountains that define the rugged and remote area of the southwestern coast of South Island.  Most of the landscape here is protected as Fiordland National Park, an area I would see more of on my next outing.

I mentioned in the conclusion of the Gillespie Pass narrative that a maritime climate and extreme latitude of New Zealand plays a dominant role in weather, with alpine environments existing wherever high peaks pierce the clouds.  It was amazing to see the real effect up close and personal as the plane flew in close proximity to massive snowfields and glaciers.

Rising above Queenstown

Fiordland National Park is not misnamed.  Just like Norway, the coastline here is characterized by deep and extremely vertical glacier carved valleys leading to the ocean.  With the exception of Milford these fiords can only be reached by ship, with Dusky and Doubtful Sounds being the longest at 40 kilometers.

We arrived at the airstrip, located at the head of the Sound.  Flat land here is at a premium, and the harbor terminal shares limited space with the landing field.  The pilot gave us our tour pass and instructions on where to meet at the conclusion of the excursion.  Standing there I noticed waves of buses rolling in from the highway, and was glad I had elected to fly in.

It was a short walk from the airstrip to the terminal, with interesting interpretive displays along the way.  Most discuss the Maori experience of the Sound and its importance in cultural and spiritual customs.  One in particular caught my attention as it involves something I haven't mentioned yet: the Sandfly.

New Zealand's most fearsome predator

If you consider one thing from an environmental aspect that might negatively affect your travel experience, the sandfly has to be in the top five.  Basically a bloodsucking midge, the sandfly is ubiquitous in nearly every backcountry setting.  Before my trip, I read online horror stories from unprepared visitors who were extensively feasted upon, with resulting long-lasting itchy lesions to rival any mosquito bite.

I do not like parasites of any variety, probably because I happen to be in that percentage of the population who attract the attention of opportunistic insect vampires.  We have something similar in the Southwest known as a Cedar Gnat, and I am super sensitive to the saliva compound the gnat uses to prevent blood from clotting while they dine.  Having had extensive adverse reactions in the past, I resolved before leaving home I would make myself as unappealing as possible.

Using a chemical extract known as permethrin to treat my clothing and a proven insect repellent called picaridin, I was well prepared to deal with the threat.  I count myself as fortunate, receiving only about half a dozen bites during the entire trip.  Consider yourself warned.

Once onboard ship I chose a spot on the upper deck to view the spectacular setting.  Anyone who has read any of my previous posts knows I enjoy using whatever superlatives I can find to describe a majestic landscape, and it's no different here.  Rising abruptly from the water's edge, massive granite cliffs soar thousands of feet into the air.

View from shore

Leaving the dock

The early morning marine layer was just beginning to clear, with the tops of gargantuan mountains wreathed in cloud set against deep blue skies.  And with little to no wind the waters of the Sound were calm and serenely reflective.

Scale is something that photographs (or digital images these days) can never adequately convey.  When I'm stretching my neck to the most acute angle possible looking up, I wish there was an effective means of portraying what the human eye sees.  Knowing full well there isn't I still try, only to review my efforts afterwards and once again be disappointed.

Even so there is a reason to capture whatever scenes I'm witnessing, particularly once I return home and revisit the thoughts and feelings of those moments.  Mostly awe, appreciation, and gratitude that such things exist, and that I am fortunate enough to see them in person.

Waterfalls are manifold in the Sound, with cascades plunging from sheer rockfaces without interruption hundreds and even thousands of feet into the waters below.

There's a more modest but still wonderful set of falls where the mist generated from water impacting rock disseminates into countless refractive particles, rendering a perpetual rainbow.

As the ship progresses through the Sound every twist and turn reveals new nearly impossible vertical slopes, where the tenacity of life is revealed as plants and shrub cling to naked rock where it seems nothing should grow.

See the "tiny" ship at lower left?

Before long the opening to the Sound appears ahead, with the Tasman Sea stretching into apparently limitless horizons.  The ship turns around here, returning the way we came and a slightly different perspective.

The Tasman Sea

Headed in

The journey only takes a couple of hours, but seems shorter than that.  Soon we dock at the terminal and regroup with the pilot in preparation for the flight home.  I can absolutely see why Milford Sound has developed notoriety as a must see attraction, and think maybe someday I'd like to return to explore more of the surrounding area.  One the most famous Great Walks, the legendary Milford Track departs from here.

I am glad my time in New Zealand allowed me to visit one of its most famous landmarks, but honestly nothing I have seen up to this point can be considered ordinary.  The country at large is truly a natural wonder, and my anticipation to see more grows each day.  So back to Queenstown for the night and off to the next adventure tomorrow.

Back to the beginning

Next up: A Great Walk - The Kepler Track