Milford Sound is a fjord (a long, narrow inlet with steep sides, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.) in the south west of New Zealand's South Island, within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. It has been judged the world's top top travel destination in an international survey, and is acclaimed as New Zealand's most famous tourist destination. Rudyard Kipling had previously called it the eighth Wonder of the World. Milford Sound runs 15 kilometres inland from the Tasman Sea and is surrounded by sheer rock faces that rise 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) or more on either side.
With a mean annual rainfall of 6,813 mm on 182 days a year, a high level even for the West Coast, Milford Sound is known as the wettest inhabited place in New Zealand and one of the wettest in the world. Rainfall can reach 250 mm during a span of 24 hours. The rainfall creates dozens of temporary waterfalls (as well as a number of major, more permanent ones) cascading down the cliff faces, some reaching a thousand metres in length.
http://www.wikipedia.com/
When I joined the tour, and left Queenstown, the day was bright and beautiful.
But clouds started to gather.
Lying as it does at the borders of Fiordland National Park, Te Anau is a town in the South Island of New Zealand. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau in Fiordland. Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island and second only within New Zealand to Lake Taupo. Here I am in front of Lake Te Anau.
The scenery, even before we got to the Sound, was stunning.
Fiordland National Park occupies the southwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest of the 14 national parks in New Zealand, with an area of 12,500 km², and a major part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. This is Mirror Lake.
Lunch.
This is a Kea bird. It is a large species of parrot found in forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. Kea are known for their intelligence and curiosity. They are "cheeky" birds. See this recent news story regarding one of these birds: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/30/2585161.htm
This is what Milford Sound looks like when the sun is shining:
And for more spectacular pics, look here: http://www.realjourneys.co.nz/Main/MilfordSound/
THIS is what it looked liked the day I arrived. It was so cloudy and stormy you could hardly see anything. And it kept getting worse. I was soaking wet before this adventure was over. But let's face it, it's still beautiful!
At the mouth of the Sound, looking out at the Tasman Sea.
Dolphins! Look closely.
Seals!
And no, these are not black and white photos - as the corner of the orange lifeboat below proves.
With a mean annual rainfall of 6,813 mm on 182 days a year, a high level even for the West Coast, Milford Sound is known as the wettest inhabited place in New Zealand and one of the wettest in the world. Rainfall can reach 250 mm during a span of 24 hours. The rainfall creates dozens of temporary waterfalls (as well as a number of major, more permanent ones) cascading down the cliff faces, some reaching a thousand metres in length.
http://www.wikipedia.com/
When I joined the tour, and left Queenstown, the day was bright and beautiful.
But clouds started to gather.
Lying as it does at the borders of Fiordland National Park, Te Anau is a town in the South Island of New Zealand. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau in Fiordland. Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island and second only within New Zealand to Lake Taupo. Here I am in front of Lake Te Anau.
The scenery, even before we got to the Sound, was stunning.
Fiordland National Park occupies the southwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest of the 14 national parks in New Zealand, with an area of 12,500 km², and a major part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. This is Mirror Lake.
Lunch.
This is a Kea bird. It is a large species of parrot found in forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. Kea are known for their intelligence and curiosity. They are "cheeky" birds. See this recent news story regarding one of these birds: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/30/2585161.htm
This is what Milford Sound looks like when the sun is shining:
THIS is what it looked liked the day I arrived. It was so cloudy and stormy you could hardly see anything. And it kept getting worse. I was soaking wet before this adventure was over. But let's face it, it's still beautiful!
At the mouth of the Sound, looking out at the Tasman Sea.
Dolphins! Look closely.
Seals!
And no, these are not black and white photos - as the corner of the orange lifeboat below proves.
Despite the rain, I'd do it all again. Gorgeous!
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