Milford Sound

Milford Sound Review

Fiordland National Park's most accessible and busiest attraction is Milford Sound, the sort of overpowering place where poets run out of words. Hemmed in by walls of rock that rise from the waterline sheer up to 4,000 feet, the 13-km-long (18-mi-long) fjord was carved by a succession of glaciers as they gouged a track to the sea. Its dominant feature is the 5,560-foot pinnacle of Mitre Peak, which is capped with snow for all but the warmest months of the year. Opposite the peak, Bowen Falls tumbles 520 feet before exploding into the sea. You'll often see seals on rocks soaking up the sun; dolphins sometimes flirt with the boats. Milford Sound is also spectacularly wet: The average annual rainfall is around 20 feet, and it rains an average of 200 days a year. In addition to a raincoat you'll need insect repellent—the sound has voracious sand flies. Plan your visit in New Zealand's warmer months (October-April) or your trip on the Milford Road may be obstructed by snow and tree avalanches.