New Zealand’s Most Famous Wildlife – The Milford Sound (Fjord) gained international acclaim in 1870 with the celebration of the famous “Milford Track”. Rudyard Kipling visited the area before 1900. He called Milford Sound the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. Since then, the most famous of all fjords attracts thousands of visitors from around the world. Milford Sound is a ramified, deep blue strait of spectacular beauty that reaches deep into the Fjordland National Park from the Tasman Sea.

The Milford Sound adventure begins on the 120 km long road there. Numerous stations invite you to linger. As a precaution, we covered ourselves with mosquito spray beforehand. That should be absolutely necessary. We are impressed by the beauty and seclusion of this landscape. It reminds us a bit of the fjords in Norway. The difference is the subtropical vegetation. The summits of the highest mountains in the distance are snow-capped.

At nightfall, we enjoy the spectacles of nature. The cloud bands turn reddish and the peaks of the mountains are in the light of the setting sun. We park our motorhome right on Milford Sound, although this is expressly prohibited. But we are lucky, the route is today probably not very busy. So we stay here the only guests and can enjoy the unique landscape.

An unforgettable experience that is disturbed only by the many mosquitos from time to time. We now have the peace to shoot some nice pictures of this landscape. Then we make a small campfire at dusk to scare away the mosquitoes ….. and roast our steaks. We dream at night to never have to leave again.

The reality dissolves our dreams with the awakening. With snow-capped mountains reflected in crystal-clear lakes, we are called back to “real life”. After breakfast we drive on and find new motives in the wild rushing rivers that pour from the glaciers into the Milford sound.

The Milford Sound is also a hiker’s paradise. Te Anau in the heart of Fjordland is the starting point of the best hiking trails, which are known for their fascinating scenic beauty. The Milford Track is supposedly the most beautiful in the world. It is 53.9 km long and can be run or self-employed. The tour lasts 4 days.

We take a break at several points of the Milford Sound on our way to take photos or simply enjoy the scenery. A landmark of the National Park are its numerous, huge waterfalls, of which the 145m high Bowen Falls are probably the most famous. We observe dolphins, penguins and seals close up in their natural habitat. Nature seems to have her balance here, will she still have it in 10 or 20 years, when thousands of tourists on buses come here? We will see if nature has a chance to resist its exploitation.