New Zealand’s most famous wilderness – Milford Sound (fjord) gained international recognition in 1870 with the ascent of the famous “Milford Track”. Rudyard Kipling visited the area before 1900. He called Milford Sound the “Eighth Wonder of the Earth”. Since then, the most famous of all fjords has attracted thousands of visitors from all over the world. Milford Sound is a branching, deep blue strait of spectacular beauty that extends from the Tasman Sea deep into the Fiordland National Park.
The Milford Sound adventure begins on the 120 km long way there. Numerous stations invite you to linger. As a precaution, we stocked up on mosquito spray beforehand. This should also be absolutely necessary. We are impressed by the beauty and seclusion of this landscape. It reminds us a little of the fjords in Norway. The difference is the subtropical vegetation. The peaks of the highest mountains in the distance are covered in snow.
At nightfall, we enjoy the spectacles of nature. The bands of clouds turn reddish and the peaks of the mountains tint in the glow of the setting sun. We park our motorhome directly at Milford Sound, although this is expressly not allowed. But we are lucky, the route is probably not very busy today. So we remain the only guests here and can enjoy the unique landscape.
An unforgettable experience, which is only disturbed by the many mosquitoes from time to time. We now have the peace and quiet to take some beautiful pictures of this landscape. Afterwards we make a small campfire at dusk to scare away the mosquitoes…..and to fry our steaks. We dream at night that we will never have to leave again.
Reality dissolves our dreams with 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 motifs in the wildly rushing rivers that pour from the glaciers into Milford Sound.
Milford Sound is also a hiker’s paradise. Te Anau, in the heart of Fiordland, is the starting point of the best hiking trails, which are known for their fascinating scenic beauty. The Milford Track is said to be the most beautiful in the world. It is 53.9 km long and can be guided or undertaken independently. The tour lasts 4 days.
On our trip we stop at several places in the Milford Sound to take pictures or simply enjoy the landscape. A landmark of the national park are its numerous, mighty waterfalls, of which the 145m high Bowen Falls are probably the most famous. We observe dolphins, penguins and seals up close in their natural environment. Nature still seems to have its balance here, will it still have that in 10 or 20 years, when tens of thousands of tourists in buses invade here? We will see if nature has a chance to defend itself against its exploitation.
