Its Christmas day and we head out to Milford Sound where the journey was about 501 km or about 8 hours.
Milford Sound is one of the 14 fjords lying within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site, in the south west of New Zealand's South Island. It has been judged the world's 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.
As a result, we departed Lake Ohau very early in the morning and we were told today’s journey will be the longest drive for our entire tour..
However, the good news is that there will be more scenic splendour this morning as we travel past the orchards of Cromwell and the Clutha River.
After 4 hours of driving, we had a quick lunch stop at Te Anau, which is located on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau in Fiordland. Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island and the second largest within New Zealand after Lake Taupo.
Here is also where we got to see statue of the Takahē or South Island Takahē, scientifically Porphyrio hochstetteri, which is a flightless bird that’s indigenous to New Zealand and belonging to the rail family. It was thought to be extinct after the last four known specimens were taken in 1898. However, after a carefully planned search effort the bird was rediscovered by Geoffrey Orbell near Lake Te Anau in the Murchison Mountains on November 20, 1948.
After lunch, we head on to the Fiordland National Park.
Along the way, we had a few quick stops at Mirror Lakes, …
… Cascade Creek, where Lupins grow wild, …
… and Monkey Creek, where we get to test for ourselves how cold a glaciel stream could be.
Next, we head through the Homer Tunnel (D'OH!) for our first view of Mitre Peak and Milford Sound.
William H. Homer and George Barber discovered the Homer Saddle on January 27, 1889. Homer suggested that a tunnel through the saddle would provide access to the Milford area. Government workers began the tunnel in 1935 after lobbying by J. Cockburn of the Southland Progress League. The tunnel and the associated Milford Road were built by relief workers during the Depression, initially just starting with five men using picks and wheelbarrows. The men had to live in tents in an mountainous area where there might be no direct sunlight for half of the year. At least three were killed by avalanches over the coming decades.
Mitre Peak is an iconic mountain in the South Island of New Zealand. It is one of the most photographed peaks in the country. The distinctive shape of the peak in southern New Zealand gives the mountain its name, after the mitre headwear of Christian bishops. It was named by a survey crew from the HMS Acheron.
We took another (final) quick stop at the Chasm before arriving at the wharf. The Chasm is a spot along the Cleddau River where the watercourse disappears between a narrow chasm (as the name suggests). You get to look down at mostly strangely shaped rocks and potholes resulting from the Cleddau River's forceful flow as it gets channelled into the dark and narrow abyss.
Then it's all aboard the Milford Wanderer, for an overnight cruise taking in all the beauty of the fiord. Departing from the Fiordland Travel wharf, the Milford Wanderer cruises the full length of Milford Sound to the Tasman Sea.
Quad share bunk accommodation on-board
There were also chance for us to kayak, do a boat tour on the Stabi-craft, or swim in the “warm” water of 15° C.
The Stabi-craft group
While cruising down the sound, we also get to see seals and dolphins along with towering mountains and breathtaking waterfalls.
We had our Christmas dinner on-board …
Christmas Dinner
… and then anchors overnight in Harrison Cove.
It was an evening to treasure!
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