Neuseeland 2014 – Tag 3

From Te Anau to the Milford Sound and back to Te Anau!

We’d spent the night there and didn’t have to pack up straight away to head off to the next hotel. 🙂 This time we also had a good ‘normal’ breakfast. Armed with tips from our hosts, we set off under a brilliant blue sky for Milford Sound. Our hosts had already booked the boat for our tour later that day. As we set off early, it was quite chilly in the shaded areas despite the sunshine!

The road winds deeper and deeper into the Fjordland National Park through an avenue of beech trees. The closer you get to Milford Sound, the narrower and more winding the road becomes.
Halfway along the route is the Homer Tunnel (take off your sunglasses!) and you drive up Mt Christina (2,502 m – it’s a good idea to bring warm clothes!) before descending again on the other side to sea level. As soon as the road ends, you’ve reached the ‘Sound’!

The 15-kilometre-long fjord is one of New Zealand’s landmarks; its unspoilt natural beauty and diverse wildlife make it truly unique. A boat trip through the Sound is highly recommended. The tour through the fjord’s steep cliffs is very entertaining. During the tour, an experienced ‘nature guide’ provides interesting information about the nature and wildlife in the Sound. We were able to spot seals and penguins.

As soon as you’re back on solid ground, the same route takes you back to Te Anau, as there’s only this one road in Milford Sound. On the way back to the guesthouse, we made two brief stops: “The Chasm” (a nature trail with a ‘waterfall’) and “Mirror Lakes”

Length of the day’s stage: approx. 240 km

Accommodation:
Just like the night before