Exploring Milford Sound

Today was another early start as we had booked a day trip to New Zealand's third oldest National Park and Unesco Heritage Site: Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound.

However, we were lucky we made it at all. Despite scheduling an Uber, nobody showed up at 6am so we started the 45min walk from our accommodation into town. We wouldn't have made it on time, but happened to run into the first bus of the day who not only took us into town, but we ended up being early and had time for a coffee. Bliss!

The trip we had chosen was through Viator with a company called Kiwi Experience. I have a feeling it's the same one I booked in 2011 when I first came to Southland.

Our driver Toddy was pretty awesome. Very informative and entertaining, told us a lot about the history of Aotearoa and some Māori legends of how the area around the Sounds (which technically are all fiords) supposedly came into existence.

The Māori name for Milford Sound is Piopiotahi, a piopio being a thrush-like bird and tahi the Māori word for one. According to legends, Māui, a Māori Demi-God, challenged the Goddess of Death in order to obtain immortality for himself and human mankind. Unfortunately, he died in the process (got crushed between the Goddess's thighs) and the piopio, out of sorrow, flew down and mourned Māui in what is now Milford Sound. 

The trip itself today was spectacular, the scenery being just as rugged and magnificent as I remembered it.

Once in Milford, we hopped on board the Maiden of Milford, a boat run by Jucy. We spent the entire 90mins on the upper deck enjoying amazing views of the sound, the highest mountain called Mitre Peak and the 2 permanent waterfalls, Lady Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls. 

In total, there are hundreds, if not thousands of tiny little waterfalls that appear after each rain and make their way down the rocky cliffs. We even spotted dome seals AND a pod of dolphins 💗 I don't know about you, but I am always happiest when outdoors exploring the beauties Mother Nature has created for us. There was just the tiniest bit of rain, a drizzle so fine it felt like snowdrops on your face. 

A piece of heaven right here on earth. I have a ton of pictures which I will upload later, but no photograph can truly capture the majestic landscape which is Fiordland...