Milford Road to Milford Sound
There are 119 km between Te Anau and Milford Sound. Fill up fuel in Te Anau because there's no fuelstop on the way.
Current road conditions:
www.milfordroad.co.nz, phone 0900 33 222
Homer Tunnel
Construction of the Homer Tunnel started during the depression of the 1930's. Due to Worldwar II the 1,2km long tunnel wasn't finished till 1953.
The Chasm
15 min return
Water forces it's way through the rocks on a spectacular way.
Milford Sound
Early explorers named the fiords "Sounds". A little mistake because sounds are eroded by rivers. But Milford Sound and the others around are gouged out by glaciers and should be called Fiords.
Mitre Peak (1692 m) is one of the highest mountains in the world that rises directly from sea level.
The Maori Name of Milford Sound is "Piopiotahi" meaning "Place of the singing trush" a bird which is now extinct.
Sandflies are here that you don't stay to long in that beautiful surrounding. Don't forget to bring insect repellent if you don't want to leave early.
Milford Sound receives an average rainfall of over 6000mm per year, so don't be to upset if it's raining when you arrive here. The waterfalls are at their best after one of the showers.
Underwater Observatory
There's an Underwater Observatory where you can explore the underwater world of the sound.
Due to the huge amount of rainfall there is a layer of dark fresh water on top of the seawater. Because the dark freshwater acts like a filter for sunlight there is an amazing deep water life just below the sealevel.
Cruises
There are different companies to choose from. If you stay here for the night, it is possible to avoid the crowds by booking an early morning tour. The big buses with all the daytrippers will arrive a bit later.
www.realjourneys.co.nz
www.mitrepeak.com
