22 - 23 April 2015

From Queenstown we drove to Te Anau and further to Milford Sound. Te Anau is the town that connects Queenstown to Milford Sound by road. 2 hours drive from Queenstown, the famously scenic Milford Road begins in the centre of Te Anau. 

At Te Anau, we joined the 2-hour excursion to glowworm cave. It started with a cruise to the western shores of Lake Te Anau. Later we entered into the cave and observed how the rushing water sculpts the rock formations, before gliding through silent darkness to the glowworm grotto. To my disappointment, the glowworm was not very fascinating. The rock on the other hand impressed us more. 

The road journey from Te Anau to Milford Sound is one of the most scenic experiences you can have on four wheels.

Mirror Lakes provide outstanding reflective views of the Earl Mountains. Water fowl and wetland plants can be seen against a backdrop of beech forest.

The 1.2km Homer Tunnel links between Te Anau and Milford Sound. This tunnel, which is hewed from solid granite, took nearly 20 years to complete. From mouth to mouth it measures 1270 metres.  At one time, only one way traffic is allowed. Driving in the tunnel was an adventurous experience given its low light and the rocky ambiance.

We took Milford Sound Overnight Cruise. The cruise style was relaxed, allowing us plenty of time to view the fiord’s spectacular waterfalls, rainforest, mountains and wildlife . The Milford Mariner then anchors in a sheltered cove, where we could choose to join the nature guide and explore in the vessel’s tender craft (small boat) or kayaks. Fiordland is infamous for its sandflies. Please do not get shocked if you see tourists wearing face protect hat

The carvery buffet prepared freshly by the onboard chef was awesome. It was the most sumptuous meal throughout the trip. The bread served as the appetizer was so delicious that I did not mind just eating that for dinner. The bread was served with hummus and came in different textures, I believe one of them was ciabatta, it was my favorite among all.

After the satisfying meal, we went to bed and had a good rest. 

I woke up early the next morning and walked to the front deck in order to take some pictures of the starry sky. Without tripod, I was pretty satisfied with the pictures. I also watched a nice sunrise. 

pic: Hearty breakfast

I took Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise years ago. I prefer Doubtful Sound for its view. But in Milford Sound, we encountered seals, dolphin and royal albatross.  

Along the way to Invercargill, we stopped at Clifden Suspension Bridge built to span the Waiau River. It is built from totara and Australian hardwood, with concrete towers and 28 wire ropes. It is a significant engineering achievement and the longest suspension bridge in New Zealand.