Milford Sound in Fiordlands National Park

A New Zealand Vacation to the World’s Top Tourist Attraction

Sep 6, 2009 Katie Giles

Described by Rudyard Kipling as the 8th wonder of the world, the rugged cliffs and impressive waterfalls make Milford Sound one of New Zealand's top tourist attractions.

Located in the southwest corner of New Zealand’s South Island, Fiordlands is the largest national park in the country, covering an area of 12,500 km². The region has retrieved world heritage status and is visited by over 560,000 tourists per year.

The national park stretches from the Tasman Sea on the country’s rugged west coast, inland as far as the Southern Alps. Milford Sound is the most famous of all the fiords in the national park.

Milford Sound History

Contrary to its name, Milford Sound is a glacial valley meaning it is actually a fiord rather than a sound. The glaciers around Milford retreated after the last ice age leaving the sea to flood the valleys and form one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the world.

Milford Sound was first discovered by the Maori over 1000 years ago. Early European explorers sailed past the fiord without realising its existence as the narrow entrance kept the wonders that lay behind hidden from view. John Grono eventually became the first European to discover the fiord in 1812 and subsequently named it after his birthplace in Wales, Milford Haven.

For over a century after its discovery, Milford Sound remained only accessible by sea, air or on foot. However, in 1954 the road to Milford was completed with the opening of the Homer Tunnel. For the first time this enabled road traffic to reach the fiord, making it a popular tourist destination.

Mitre Peak

The sheer cliffs either side of the fiord rise to over 1,200 metres. However, the most impressive and recognised mountain in the vicinity is Mitre Peak. The peak rises out of the water to a height of 1,682 metres, making it one of the highest mountains in the world to rise directly from the ocean floor. The iconic mountain is one of the most photographed peaks in New Zealand and has become the focal point of Milford Sound.

Milford Sound’s Waterfalls

With an annual rainfall of nearly 7 metres, Milford Sound is one of the wettest inhabited places in the world. The fiord is home to three permanent spectacular waterfalls. However, after heavy rainfall, the excess water runs off the granite cliffs, dropping thousands of metres into the water below and forming dozens of impressive waterfalls.

The World's Top Tourist Attraction

Over half a million tourists visit Milford Sound each year, making it one of New Zealand’s most popular destinations. In a 2008 survey on the TripAdvisor website, Milford Sound was voted the world’s top tourist attraction.

The popularity of Milford Sound is perhaps even more surprising given its remote location. The nearest populated place is Te Anau, located 121km away, approximately 2.5 hours drive. However, many visitors make the even longer journey from either Queenstown or Invercargill, both cities are located a 4 hour drive away.

Milford Track

For the more adventurous, each year 14,000 visitors arrive at Milford Sound on foot at the end of the world-famous Milford Track, a 53km hike over 4 days. The hike is the most famous in New Zealand and is known as ‘The Finest Walk in the World’. Only 90 walkers are permitted to start the track each day, therefore reservations are essential and places are booked up months in advance.

Milford Sound Boat Trips

The only way to truly experience Milford Sound is from the water itself so it’s not surprising several tour operators run frequent boat trips along the fiord to the Tasman Sea.

All boat trips depart from Milford Sound Visitor’s Centre. The most popular tour, offered by all companies, is a 1-2 hour trip along the 15km fiord to the Tasman Sea. On average, prices range from $60 - $90 depending on the time of day. Along the way visitors are given running commentaries highlighting the main sights and explaining the history and geology of the fiord. For those wishing to experience the true tranquility of Milford Sound, overnight cruises are available from a selection of tour operators.

As many visitors make the long journey from Queenstown or Invercargill, early afternoon is the busiest time of day. Aside from extra traffic on the road to Milford (SH 94), this is also reflected in the increased prices of the boat tours. To encourage visitors to travel at more unsociable hours, many boat trips are not only cheaper for their first tour of the day, but also include a free breakfast.

Milford Sound

For anyone visiting New Zealand, a trip to Milford Sound is simply unmissable. The sight of sheer granite mountains rising majestically out of the dark still water is a sight to behold and has become a symbolic image of the country.

Floating quietly down the fiord makes it feel like the most peaceful place on earth as the hustle and bustle of everyday life seems a lifetime away. Gazing up at the gigantic cliffs surrounding the water will make every visitor feel small and insignificant as they are humbled by the sight of nature at its finest.

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