Milford Road and Milford Sound / NZ

Inbetween Curio Bay and Te Anau I didn't do much. Short stop in Invercargill and up to the West via Lumsden, but just because I changed plans inbetween ;-). I would recommend to followo route 99 the Scenic route.

Milford Road

I stayed at Camp Fjordland Great Views Holiday Park nearby Te Anau and started at 8 in the morning down Milford Road.

Tip: there is no petrol station on Milford roaf, though you have to refuel in Te Anau, which is for sure more expensive than in other cities ;-)

I had booked a boat trip for Milford Sound already in Te Anau with "Go Orange". They are good and I got them recommended. The boat is not that huge as others, but also not the smallest. No idea, if other companies would be better or worth. Nevertheless, my boat trip was scheduled for 2pm, giving me a few hours to explore the stops at the road. 

Lake Mistletoe

My first stop was Lake Mistletoe. You really need to stop here. To the lake itself you walk just about 10 min and nobody has been there, as a 30min walk is mentioned on the sign, too long for many tourists especially buses ;-)
The round walk is not that exciting, but the lake looks fantastic.

Lake Mirror

Next, I really stopped at Lake Mirror as all busses and tourists do. It's a walkaway along a kind of bridge, starting at one point at the road and no 50m later they get picked up from their bus at the other end. This lake is more a pond and nice, maybe the weather didn't make it that "mirrorlike" as it could be, but yeah, it takes you 5 min.

View from Pops View

At Pops View, I experienced the famous Keas for the first time. They are known for their intelligence and not just try to take everything apart they get in their beak. Why, does any adventure company parks their truck with all their bikes at a parking space where Keas are busy ;-) ?

Keas at work ;-)

Inside the Homer tunnel

Next you get to the Homer Tunnel. It's a one lane tunnel build in 1954 and an experience to drive through.

Chasm walk

You can make another stop at the Chasm Walk. It's not hilarious as other spots, but nice. About 15min, time you always have.

Milford Sound from Milford

Arriving at Milford Sound, which is kind of a little "village" with a restaurant an expensive hotel and a small airport to make flights over the Fjordland.
(When I got back to Te Anau, I watched a 30 min movie "Ata Whenna" in the cinema. It runs several times a day. After I watched it, I thought about doing a flight once).

I walked along the shore a little bit and took thousands of pics :-). Generally it's raining an average of 200 days a year around Milford and I had been lucky. Sunshine :-) !!! Otherwise, it read it must be even more fantastic when the rain fills up the waterfalls.

Tip: Bring your anti-mossy spray against the sand flies! 
I read, the sand flies are in the Fjordlands otherwise the people would never leave and they give them the reason to go back again ;-) 
I believe. 

One of the falls

Why is it called a Sound and Fjordland and what's the difference anyway? 
A Fjord was build by glaciers and a Sound by dropping water level. As Milford Sound had been called Sound all the time, they left the name, but the whole area including Doubtful Sound is renamed to Fjordland. You may guess, the whole area exists due to former glaciers. 

At 2pm I started my boat trip and it's great. You pass several waterfalls. Bowen falls is a 520 feet waterfall crashing into the fjord. 
You really need to do a boat tour, it's the best way to see the Fjord from the water.

Lazy seals

Bowen falls

One of the most beautiful places ever for afternoon "tea"

After my trip I left the sound again through the Homer Tunnel and did  a hike still early daytime.

I went up to Lake Marian. It's a fantastic hike, even going up and down the same way. Due to all the rain, it's just so green you can not describe it, if you haven't seen it. It's a path through the woods and when you reach the lake it's just worth every meter you walked. 

Next to the sound this was the best place on Milford Sound. 

At Lake Marian

Lake Marian

Lake Marian

Lake Gunn

I spend the night at Lake Gunn Campsite. There are two sites at Lake Gunn, a huge one and this very small one for approx. 5 cars/vans, tent sites - no campervans. Just a toilet not more, but a fantastic view on Lake Gunn. 
A lovely Dutch couple invited me to a good glass of NZ wine and with good mossy spray all over us we sat, chatted and watched the sunset and longer and life was just good :-)

 

Tip: I got recommended "Gertrude Walk". I was told it's nothing for people who do not hike. I really wanted to do it, but after my return to Milford when I had finished the Routeburn trail it was pouring, though I couldn't. Next time...

On Lake Gunn Walk

Furthermore I did the Lake Gunn Nature Walk after my return from Routeburn Trail. If you stay at the big Campsite of Lake Gunn, it starts there, just do it.