The Milford Sound, or, as the native Maoris call it, Piopiotahi. Even the name of it is tranquil. A gorgeous fjord nestled deep in Fiordland National Park, it is the world’s top travel destination, New Zealand’s most famous attraction, and has even been christened the eighth wonder of the world. It’s New Zealand’s only natural World Heritage Site, a list of destinations that I am determined to exhaust in my travels. When my sister and I arrived in Queenstown, New Zealand, in the freezing cold, early winter months, we initially planned to forego the Milford Sound, because it is an arduous, 5 hour drive from town, and I wasn’t completely enamored with the idea of navigating the winding, icy roads on my own.
The more I thought about it, though, the less okay I was with missing out on a potentially once-in-a-lifetime day trip. I researched thoroughly to figure out an alternative to renting a car and found tons of tour companies that will pick you up in Queenstown in the morning, drive you to the Milford Sound on a comfortable coach bus, and put you on board a lunchtime cruise through the fjords. It was going to be a long day, with almost 10 hours total on the bus, and it was bound to be a little touristy, but we thought it would be worth it despite all of that. I mean, it’s the Milford Sound, after all.
Spoiler: it was, in the end, more than worth it.
We ended up using JUCY Cruise, which offers cruises with and without transportation to and from Queenstown and to and from Te Anau. For about 170 NZ$, we took a glass-roofed coach, which allowed for plenty of sight-seeing along the way, and were offered a complimentary lunch onboard.
We started the day by waking before the sun and walking across the street from our Queenstown hostel to the bus stop. We boarded the bus and were off, crossing through the town that was lit only by the moon and the twinkling outdoor lights of the shops. I was in a foul mood, owing to the fact that the night before I had received a phone call from my boyfriend informing me that he had been carjacked at gunpoint…while driving my car. I had barely slept, and I had no idea what I was going to do when I got home. Regardless, I was determined to try and forget the looming car insurance deductible and potential need to purchase an entirely new car with funds I did not have, and enjoy my day.
Our ride was accompanied by an over-abundance of commentary from our driver Marcus, who seemed to love hearing his own voice. He also enjoyed threatening to leave us in the middle of the wilderness if we did not show up to the bus on time at “comfort stops,” in a completely serious and dead-pan tone (Meredith and I exchanged nervous glances every time he did this and ended up sprinting back to the bus each time). We were given several “comfort stops,” including one in Te Anau, a small town about two hours from Queenstown and a popular spot to stay for those who don’t want to do the entire drive to the fjords in one go.
We also stopped at Mirror Lakes, about 35 miles north of Te Anau, and some of the stillest waters I have ever seen, Monkey Creek in Hollyford Valley, which is a glacier-fed spring with icy and crisply refreshing potable waters, as well as the Chasm waterfalls (the depth of which are notoriously difficult to photograph, but which still make for an impressive 400 meter walk). All of these stops come highly recommended from yours truly, and most coach buses will make a pit stop at each.
Finally, after seemingly endless hours of driving, we were pulling into the parking lot of the Milford Sound marina. My eyes were puffy, I was exhausted from a long night of crying on FaceTime with my mother, but I was READY.
I was fully expecting a touristy madhouse, but that wasn’t the case at all. In fact, this past year saw the Sound hosting only about one million visitors total (compare that to the 30 million estimated annual visitors to Niagara Falls). The Milford Sound has a very peaceful aura, with cascading waterfalls pouring into the dark, still water from soaring peaks. Shockingly, we were blessed with a stroke of luck; the Milford Sound is one of the wettest places in the entire world, with the highest rainfall period in New Zealand, but we were greeted with nothing but clear, blue skies. It is a rare occurrence, to not only avoid the rain but also enjoy the sun, and we were so thankful for the visibility and incredible photos we were able to capture.
The crew was friendly and accommodating, and we were quickly brought into the lower deck to help ourselves to a buffet lunch, which consisted of rice, chicken curry, and vegetables. The food was decent but nothing to write home about, which I find is a common theme with the included lunches on day excursions like this. In the end, we were happy to fill our bellies, and appreciative of the free coffee and tea and the ice cream dessert.
From leaving the dock to returning and disembarking took about two and a half hours, during which we glided through the fjord’s quiet, royal blue waters, concerned with nothing but enjoying the views of the snow-topped cliffs. The boat had an enclosed top deck which allowed for viewing the Sound from behind glass, and the lower deck had a large area in the front and back that was out in the open, where we gathered to experience the scenery close up and attempt to capture its magnificence on camera. On the way out, we peered over the edge of the bow and watched as a half dozen dolphins leapt in and out of the water at the base of the boat, riding along with us. We saw seals sunbathing on the rock, looking perfectly content to call this serene place home. I’m not one to get excited over wildlife, but those seals really excited me.
The captain pulled us right up to a waterfall, where we were able to see a rainbow reflected in the mist, the beauty of which was enough to distract us from the fact that we were getting utterly saturated (I would suggest bringing a rain jacket, especially since it is unlikely you’ll encounter the same good fortune of our bright blue skies).
By the time we returned to the marina, the entire trip seemed like a surreal dream. We hopped back aboard our coach and drifted off to sleep as the sun began to set, our phones’ camera rolls a little bit fuller than they were when we arrived. The Milford Sound is referred to as the most beautiful place in the world for a reason, and my sister and I were both thankful for the opportunity to visit it.
It is true that the Milford Sound is a pain in the ass to access. You can only go out in the water with a tour company, even if you choose to drive yourself to the docks. Tour companies are expensive. On top of that, the distance from Queenstown and the winding nature of the roads means that you’re in for a long day if you decide to do a day trip. The long road trip almost deterred us from going at all. Unfortunately, there’s really no other way to get there, unless you want to splurge on a private helicopter ride (and if you do, congrats on being the bougiest person to ever read my blog).
However, the drive is almost as appealing as the fjord itself, with stunning streams, waterfalls, and lakes on the way. Te Anau, should you choose to stay overnight, has a glow worm cave very close by that is a popular pit stop on the way to the Sound. Milford Road is said to be one of the most scenic drives in New Zealand, and New Zealand is nothing if not a scenery lover’s paradise.
Don’t let the logistics, or the price, stop you from visiting the Milford Sound. It truly is a bucket list experience. I could not have asked for a more perfect trip, or a more perfect day to get my mind off my car (or lack thereof). Your life could be piled high with stressors and problems, but the Milford Sound, in all its infinite beauty, has a way of melting it all away. Mother Nature really outdid herself this time.
