What Is So Special About Milford Sound?
Updated: 2 days ago
Milford Sound is one of New Zealand's most visited destinations and is often described as one of the country's most beautiful natural landscapes. In this article, we cover what makes it special, from its glacial history and towering peaks to its wildlife, waterfalls, and the road that takes you there.
Key Takeaways
Milford Sound is a fiord carved out by glaciers over the last two million years.
It's part of Te Wāhipounamu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering 2.6 million hectares of southwest New Zealand.
Mitre Peak, standing at 1,683 metres, is Milford Sound's most iconic landmark.
Lady Bowen Falls (162m) and Stirling Falls (151m) are the two permanent waterfalls in the fiord, joined by hundreds more when it rains.
Unique wildlife includes New Zealand fur seals, bottlenose dolphins, kea, and occasionally Fiordland crested penguins.
The Milford Road itself is a highlight of the trip, with stops at Mirror Lakes, the Eglinton Valley, the Homer Tunnel, and the Chasm.
About Milford Sound
Despite its name, Milford Sound isn't a sound (a river valley flooded by the sea). Milford Sound is actually a fiord, a glacially-carved valley flooded by the sea.
The fiord was named by Welsh explorer John Grono in the early 1800s, after his birthplace of Milford Haven in Wales. It's 16km long, less than 3km at its widest point, and 291 metres deep at its deepest.
Milford Sound is surrounded by steep, near-vertical mountains covered in lush native forest. This creates a rich habitat for rare wildlife to thrive.
The fiord itself is a marine reserve, home to many different fish species, rare black corals, dolphins, seals, and the occasional visiting shark or whale.
There are very few buildings in the small settlement at the head of the fiord, and strict conservation rules mean any development has to prioritise the environment.
It's a place that can be explored in many different ways, from budget travel to luxury experiences, by road or air, by boat or kayak, and at any time of year.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Milford Sound is part of Te Wāhipounamu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering 2.6 million hectares across the southwest of New Zealand. The site extends 40 to 90km inland from the Tasman Sea and includes most of Fiordland National Park. Te Wāhipounamu was granted World Heritage status for its glacial landforms, mountains, and unique plants and animals. Many of these trace back to when New Zealand was part of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana around 80 million years ago. It's considered one of the finest glaciated areas in the Southern Hemisphere.
Carved by Glaciers
Glacial carving is easier to picture once you see it in action, and Milford Sound and the landscapes along the Milford Road show it clearly.
Over the past two million years, massive rivers of ice several kilometres wide flowed down from the Southern Alps, cutting narrow, steep valleys through the mountains on their way to the Tasman Sea.
As the Earth warmed up, the glaciers melted and left these valleys behind. The sea then flooded through them, creating what we now see as Milford Sound.
Milford Sound's Waterfalls
There are not many places in the world where you can get close to the full force of a 160-metre waterfall, but you can on a Milford Sound cruise.
Lady Bowen Falls (162 metres) and Stirling Falls (151 metres) are the two permanent waterfalls in the fiord.
Lady Bowen Falls also powers the small Milford Sound settlement through a hydroelectric system. During a Milford Sound cruise, the boat will go close enough to these waterfalls for you to feel their spray. The skipper may even put part of the boat under a waterfall to allow adventurous passengers to get a "glacial facial."
The real show, though, is when it rains. Milford Sound is one of the wettest places in the world, with almost 7,000mm of rainfall each year. Within minutes of rain hitting the mountains, hundreds of temporary waterfalls appear right down the length of the fiord.
This is one reason many Fiordland locals say their favourite time in Milford Sound is when it's pouring with rain.
Mountains & Mitre Peak
The most familiar sight as you arrive at Milford Sound is Mitre Peak, one of the most photographed natural landmarks in New Zealand, standing at 1,683 metres.
Further down the fiord are a few more impressive mountains, including The Elephant (1,517 metres) and The Lion (1,302 metres), named for their resemblance to the animals.
Before reaching Stirling Falls, you may also catch a glimpse of Mount Pembroke in the distance at 2,015 metres. Several other Fiordland peaks are of similar height, and many are topped with snow for much of the year.
Milford Sound's Wildlife
Visitors are often surprised at how close and how frequent the wildlife encounters can be on the road to Milford Sound and on a Milford Sound cruise.
You're very likely to see New Zealand fur seals at Seal Rock, near the mouth of the fiord. Most cruises take you up close enough to watch them basking on the rocks in the sun.
Another likely encounter is with the kea, the world's only alpine parrot, found only in New Zealand's South Island. Kea live in alpine areas along the Milford Road, particularly around the Homer Tunnel area, and often approach vehicles and people. They're intelligent and curious, and have been known to pull apart windscreen wipers, rubber seals, and anything else they can get their beaks on.
Less frequent but always popular are the bottlenose dolphins.
A resident pod of around 50 to 60 live in the Milford Sound area, and they're one of the larger dolphin species in the world, growing up to 3 metres in length.
Interestingly, the Milford Sound population grows even larger, sometimes reaching 4 metres, likely due to the abundance of food in the area.
Other wildlife you may see includes the elusive Fiordland crested penguin, along with albatross and other seabirds.
The Milford Road
Milford Sound may be your ultimate destination, but the journey there is just as good.
Starting from Te Anau, the Milford Road is 120 km long and takes about 2 hours to drive non-stop. Most people take 4 hours, given the number of worthwhile stops along the way.
Some highlights include Te Anau Downs, the Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Marian Falls, the Homer Tunnel, and the Chasm. You'll want to have your camera ready for each stop. The stops are also a good chance to disconnect from technology and take in the sights and sounds of the surrounding forest, from birdsong to rushing rivers, and sometimes a wildlife encounter or two.
Other Milford Sound Activities
A cruise is the most popular way to experience Milford Sound, but there are several other activities you can do in the area, including kayaking, scenic helicopter flights, scenic plane flights, short walks, and multi-day hikes.
Several scenic flight operators are based at Milford Sound aerodrome. A scenic flight gives you a very different perspective of the landscape, with views over the mountains, hanging valleys, and glaciers that shaped the fiord.
There are many flight options available, and some connect back to Te Anau or Queenstown. For example, Luxe Tours offers scenic flight add-ons as part of our Milford Sound Day Tours from both Te Anau and Queenstown.
Milford Sound is sometimes called the unofficial eighth wonder of the world, a title often traced back to Rudyard Kipling. The combination of glacial history, towering peaks, abundant wildlife, and near-total lack of modern development makes it hard to compare to other popular visitor destinations.
It's widely considered one of the best places in New Zealand to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and take in the scale of the natural world.
Come and see why Milford Sound is truly such a special place with Luxe Tours.
