Fiordland
Travel to Fiordland and you will be visiting one of the most awe-inspiring parts of New Zealand. The extraordinary scenic beauty has earned this South Island region a recognition as a significant sightseeing and walking destination, and a ‘Must See’ for anyone travelling to New Zealand. The extraordinary beauty of Fiordland was recognized by the United Nations in 1986 when it was made a World Heritage Area.
A growing range of activities ensures visitors can find plenty of things to do, whether they seek relaxed solitude in an untouched fiord or mountain environment, or the challenge of hunting wapiti through untamed forest. Farm tours provide a slice of New Zealand farm life. Horse treks, 4WD farm bikes and a huge number of walking options allow visitors to explore mixed terrain and outstanding vistas of the lake, farmland and mountains. A visit to the underwater observatory or a guided dive tour allows access to sights rarely revealed to human visitors. Boat trips provide a means to explore the beautiful waters of the fiords, lakes and rivers, and give excellent fishing opportunities.
Fiordland earned its reputation as the “walking capital of the world”, with many excellent walking tracks that traverse its dramatic landscape. Coach and boat transfers access the major tracks, including the Great Walks: the Milford, Routeburn and Kepler Tracks. Known to New Zealanders as “tramping”, the endless hiking and walking opportunities on other tracks within Fiordland National Park, such as the Hollyford, the Tuatapere Hump Ridge, and Dusky Tracks, can also be explored independently or as part of a guided group.
The hub of the Fiordland region is the attractive town of Te Anau. From here it is an easy 2 – 2 1/2 hours drive to Milford Sound and 20 minutes by coach to Lake Manapouri and the start of a Doubtful Sound excursion. Te Anau has a range of activity options, fine restaurants, seven days a week shopping and can cater for all levels of accommodations.
The attractive town of lies nestled on the edge of this beautiful lake, with a spectacular backdrop of Mt Luxmore and the Murchison mountains.
A bit of Fiordland history
Few Maori were permanent residents of the region, but seasonal food-gathering camps were linked by well-worn trails. Takiwai, a translucent greenstone or New Zealand jade, was sought from Anita Bay and elsewhere near the mouth of Milford Sound.
Captain Cook and his crew were the first Europeans to visit Fiordland, and in 1773 spent five weeks in Dusky Sound. Cook’s maps and descriptions soon attracted sealers and whalers who formed the first European settlements of New Zealand. From the middle of the 19th century, surveyors, explorers and prospectors began to penetrate the unexplored interior of Fiordland.
Not be be missed Fiordland activities
Milford Sound (fjord)
Milford is by far the best known of all of the fiords and the only one that can be accessed by road. It is approximately 16kms (10 miles) from the head of the fiord to the open sea, which means visitors can comfortably travel the length of the fiord to open ocean and return on one of the many cruise options available in one and a half to two hours cruising time.
The Milford Road to and from the Sound is a stunning alpine drive through vast glacial valleys and mountain tunnels. Visitors need to allow plenty of time to stop at the numerous viewing points or short walking opportunities en route, just to get out of the car and drink in the spectacular scenery and the sheer scale of the landscape. At 119kms (approx 74 miles) from Te Anau to Milford Sound, the sealed road takes a minimum of 2 hours driving without allowing for stops.
Yet another unique feature of the Fiordland environment is life under the fiord. Beneath the water, the mountains continue to plunge down as steep rock walls until they reach the floor of the fiord at depths of 100-450m (328 – 1,476 ft.). Few visitors are aware that below the tide line there exists a fascinating and unique world. A fresh water layer that sits on top of the seawater filters light to allow normally deep water dwelling species to exist very close to the surface. A visit to the Underwater Observatory or a guided dive tour allows access to sights rarely revealed to human visitors.
Doubtful Sound
Sometimes called “the Sound of Silence”, there is a quiet serenity within Doubtful Sound that contrasts with Milford Sound. The fiord is rich in flora and fauna, New Zealand Fur Seals and Fiordland Crested Penguins can be seen on many of the small islets at the entrance of the fiord.
At 421 meters (1,381 ft.) deep, Doubtful is the deepest of the fiords and is long and winding with three distinct “arms” and several outstanding waterfalls in the area from Deep Cove to the open ocean, a distance of around 40.4 kms (25 miles).
Established in 1952, Fiordland National Park is now over 1.2 million hectares in size, and encompasses mountain, lake, fiord and rainforest environments. Fiordland was also the final refuge for the world’s only flightless parrot the Kakapo.
Human activity within Fiordland has been limited. Early Maori hunted here, caught fish from the sea and gathered pounamu (New Zealand jade) from the rivers. Much later, European sealers and whalers took shelter in the fiords and built small settlements in some locations, but overall the sheer steepness of the terrain, the incredible isolation, and the wettest climate in New Zealand deterred all but the hardiest from settlement in the region.
Southern Scenic Route – Te Anau to Invergargill
The 200 kilometer (124 mile) drive via Tuatapere takes approx 3 hours by car and is sealed for the entire distance between these cities.
The road skirts the eastern boundary of Fiordland National Park and the rugged south coast, providing an introduction to southern parts of Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area.
