Milford Sound is undoubtedly New Zealand’s most well known attraction and perhaps one of the most beautiful locations in Middle Earth itself. This was my second time visiting Milford Sound (my first time was a few years ago in the summer) and my first time visiting the place in a shoulder season.
After finishing off our bucket list of items to do in the Mt Cook National Park, we made a night stop in Queenstown before driving to the Fiordland National Park. Along the way we discovered the nicest camp site in all of New Zealand, which immediately brought our Milford Sound plans to a grinding halt.
But after having the ultimate New Zealand camping experience, we finally made our way to Milford Sound. Let me tell you though, getting out of the sleeping bag that morning was not an easy task. It was so warm and cozy inside the tent while it was freezing outside. In the end I’m glad we made the journey because it ended up being one of the most gorgeous days I’ve witnessed yet at the Sound.
You won’t believe just how drastic the tidal changes were within a manner of 30 minutes. Which image do you prefer?
The drive to Milford Sound from entry into the Fiordland takes no less than 2 hours and upon arriving we headed directly to the visitor’s center to get our tickets for the cruise. There was no internet anywhere inside the Fiordland National Park so it had been a little over 48 hours before anyone knew where we were or what we were doing. This also meant that we couldn’t book our tickets ahead of time. And so we ended up booking our cruise and kayak experience with Southern Discoveries for 199 NZD + tax (~$150 USD) per person.
This pretty much involved an hour cruising around the fjords, an hour in the kayaks, and an hour at the underwater observatory. I won’t go into the full walkthrough of the Milford Sound cruise experience on this post (since I covered that before), but I have made a Milford Sound Vlog covering the photography aspect and cruise/kayak experience. This is a better way of showing you guys the experience anyways 🙂
And as always if you like my work, I would very much appreciate a like and a follow on Instagram or on my Vlog.
Bottom Line:
If you are ever in the Milford Sound area, don’t miss out on the cruise and kayak experience. The underwater world and observatory is something that was forgettable for the most part, but I suppose it does kill some time while waiting for the cruise ship.
I would very much appreciate a like and a follow on Instagram or on my Vlog.
Trip Report: Wild Camping in New Zealand
- Introduction Part 1: Planning a Trip to Middle Earth and Visa Shenanigans
- Review: United Economy Class DFW-SFO-SYD
- Great Drives: Pukaki – Mt Cook National Park
- New Zealand’s Longest Glacier: Tasman
- Great Hikes: Hooker Valley Track
- Milford Sound: Cruise and Kayak Experience
