Milford Sound

Milford Sound is one of the places that tourists feel they have to visit, or their journey to the South Island is not complete. It’s the only Sound in Fiordland that one can easily access by car, rather than tramping or taking a special tour. The road north from Te Anau passes through the Eglinton Valley, an alpine valley which features the Mirror Lakes and then ends at Milford Sound. There are official camping sites all along this route, but nothing else. There is one hotel and one very basic youth hostel at the Sound itself, a garage, cafe, and a boat terminal. Booking at both is necessary during the summer.

There is a great deal to see in the area, in terms of landscapes and native plants, but, because of the relatively high altitude, and southerly latitude, as well as the likelihood of rain: if (unlike most tourists) you want to stay and explore the area for a few days and view the glaciated valleys and alpine rivers eg. the Cleddau River staying in the hotel or a spacious camper van is worth the expense.

The Hollyford Valley is magnificent (especially in good weather). It’s more remote than Milford Sound, and can be reached by travelling south back from Milford Sound; but instead of carrying on to Te Anau, turning off after a few miles, onto a gravel road. Very few travelers make it up here. To stay in the Hollyford Valley in comfort you need a car or camper. There are no shops or motels, and only one campsite (with no electricity). The small cabins are all provided with a coal range; and, for anyone who wants to live like an early settler for a day or two, this is the place.

There are many famous walking tracks in the region. The Bush is a mixture of lowland species and beech in the valleys, and beech species on the alpine slopes. Past the tree line are some of New Zealand’s most unspoiled areas of alpine vegetation; even the roadside at higher altitudes going north towards Milford Sound (notably at the Homer Tunnel) has sites that are superb collections of alpine native flora.