Milford Sound (NZ Day 6)

Today is our day number 6 on the road and we feel great! Today we had a plan to go and see Milford Sound!! We heard that it is a stunning place and definitely a MUST SEE in New Zealand!! 

Last night we decided to try out a camp site that was recommended to us and for first time we stayed in our tent! :) 

Free Camping Ground Near Queenstown, New Zealand

Fresh air, nature lake and mountains just beside us... What else you could wish in New Zealand?? That was awesome!! You can see this free camp grounds location in our map here. 

We woke up just after sun rise because this morning we had a booking with Southern Discoveries on a Scenic Cruise to see amazing Milford Sound. If you book it online you can save some money and you wont have to worry that there wont be a space for you when you will arrive in Milford Sound. See online specials here. There is three things that you should keep in mind when you are booking your trip:

1. Fill up your cars fuel tank before you go to Milford Sound (See last fuel station in our map)

2. Plan some extra time for driving because the road is winding and it can take more time to get there that you or Google maps think

3. Do not speed - on a road where you can actually do it, there is police patrols

4. Don't stop for photos on your way there, unless you have a lot of time. You will be able to take better photos when you are not in rush any ways  

We tell you all of this because it is important if you want to get the boat. Boat is departing on time at all times. We where almost late because wrong planning and because of that we will tell you the best way how to plan your trip to Milford Sound. 

When we where on our way there we stopped to fill up our fuel tank before we entered Milford Sound. There is no gas station once you get there. This is quite important if you are willing to come back! :) Then we stopped to take many photos on our way there. Short stops are OK but make sure that you have enough time to catch the boat. We almost missed it but luckily we managed for our booking at 9 AM for Scenic Cruise with Southern Discoveries. 

First thing what we had was breakfast on the boat and that was awesome! Fresh sea food, meet and vegetables made just there on the boat in the kitchen! That was great to eat on this beautiful boat at this stunning location. We can't imagine better start of the day! :) We where full with energy again! 

So after breakfast we went outside on the deck to take some photos of this stunning place. We took over 500 on this cruise alone so maybe that will help you to imagine how beautiful Milford Sound is! Take a look at some of them what we enjoyed the most just down here. 

Mountain View During Scenic Cruise

Milford Sound Scenic View

FunDay Adventure Enjoying Scenic Cruise

Remote Southern Discoveries Discovery Centre
(access possible only by boat)

Scenic View at Milford Sound, New Zealand
(interesting that we had a painting on a wall back home, before we
came here, with this exact location and we didn't even knew that
 it is made according to this location in Milford Sound)

Scenic Cliffs in a Sunny Day at Milford Sound

Sea Lions Having Some Rest On a Huge Rock at Milford Sound

Sea Lions Catching Sun Rays at Milford Sound

Our Boat and The View from It

Huge Cliffs and Waterfall at Milford Sound

These stunning views of Milford Sound are just one part of our experience during the cruise. The other part is the nature encounter experience! We had a chance to see Sea Lions who where catching the sun rays on a huge rock, and finally we saw a Yellow Eyed Penguin with our own eyes. Usually when we travel we miss nice animals like dolphins and sometimes even whales. Can you imagine how huge is whale and we still manage to miss it because they go travelling! :) Well this time we saw I think the last Yellow Eyed Penguin in New Zealand. All others where already gone, but we managed to take some photos of it! Take a look at it! It is so small but at the same time beautiful! :)

Yellow Eyed Penguin

This Yellow Eyed Penguin looks so tiny besides those branches

Yellow Eyed Penguin pose for camera

I decided to post more pictures of this Yellow Eyed penguin just because penguins are animals that not many people see it in wild! Milford sound is one of those places and we are glad that we chose Southern Discoveries and this Scenic Cruise because captain stopped at all most interesting places, he even spotted this penguin and we had a chance to take a good look at it while the boat was stopped as close as possible. Then he shared interesting facts about movies that where taken at Milford sound and stunts that where done for movies in this stunning location. And one more thing that we will never forget is how this huge boat went under and into a waterfall!! See the waterfall where we went under in next photo.

Milfrd Sound Waterfall

Here You Can See The Boat We Where Taking

We marked this place in our map in case you are wondering where it's located and here is the link to Southern Discoveries home page where you can book your cruise of a life time: http://www.southerndiscoveries.co.nz/

After this Adventure we walked around a little bit and and took some more photos but to be honest - If you are going to Milford sound then the best way and I would say the only way to see it properly is by boat. Take your own or go with Southern Discoveries like we did but get on the water.

Silver Fern, Milford Sound, New Zealand

Milford Sound is one of wettest places on earth. The average annual rainfall for Milford Village is 6,700 mm (264 inches) that is equal to two storey high house and falls of over 250 mm (nearly 10 inches) on a single day are not uncommon. While Milford experiences rain on about 200 days of the year, most falls during the spring. We where lucky to see Milford Sound on a sunny day but I would like to see it during rainy day as well! I am sure that it looks very beautiful and maybe even nicer that it does in sun. All those waterfalls forming on fiords should look stunning!
After our Cruise we went back to Queenstown and we suggest you to enjoy the ride as much as we did! Take a look at our photos of the road to Milford Sound just bellow...

Road To Milford Sound, Snow in Mountains

Huge Endless Waterfalls at Near Road to Milford Sound
See those big trucks standing on the road??
Now you can compare the size of those waterfalls!

Stunning View to Milford Sound

 Nice to see thousands of waterfalls all around you. It is once in a life time experience!! :)
On our way to Milford sound we stopped on the side of the road where we saw a sign that directed to Mirror lake. We didn't had this stop in our plan before but we gad extra time for it and we are glad that we stopped there. Take a look at it the lake just bellow.

Mirror Lake, Milford Sound

Nice Mirror View in the Lake at Milford Sound

 Coordinates of this place you can find in our guide that you will be able to get when this Blog will be finished r see them in our map. The other thing what we really enjoyed was this waterfall just on the side of a road to Milford Sound... It was Stunning to stand so close to it and feel the power of water!! Take a look yourself!!

Waterfall and FunDay Adventure Team near Milford Sound
New Zealand

In general these where the most beautiful places what we saw on our way to Milford Sound if we would have to bring our friends or family to Milford Sound then these would be places where we would stop! We hope that you enjoyed reading about our Adventure Day as much as we enjoyed Bloging about it! :) Leave comments if you have any or submit questions! :)

See also our next day in this Adventurous Road Trip around New Zealand! :)

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