Milford Sound
Milford Sound or the beautiful Gulf of Milford is one of the most beautiful landscapes of our planet. As such, Milford Sound is the biggest pride of New Zealand. According to Rudyard Kipling, it is the the eighth wonder of the world. Milford Sound is a favorite among the most popular tourist destinations in the world, according to the study by Trip Advisor summer 2008. Milford Sound is part of the Fjordland National Park, located at the southwest corner of the Southern Island of New Zealand.
Milford Sound spreads over three million acres in the Fiordland National Park. Milford Bay is visited by more than 500 000 tourists from around the world each year. The silky smooth waters of the bay are continuously crossed by small tourist boats that allow visitors to experience one of the most pristine parts of nature on our planet.
The Milford Track is one of the most beautiful and amazing tourist routes in the world. It is a four day hike to the lake Te Anau and through the Makinan pass to reach Milford Bay. During the transition, one would have to cross river rapids, and hike through pristine mountain trails that go through picturesque meadows covered with flowers and grass or through thick rainforests.
Milford Sound is a beautiful symbiosis of virgin forests, clean streams and lakes, glaciers and high mountains, waterfalls and meadows. It is the only fjord in New Zealand, which can be reached by land. The distance from the base of the fjord to the sea is about 16 km, which greatly facilitates access to cruises. The seemingly motionless waters of Milford Sound are surrounded by small rivers, steeped in mountains with fantastic shapes – The Elephant, reaching 1517 m, Lion Mountain (1302 m), Meyer Peak, which rises to 1412 meters and Mitre Peak (1692 meters), so named because of its resemblance to a bishop's crown.
Beyond the mountains of Milford Sound is a kingdom of dense jungles and a paradise valley, which is covered with a colorful carpet of flowers. Milford Sound was formed 15-20 thousand years ago. It is 19 km long and 2 5 km wide in its widest part. In the late 18th century, Captain Cook passed through the bay twice times, but failed to notice the incredible beauty of Milford Sound because of fog. A few years later the bay was discovered by Captain John Grono, who passed through in 1822.
The bay was named after his birthplace - Milford Haven in Wales. One of the most beautiful places in the whole transition of Milford Sound is the beautiful Sutherland Falls. It is located in the southwestern part of the bay and is considered the highest waterfall in New Zealand. We cannot forget to mention two other inspirational natural attractions - Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls, descending 155 feet.
Milford Sound is second only to the mountains of Tahiti in precipitation. Torrential rains are causing the cliffs to overwhelm many of the spectacular views, which are often form arcs. While the mountains of Milford Sound are covered with dense evergreen forests, the waters are home to many seals, sea lions, penguins and dolphins.
