Days of water

After a comfortable shopping tour in a local supermarket in Queenstown, we unfortunately had to realize that our front tire had no desire and had given up its service without air.

Actually not that bad, it can happen. But our car rental was a little difficult and therefore the solution not only took longer, but also cost us a lot of nerves. Luckily a nearby workshop was able to help us and we could finally head towards Milford Sound.

After a stopover in Kingston with overnight stay, we reached the cute town of Te Anau. From here a 120 km dead-end road leads into the fjordland.

As usual, we first went to the general tourist information office and finally booked an affordable glowworm tour (which we wanted to do for weeks) and a small boat tour in Milford Sound.

And what can we say? The glowworm tour was simply fascinating. The journey there alone was an absolute highlight.

We unfortunately cannot show you any photos of the tour itself, as we had to turn off our phones. But suffice it to say, experiencing thousands of little stars (glowworms) in complete darkness is simply amazing. The roaring mountain stream through the cave system completes the unforgettable experience. As well as the subsequent starry sky.

The next morning we finally set off towards Milford Sound. The sun was shining in a cloudless sky, which is definitely not normal. Here it is supposed to rain on more than 200 days a year, and in large quantities at that.

We enjoyed our unusual sunny day on one of the most beautiful routes in New Zealand. Here are a few impressions:

Mirror Lakes

Another mountain lake

Drive to Milford Sound

Approach to Homer Tunnel

What a journey! And the Homer Tunnel is an experience in itself. Every few meters there is a small lamp, the walls are roughly carved and it drips from the ceiling. What a tunnel.

After a good two and a half hours drive, we reached the town of Milford Sound. There is not much to say about the place. There are more parking spaces than buildings. We had already booked everything in Te Anau, so we just had to find our boat.

The landscape is once again breathtaking and cannot be captured in pictures. The strong wind did the rest.

Milford Sound

Milford Sound

In the evening light

After a refreshing shower in a waterfall (the boat got very close), we went to a discovery platform where you can descend 10 meters below the water surface. It's like being in an aquarium, only everything is completely natural and real.

Wow, those were a lot of impressions in just two days, so off to the overpriced campsite nearby to end the evening in peace.

And what awaited us the next morning? Of course, rain, and lots of it! Did we mention that already!? The landscape changed drastically on the way back. Thousands of waterfalls flowed from all the mountains, and mysterious mists showed us the way.

Way back to Te Anau

And not only did we get wet, but also our bird of the day. The keas are simply adorable: