Trip to Doubtful Sound (NZL)

18.11.2019

The Doubtful Sound is the deepest fjord in the Fiordland National Park - it is 3 times longer and 10 times larger than the more famous Milford Sound.

To visit the fjord, I booked a (quite expensive) tour there. From Queenstown, we took a bus early in the morning to Manapouri. From there, we took a boat ride across Lake Manapouri. Then we got back on a bus and were taken over the Wilmot Pass. The road (or should I say gravel road) is the only road in New Zealand that is not connected to the rest of the road network. The pass rises 671 meters in altitude - and there was actually snow up there :O

Upon arrival at Doubtful Sound, the actual highlight of the tour begins - the three-hour boat ride on Doubtful Sound.

At the beginning of the ride, it was still raining, but it stopped after a short time and even the sun showed itself in some places. Due to the wind, it was still icy cold outside.

During and shortly after rain showers, waterfalls form on the mountains in the fjord. We approached one of them by boat - we couldn't have gotten any closer as the boat was almost touching the mountain.

The Doubtful Sound is also known as 'The Sound of Silence'. I was able to experience why. In a side arm of the fjord where it was relatively calm, the boat's engine was turned off and everyone was asked not to move or make any noise. The result was that apart from the sound of the waterfall, there was nothing to be heard. A beautiful experience, as in today's time there are almost always some noises around us.

After the boat ride on Doubtful Sound, we took the same way back.

The long journey was definitely worth it, as Doubtful Sound is simply an impressive natural spectacle.