NZ Day 20 and 21. Milford Sound and Key Summit

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So Wednesday dawned a bit more welcoming than the day before and we got ourselves packed up and on the road to Milford Sound. Stopped for coffee at an early rest stop, actually a DOC campsite by a river. It looked like a stunning place to camp, but closed for the season even if we had known about it. Then on to ‘Divide’. Here we hit the trail for the 3 hr hike to Key Summit with panoramic views over the valley and across to Lake Marian. Quite snowy at the top – see pictures! Met an American and Italian couple working at the University of Christchurch as Oceanographers, A nice hike, though all uphill one way and return on the same track. It is the first section of the Routeburn Track.
Came down had a cup of tea and continued to Milford, where we got a campsite at the Milford Sound Lodge, $50. Facilities were OK, with kitchen and laundry etc. though the kitchen was a bit overrun at mealtime and we cooked in the van. Nice riverside chalets (prefabricated) for $300 and simple lodge rooms at $100.

Randi looking Norwegian in the snow!

From Key Summit

Another view…

New Zealand’s Matterhorn!

Thursday dawned clear blue sky and sunshine. Not, unfortunately warming the floor of the valley too much because of the mountains shading it all. but welcome nonetheless.
Up and breakfasted and then down to the cruise terminal for our Milford Sound nature cruise. Apparently blue-sky days like this are rare in Milford Sound. The scenery was majestic and stunning. the fjords are really fjords and head steeply into the sea. The vegetation on the walls is lusher than in Norway, but that might not be surprising given the 250 inches of rain the sound gets in a year and the lower latitude. Waterfalls drop down the walls nearly everywhere. Apparently in rainy times there are even more as there are many temporary ones.

Milford Sound

Milford Sound

Milford Sound

Milford Sound

The only disappointment was the lack of wildlife. We saw about 6 fur seals and the onboard ‘naturalist’ hardly mentioned the various birds, though there were not many to mention! There were some albatrosses, though, but only a couple.

Milford Sound waterfall

Tunnel entrance on the way back from Milford Sound

Looking back down the valley towards Milford from the tunnel

Driving back from Milford sound you become very aware of the massiveness of the scenery as you approach the tunnel. This is under a huge rock face and as you approach it is quite impressive.

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