Milford Sound New Zealand, A Photography Bucket List Trip
New Zealand was not high on my bucket list until recently. I knew I had to go somewhere exotic after our long travel hiatus due to the pandemic. However, I was thinking of a warm tropical island paradise. I forgot to use the word tropical during my image search, and a stunning photo caught my eye. It was of a place called Milford Sound New Zealand. After researching further, I was astounded by its beauty. I soon discovered that both the North and South islands of New Zealand have a lot to offer. I was sold. Selecting specific destinations was not easy, but Milford Sound soared to the top of my bucket list. The rest would be up to my wife Kathy.
Milford Sound New Zealand
Offshore Islands, beautiful coastlines, towering mountains, lakes and rivers are all found in New Zealand. Convincing my wife to go there was easier than I expected. Well-known for its great wines, Kathy and I made a deal. As long as our trip included gourmet food and wine, she was onboard.
Since visiting Milford Sound was my priority, I worked on those logistics first. Getting there is easy but time consuming. The most common way for tourists to visit is to join an organized day tour traveling by bus from Queenstown. There are also scenic flights which offer stunning aerial views of the Fiordland glaciers. We decided to take the bus tour there with Cheeky Kiwi Travel Tours, stay the night at Milford Sound Lodge, then fly back with Air Milford.
Queenstown Milford Sound Photography
The journey from Queenstown to Milford Sound is simply stunning. The five hour drive begins early in the morning. This means the beautiful scenery along the way is illuminated by morning light. On the way back to Queenstown you get to experience the sunset, often with lovely cloud formations. While the stretch from the town of Te Anau to Milford Sound is considered to be the best part of the ride, it is really quite beautiful all along the way.
As a photographer, I felt like jumping off the bus and running into the bush many times. After driving along the shores of lake Wakatipu, you pass through vibrant green grasslands which blanket the landscape. This is where you see the famous sheep of New Zealand as well as pastures of cows and, if you are paying close attention, lots of deer. It is honestly hard to imagine visiting Queenstown without taking this trip.
The Forest Ecosystem
When you reach the town of Te Anau, the bus stops for a thirty minute break. From that point forward, you begin the real journey into Milford Sound. The forest ecosystem becomes dense with massive beech trees adorned with hanging mosses. It’s as if bonsai gardens are growing on the tree branches and all over the forest floor. Large tree ferns weave their way through the forest. It’s something you would expect to see in a tropical environment, and it makes you think of Jurassic Park.
Considering how cold it gets down there in the winter, I wondered how the plant life could handle the weather extremes. As your drive continues, you begin to see waterfalls flowing down the towering cliffs which are not far off the road. Additional brief stops continue, so you can enjoy some of the more beautiful highlights along the way. The views of the lakes, waterfalls, rivers and wildlife are exceptional. Kea birds seemed to be the crowd favorite at every stop.
Milford Sound Boat Tour
When you finally arrive at Milford Sound, you board a large boat and head out on the water. The first thing you see is the famous Metre Peak. There is a pretty good chance it will be shrouded in clouds, unless you happen to get lucky as we did. Some sunshine and blue skies made their way through the clouds while we were on the water. If it’s raining during your visit, which it often is, don’t be discouraged. The rain creates additional waterfalls which do not flow on sunny days. The incredible amount of annual precipitation is what creates this one-of-a-kind natural wonder. It’s a mystical magical place rain or shine.
Excellent Photo Opportunities
Of course, since my ultimate goal was to add some new and different photographs to my portfolio, I was hoping for sunshine. Shooting in the rain can result in some interesting images, but it can also turn into a big uncomfortable mess. Traveling to Milford Sound during summer may increase your chances of a dry ride, but this is certainly not guaranteed.
Once you are on the water, the waterfall viewing begins almost immediately, and the first falls are lovely. Our captain brought us so close to one, that everyone who stayed out on deck got drenched. There were seals lounging on the rocks right next to us. As we continued on, we saw a few dolphins as well. One interesting fact we learned, was that Milford Sound is actually not a sound at all. It’s a Fiord, a flooded glacial valley. A sound is actually a flooded river valley.
Our boat tour was everything we hoped for and more. Plus, I sold several large photo prints (shot from the boat) before we even returned to the states. All it took was one e-mail to a client who was waiting to see my images from our trip. As soon as our boat docked, an employee from Milford Sound Lodge was there to pick us up. This was awesome, because I had my heart set on photographing the foreshore area before sunset. With the relatively good weather, I was going to get the opportunity I hoped for. The foreshore views of Metre Peak and Milford Sound cannot be experienced on a day tour from Queenstown. While we were headed off to the lodge, everyone else jumped on their buses.
Milford Sound Lodge
Staying at the Milford Sound Lodge offered an excellent way to spend some time in the area. The foreshore is a relatively short easy walk from the lodge. To get there you can walk along the Cleddau River (not so easy), through the forest (fairly easy) or along the road (very easy). After about 15 minutes of walking, you arrive at a path through the wilderness which takes you to a great spot with excellent views. In all likelihood, you will be alone in this gorgeous spot. While the walk is not strenuous at all, it can be slippery and muddy with tree roots and rocks as potential trip hazards. We had time to check in and settle in at the lodge before I headed out.
The following morning, I was able to shoot again at sunrise. My wife Kathy preferred to settle in and stay cozy in our mountain view chalet which had an amazing view and a great location of its own. CLICK HERE to read Kathy’s review of the Milford Sound Lodge which is nestled in the forest. It sits at the base of the Darran Mountains and on the banks of the Cleddau River.
More Photo Ops
Fortunately, the stars aligned for me. Both my afternoon and morning photo sessions resulted in excellent and unusual photographs. A few were just what I wanted for my next exhibit. Unfortunately, wind and rain moved in rapidly and our flight back to Queenstown got cancelled. So, no aerial photos were possible this time. Kathy and I were definitely bummed. However, we did know this could happen, so we already had bus tickets back to Queenstown with the InterCity bus. The bus system offers basic transportation throughout much of New Zealand. People who visit for extended durations can use the InterCity bus to explore around the country. Driven by my love of nature, I chose not to sleep a wink during the bus ride back, until the sun had set. Those vibrant green rolling hills were captivating and surreal under the late afternoon light with beautiful clouds in the sky.
Alternate Travel Plans
We arrived back in Queenstown about 8pm. The first thing I did was call Air Milford, hoping to jump on a scenic glacier tour the following day. I had my heart set on doing some aerial photography. I coordinated with the company for months prior to our trip and carried special gear just for this. Sadly, this experience and the images I craved were not meant to be. The winds were far too dangerous for flying. So, I reached out to Jorge, our Cheeky Kiwi Travel tour guide. He had offered to take me on a private tour the following day. So, this became my backup plan. Jorge could see how passionate I was about photography, and he wanted to show me some beautiful spots just outside Queenstown.
My guide just happened to have a day off, at the same time we were back in Queenstown. When he’s not running bus tours, he takes people out on private tours in his 4×4, and he has some secret spots. He also has a network of friends and affiliates who specialize in virtually all types of tours. Together, they customize adventures to meet specific requests.
New Zealand South Island
The South Island of New Zealand is a mecca for outdoors enthusiasts. Fly fishing, trekking, mountain biking, river rafting, etc. are all world-class down under. An endless array of group tours are offered year round out of Queenstown. In my case, I only had enough time for a few hours of exploring. The private tour worked perfectly for me. Kathy was scheduled for a wine tour, so I took Jorge up on his generous offer. The highlight for me was when he brought me to a lovely spot with a crystal clear river surrounded by snow capped mountains. Jorge said I could share his email address for the benefit of those who want private or custom tours. So, here it is: nercam.franulich@hotmail.com
Our time on the South Island was incredible. Both Kathy and I loved Queenstown. I stood in awe of nature alone on the Milford Sound foreshore and relaxed with Jorge by a crystal clear river. I also captured some excellent photographs and (as I mentioned) sold some prints before we even returned home. Kathy enjoyed her wine tour, her various meals and our walks along the lakefront. See the links below for articles featuring other attractions we enjoyed on the South Island of New Zealand.
CLICK HERE to read Kathy’s review of Cheeky Kiwi Travel Tours; CLICK HERE for additional articles about New Zealand; ETG also encourages you to visit New Zealand’s official tourism website – https://www.newzealand.com
