Milford Sound

The morning after Mount Luxmore we took our time and made our way from Te Anau to Milford Sound along the scenic Milford Road. Along the way there were loads of scenic lookouts and short walks that offered great views of the mountains and valleys.

We decided to go for the three hour walk to Lake Marian (we weren't aching too badly from the day before) and certainly weren't disappointed. It was roughly an hour walk through muddy steep-sided woodland before we arrived at the beautiful turquoise lake that was surrounded by huge daunting peaks on all sides; it was amazing! After a quick bite to eat we retraced our footsteps to the car park and continued to Milford Sound.

We got to Milford Lodge and set up camp in the early evening before enjoying a relaxed evening in the cosy lounge area. We were up early the next day, as we had booked a 2 hour cruise through the sound. The boat journey was really good and offered us an opportunity to see Mitre Peak and some of the fantastic waterfalls up close.

After the cruise we made our way back along the Milford Road towards Te Anau. We made one last stop at the end of the Routeburn Track where we completed another 3 hour walk up to Key Summit. Unfortunately the weather didn't allow us the spectacular views of Fiordland that you can usually get from the summit, but it was a nice walk and good to stretch our legs (again!)

Our final destination that day was Manapouri. We booked into a campsite and prepared for our kayaking trip through Doubtful Sound.