The Fiordland National Park at Queenstown in Newzealand is an amazing natural environment featuring awesome fiords, stunning snow-capped peaks and waterfalls.
The ancient rainforest is another highlight; they cling ceremoniously to the mountains; the waterfalls drop hundreds of meters down into huge fords; iridescent lakes and granite peaks aren’t different from what they were several centuries ago.
The fourteen fiords that tassel this south west corner of New Zealand’s south island is widely believed to be 1,00,000 years old, tagging the final details along during the most recent ice age some 10,000 years ago.
The Maori cite the evolution of the fords to a giant stonemason known as ‘Tute Rakiwhanoa’ who hued out the gorge with his adzes.
Magnificent waterfalls surround every side of the fiords and fall incessantly as the abundant rainfall of this region makes its way into the sea.
The great English author Rudyard Kipling described the Fiordland National Park as the ‘Eight wonder of the world’—and rightly so!
Milford Sound is always fabulous—everyday scenic cruises and flights truly reflect the beauty of the region. You can avail of the eco-cruises in Manapouri or Te Anau to access harder to reach fiords
Doubtful Sound, located at 421 metres, is the deepest of all fiords in the region. It’s the most happening place for nature freaks, abounding in fur seals, dolphins and penguins.
Almost two-thirds of the Fiordland National Park is swathed by pod carp and virgin beech woods.
There’s a 500km stretch of walking tracks that enable you to unravel the primordial world of alpine lakes, mountain peaks and moss-carpet covered valleys.
Fiordland was recognized as a UN World Heritage site and named ‘Te Wahipounamu’ or the ‘place of greenstone’ after the abundance of mineral resources available in the area.
There are three ‘Great Walks’ in the Fiordland National Park: the Milford Track, the Kepler Track and the Routeburn.
Main activities include kayaking and diving for viewing the deep-water sea plants and organisms.
