Question: How can rain possibly benefit a sightseeing tour? Answer: When that rain activates thousands of dramatic waterfalls in Fiordland National Park.
Fiordland National Park occupies the southwest area of the South Island. It covers 4,868 square miles and its steep peaks and valleys are so wild that most of the park is inaccessible except by helicopter. Where land meets sea, it looks like huge glacial claws raked the shoreline, creating deep, craggy fiords for miles.
The park is known for its spectacular views. In particular, tourists rave about the Highway 94 drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound, and about scenic boat tours on Milford Sound. Imagine our disappointment when we awoke the morning of our tour to driving rain and cloud cover so low we could barely see the roof of our hotel (and it was a one-story hotel!) We gamely donned our rain suits and waited in the downpour for our guide. Our expectations were low, so imagine our surprise when the guide excitedly greeted us. “This is going to be the best tour of my life. I’ve never seen rain like this, the waterfalls are going to be off the charts!”
We chalked up his enthusiasm to an attempt at consolation. But he was right. The mountains are sheer rock; when it rains (and this was a 100-year storm, so it RAINED) the water can only sheet off in torrents of water tumbling from 1,000 foot cliffs. These falls were non-stop for much of our drive to the coastline.
There was so much rain that rivers roared violently under bridges. Boulders crashed downriver as they were uprooted from riverbeds. The noise was deafening.
Milford Sound was churning wildly when we reached the coast. The Sound is normally buzzing with tour boats; this day only one boat went out—luckily it was ours! The boat pitched and yawed, the coffee service flew off the counter at one point. We did not see the famed peaks, but we did see powerful, unforgettable waterfalls. We put our rain gear to the test and stood on the bow to immerse ourselves in the spray where fall met sea. Our rain gear didn’t hold up (even Marmot, L.L. Bean, and REI!) and we got soaked to the skin. One of us loved it and stayed out for more wet adventure. The other slogged back into the boat cabin for the remainder of the trip. We won’t say who did what, but photos don’t lie . . .
Are we sorry we didn’t see the picturesque peaks of Fiordland National Park?
(Photo courtesy of Pixabay)
Just a little. But we wouldn’t have traded our stormy day for anything. That rain was our gain. It even gifted us a rainbow the next day!
FUN FACT (this is for geography nerds): On the road to Milford Sound we passed the 45 Degree South marker—the opposite of the 45 Degree North marker we pass on Interstate 5 on the way to Salem from Portland, Oregon.
TRAVEL TIP: Don’t drive this road yourself. It’s too beautiful, curvy, and busy to drive on your own, and there is limited parking at Milford Sound. Treat yourself to a tour by Fiordland Tours and ask for Ray. He’s one of the best guides we’ve had in all our travels.
As always, thank you so much for traveling with us. We truly appreciate your reading this!
Wandering LeFebers 