Top New Zealand Experiences: The Majestic Beauty of Milford Sound

by Kelly Green | Aug 25, 2024 | Member Success Stories
Zac on the water in Milford Sound NZ

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My family and I were fortunate to spend 6 months in New Zealand. We went on so many epic adventures. While I shared several lasting memories of New Zealand in some reflections here, I also wanted to highlight 2 of my favorite tourist experiences. One was the Evening Banquet Experience at the Shire in Hobbiton on the North Island. The other was a trip to Milford Sound on the South Island.

For Milford Sound, I landed in Queenstown on the South Island using transfer partner points to book a flight on Qantas.

Zac Milford Sound plane boarding

Then, I used a free night certificate to stay at a cool Hilton resort on the outskirts of town that overlooked the lake.

View through a window of a landscaped courtyard with trimmed hedges and paved paths, surrounded by modern buildings. In the background, a lake and brown, rocky hills under a clear blue sky.

Here’s the spacious and cozy room with a view of the living area from the bed.

Our sweet accommodations in Milford Sound

The actual tour started at a small airplane hangar. We got a full rundown of the plan and weather by pilots who must have one of the best jobs in the world.

A group of people stands in a spacious warehouse, attentively listening to a man giving a presentation. He is gesturing towards a large map displayed on a metal divider. Various equipment and tools are visible in the background.

A group of people stands near a small airplane with a person speaking to them. The plane is white with black accents. The backdrop includes a grassy area and hills under a clear blue sky.

The trip started in the air on a small plane. With my nonprofit work in Belize, I was definitely used to these small airplanes from before, but not with enormous mountains hovering around us!

View from inside a small aircraft cockpit with three people visible. The pilot is seen from behind, interacting with controls. Through the windshield, a scenic mountainous landscape under a cloudy sky is visible.

Milford Sound was an awe-inspiring trip that began with a thrilling small airplane ride through the mountains and over to Milford Sound. We found ourselves immersed in the majestic scenery of The Lord of the Rings, with mountain ranges that seemed to go on forever. I doubt my photos below will do the area justice, but I’ll try.

Aerial view of a mountainous landscape with lush greenery and a winding river or fjord. Clouds scatter across the sky, partially obscuring the mountains. The wing of a small airplane is visible, displaying the text AIR milford NEW ZEALAND.

The weather was also a factor, and thankfully, we had good weather with no worries related to the clouds or needing to shut down the flight or boat ride that day, so just taking the trip was a gift in and of itself. In many ways, this was experiencing the best that the South Island offers, but it was representative of the entire South Island.

View from Plane Milford Sound

Mountain ranges for miles upon miles!

Aerial view through an aircraft window showing a pristine blue lake surrounded by rugged mountains. The landscape is partially obscured by the planes dashboard, capturing a scenic vista under a clear blue sky.

From there, we transitioned to a boat ride through the Sound, which was no less astoundingly stunning.

A dock scene featuring two boats, P-Milford and another partially visible, moored at pier 9. Surrounded by a verdant landscape with misty mountains and blue sky in the background.

The boat was huge, but it felt small once we headed out to the open ocean and felt the waves rocking the boat up and down.

A person in an orange beanie and dark sweater smiles for a selfie on a boat. Behind, a scenic view of a sunlit fjord with mountains and a blue sky. Several people stand in the background, enjoying the view.

I was fascinated by this older gentleman who spent only a few minutes looking at these majestic views. He preferred reading articles in his American newspaper! He’s either a legendary world traveler who has seen even more remarkable sights, or he must put the paper down and take in the beauty surrounding him!

A person wearing a hat reads a newspaper on a ferry. Another person in a red CREW jacket works in the background. The ferry has large windows offering views of mountains and a waterfall. Red seats are arranged in rows.

Once the trip was over, we looked at the map back in the airplane hangar. I realized how many more bodies of water and mountain ranges we had covered, but also how tiny the space was compared to all the water and mountain ranges on the South Island there are to experience. It was mind-blowing to realize how much more there was to explore.

We spent several more days exploring different places on the South Island, and each moment was filled with awe and inspiration, mile by mile (or kilometer by kilometer, if you will). Other memories included Wānaka, Lake Tekapo, surprise salmon fishing overlooking Mount Cook, an epic lunch at a winery, and tracking down several awe-inspiring landscapes used as sets in the filming of The Lord of the Rings. But if you could only do one thing, I would recommend the air and sea tour of Milford Sound.

Zac on the tarmac Milford Sound

Zac on the tarmac (see what I did there?)