This is one of the most dramatic and beautiful regions in New Zealand — the power of Fiordland's landscapes never fails to captivate travellers.
This remarkable natural environment includes magnificent fjords, spectacular waterfalls and snow-capped peaks.
Ancient rainforest clings to the mountainsides; waterfalls plunge hundreds of metres into immense fjords; the shimmering lakes and granite peaks look much the same today as they did a thousand years ago.
A fjord is defined as a U-shaped valley carved by a glacier and subsequently flooded by the sea. The fourteen fjords lining this south-western corner of the South Island took shape over 100,000 years. The finishing touches were added during the last ice age, just 10,000 years ago.
Described by Rudyard Kipling as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” Milford Sound remains spectacular: daily scenic flights and cruises reveal its beauty to visitors.
Doubtful Sound, at 421 metres, is the deepest of New Zealand's fjords. It is a haven for wildlife, home to bottlenose dolphins, fur seals and penguins.