Milford Sound in New Zealand is a 22-kilometre narrow fiord off the Tasman Sea which is hedged in by cliffs, peaks and waterfalls, on the southwestern edge of New Zealand’s South Island.
In an area often visited by rain, the mountain peaks rising from the waters of Milford Sound are often softened by mist and an air of almost flawless and overpowering mystic calm.
The cruise ships that bring visitors into Milford Sound, New Zealand, become as tiny toys against the backdrop of sheer cliffs and towering mountains.
The Milford Sound landscape is innately New Zealand, although it is but one of the country’s many faces.
Incantations and a magic adze
Maori legend says it was Tu Te Raki Whanoa, an adze-wielding godly figure, who created the fiords.
With incantations and his magic adze, Tu Te Raki Whanoa sculpted his finest work: Piopiotahi, meaning "single thrush," which is Milford Sound today.
To experience Milford Sound, take a scenic flight over it, cruise its waters. or go kayaking for a really close-up view.
Next page: Getting There
