Milford Sound, South Island

“Milford Sound or Piopiotahi in Māori is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand’s South Island, within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. Milford Sound is named after Milford Haven in Wales, while the Cleddau River that flows into the sound is also named for its Welsh namesake.

Māori named the sound Piopiotahi after the thrush-like piopio bird, now extinct. Piopiotahi means ‘a single piopio’, harking back to the legend of Māui trying to win immortality for mankind. When Maui died in the attempt, a piopio was said to have flown here in mourning.

Milford Sound runs 15 kilometres inland from the Tasman Sea at Dale Point, the mouth of the fiord and is surrounded by sheer rock faces that rise 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) or more on either side. Among the peaks are The Elephant at 1,517 metres (4,977 ft), said to resemble an elephant’s head, and The Lion, 1,302 metres (4,272 ft), in the shape of a crouching lion.

Lush rain forests cling precariously to these cliffs, while seals, penguins, and dolphins frequent the waters and whales can be seen sometimes. Milford Sound sports two permanent waterfalls all year round, Lady Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls.

After heavy rain however, many hundreds of temporary waterfalls can be seen running down the steep sided rock faces that line the fiord. They are fed by rain water drenched moss and will last a few days at most once the rain stops.”

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