Milford Sound
Surrounded by Mount Phillips, the Lion, the Elephant and the highest of all, Mitre Peak (1690 m) lies one of the most visited sites in New Zealand: Milford Sound. Carved out by ancient glaciation and filled with ocean and freshwater, the famous fiord stretches 15 km in length and reaches depths of up to 400 m.
Read More Doubtful Sound
The Doubtful Sound is a fiord of superlatives. It is the deepest in Fiordland and measures around 420 m in depth. The full distance from Deep Cove, its eastern end, to the open ocean amounts to around 40 km.
Read More Te Anau & The Glowworm Caves
Te Anau is a little township of nearly 2000 inhabitants named after and located at Lake Te Anau marking the border between Fiordland and the rest of the South Island. Two of the Great Walks start from here: Milford and Kepler Track.
Read More Southern Brown Kiwi
The South Island Brown Kiwi, also called Tokoeka, is a nocturnal and rarely seen kiwi subspecies in Fiordland. This threatened, endemic bird grows up to 55 cm tall, is flightless and related to ostriches and emus. Kiwis feed primarily on invertebrates, secondly on plants and fruits.
Read More Greenstone
Greenstone, or pounamu as the Maori call it, is a highly valued ornamental rock found on the South Island in New Zealand. Locations include Nelson, Westland, South Westland, Makarora, Wakatipu and Livingstone Mountains. In Fiordland, pounamu is commonly observed around Milford Sound.
Read More Lake Manapouri
Lake Manapouri is one of five glacial lakes in the south of the South Island covering 14,200 ha. As part of the Te Wahipounamu ("Greenstone Place") World Heritage Site, it is considered to be the most beautiful lake in New Zealand. Manapouri is situated 180 m above sea level having a maximum depth of nearly 450 m. It stretches into four main arms and contains 33 islands in total.
Read More Great Walks
New Zealand is home to nine Great Walks. These are man-made tracks that offer great scenery and a full wilderness experience but are also easily accessible from major towns. Three of them are found in Fiordland: The Kepler, Milford and Routeburn Tracks.
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