We continued our journey toward Queenstown before heading south to New Zealand’s largest National Park, Fiordland National Park. The park covers vast and remote wilderness, with its interior being largely inaccessible. It is made up of 14 fiords, the most well known being Milford Sound.
Queenstown
From Wānaka, we took the Crown Range Road, an epic road with serpentines and steep grades whose descent to Queenstown provided spectacular views over the valley below.
We stopped in Cardrona Hotel, a charming place with a rustic ambiance dating back to the gold rush era in the mid-19th century.
The Kawarau Gorge, where the Fellowship of the Ring is greeted by two giant statues on either side as they paddled down the river.
After bumping into each other several times, we shared dinner with a lovely Australian couple, Jay and Teagan. Frida seemed to have found a good friend in their daughter, Layla.
Te Anau
We continued our way to Te Anau in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. This tranquil town is the gateway to Milford Sound. The road is bounded by steep cliffs and dense rainforest.
Towering waterfalls, lush jungle and sheer cliffs that fall into dark water. Milford Sound looks like a scene taken from Jurassic Park. The low-hanging clouds and a soft rain add to the mystical atmosphere.
We also visited the Aurora Caves, an underground network of caves lit by hundreds of glowworms, where we had a boat tour in pitch blackness. This was a magical experience for us !
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