Milford sound Coach & Cruise

Mirrored lake

Coach & Cruise Milford sound

Well what a day travelling down to Te Anau, rain sheeting it down, wind howling around buffeting us from one side of the to the other, due to how bad the weather is we decided to miss out Invergargill and go staight to  Te Anau, gateway to Milford Sound.

We headed for a Top Ten camp site by the lake with a bit of "Luxury" also a  place to book a coach trip to Milford Sound, that way I can also get the benefit from the scenery.
The shock we had as we pulled into the drive of the campsite, there were 3 campervans infront of us, the place already looked full of rugby fans, that had bailed out of the weekend rugby matchs from Dunedin and Invergargill, highlighted by all the flags in the windows and hanging from the campervan doors, more Scotland flags, England flags coming a close second followed by Argentinian flags.

The receptionist was outstanding in the service she gave us, she asked the right questions, from our answers, she said we should consider being members of  Top Ten Club, which would give us discounts at top ten campsites, cafes, here in New Zealand and campsites in Australia, we would also benifit from it, as we are traveling for 2 months here in New Zealand. For the cost of $40, which we saved from the discounts we got from 2 nights at the site and booking the Coach & Cruise.

Next Day 8.15 we waited for luxury coach ideal for the small group of us and personal, the company is "Go Milford" the cost is $149 each, this = £75 approx, the only let down for the day was that it was cloudy, it hid the tops of the mountains.
Incorporated into the cost is cruise for 2.5 hours a trip clockwise around the bay to Milford sound and back again which included buffet lunch,
Firstly the trip overland through Fiordlands spectacular scenery, stopping to look at the views which are outstanding even in low cloud, stopped at mirrored lakes, you need to do this early before the wind gets up.
The Chasm
The Finest workers 
in stone are not
copper or steel tools,
but the gentle
touches of air and 
water working at
their leisure with a
liberal allowance of 
Time.
"David Henry Thoreau"

The trip back was as exciting as the trip down,
There is an option to take a helicopter flight to the glacier, then you get out a couple of photo's and the pilot will drop you on the other side of the tunnel to meet the coach, all for a small fortune, max of 3 persons.
3 guys took this offer up, and after the cruise they were dropped off to take the helicopter flight.
we then stoped off to see the "chasm" on returning to the coach we notice the cloud base has dropped and the helicopter is landing in the car park, these guys only managed to spend 2 minutes on the glacier. As

 

Snowballs ready.

we approached the tunnel, It started to snow heavily we saw the snow settling on the side of the mountains and the road up to the tunnel.
We had a treat at the other end the coach driver stopped as a couple of Australians on the coach have never thrown snow balls! Which I cannot believe.







Milford Sound Cruise with Southern Discoveries.
Note. Jeannette request to drive the Boat!!!!


Only comment I have, I not a fan of having lunch at 11.15. That said lunch was great, buffet catering for all tastes and nationalities. and enough for everyone to go round twice.
I was unable to take good photo's as the clouds were low, A good value cruise the captain was approachable and allowed the guys to ask questions and have a go at steering the boat.
The commentary along cruise is very informative, it's backed up with cruise highlights sheet for our own information, there are 18 points of interest, taking in Bowen Falls, Sinbad Gully, Lion Mountain, Fairy Fall and Harrison Cove. The only natural anchorage in the Fiord used during the 1800 by whalers and sealer's. 

A couple of random photo's.
















Seal rock is one of the few places the southern fur seals are able to claim out on to the rocks. They inhabit the Fiord all year round.

<Stirling Falls, is one of 2 permanent waterfalls in the Fiord.

Jeannette about to get a soaking from the Stirling falls, the boat can get the pointy end right under the falls it self.....>

Ps. One camp site internet cost free for the whole week, another site $18!!! for 4 hours? I am on a top ten camp site and have free very fast wifi.

What more can I say?