To wrap it up: You could easily skip this, but with the spirit of “since we’re already here” and the unique draw of a landscape that’s not found anywhere else in China, we decided to give it a go.
We spent the night in Te Anau and woke up early to catch the 10 AM boat, setting off just before 7 AM. The drive took about two hours, with the second half winding through mountain roads. After getting accustomed to the mountainous terrain around Queenstown over the previous days, this part of the journey felt manageable.
Along the way, the scenery was breathtaking, with Mirror Lake and a vast plain dotted with reeds. This picturesque route only heightened our anticipation for the fjord, but upon arrival, disappointment set in 😞. Milford, known for its 300 rainy days out of 365, unfortunately, greeted us on one of the 65 non-rainy days [Crying emoji][Crying emoji].
We booked the Southern Discoverer cruise, a three-level vessel. The first and second levels are cozy cabins, offering complimentary tea and coffee, while the third level is an open deck. We spent most of our time on the outer deck, taking in the views. As many have noted, the scenery is reminiscent of the Three Gorges [Full Moon emoji].
Without the rain, there were only a few waterfalls, and the water flow was rather weak, so there was no need to worry about getting drenched [Embarrassed emoji]. The cruise lasted about two hours, with the boat moving at a leisurely pace, and the captain provided informative commentary throughout. The highlight of the trip was spotting some playful dolphins [Dolphin emoji], and we even encountered a curious green parrot in the parking lot, who pecked at the car looking for food, which was quite charming [Gold Potato emoji].
Keep an eye on Book Me for occasional discounts on the boat tickets!
Comments are closed