A Journey Through Rivendell – Milford Sound Overnight
By Kim Hobson
Decisions, Decisions... Booking the Milford Sound Overnight Cruise
For Lord of the Rings geeks like me, Milford Sound has a certain mystical appeal. It’s the “real” Middle Earth – one of the filming locations for the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit trilogies.
It’s not difficult to imagine elves and hobbits huddled in fellowship gatherings in Elrond’s castle overlooking the fiord. Rivendell is a place of sanctuary – a place of magic and wonder, of peace and tranquility.
This is the Milford Sound experience I’d always yearned for, but never quite got. The grandeur of this magnificent fiord attracts tourists from all over the world, its popularity at times making it a frustratingly busy place.
Fortunately, we’d embarked on our bus-life South Island adventure in the wake of Covid-19 border restrictions, so we were in for a relatively quiet and tourist-free experience.
Decreased tourist numbers also meant discounted rates, which suited us fine too! We’d done both Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound before, and had really enjoyed the remoteness of Doubtful Sound in comparison with Milford Sound.
This time around however, we came to the conclusion that it was the PERFECT time to experience our romanticised version of Milford Sound – quiet, tranquil, intimate.
We splashed out and booked the Milford Sound overnight trip with Real Journeys on the classic Milford Mariner, because from a photography perspective were interested in capturing Milford Sound in all its many moods.
For a few days leading up to our trip we stayed at a nice little campsite called Possum Lodge in Manapouri, just out of Te Anau.
I actually changed the booking date a couple of times to coincide with the ever-changing weather report – we really wanted to experience Milford Sound in the rain! I don’t think we’ve ever hoped for rain for any other trip in our lives, but photography does change priorities somewhat.
Also, the legendary waterfalls that appear and disappear with the changing conditions have always intrigued me, and I wanted to see them after a decent downfall.
Driving the Milford Road
The drive along the Milford Road is an awe-inspiring experience in itself. Every bend in the road reveals the jaw-dropping beauty of towering mountains, pristine rivers and dense native bush.
It is truly a sight to behold, and you’d be a fool not to allow extra time for scenic stop-offs along the way.
We took a wander along the river by the campsite, indulging in a hobbit-worthy frolic through a patch of vibrant lupins – undeniably the prettiest weeds.
The next day we continued our scenic drive up the valley, gradually gaining elevation as the valley floor narrowed, the impossibly steep mountains closing in on either side.
It was so nice to have the roads virtually to ourselves, but also kind of strange to see so few vehicles!
A short hike to Lake Marian was on the cards for the first half of the day, so we turned off onto the Hollyford Valley Road and pulled into the carpark.
Hiking to Lake Marian
The track to Lake Marian is about 3 hours return through the bush, following a lively river to “the Falls”, then continuing on a more rugged tramping track with a gradual incline to the lake.
The track is not too strenuous, but does get slightly more technical past the falls. Be sure to watch out for the tree nettle on the narrower sections of the track. It lines the track as you climb closer towards the lake, and it gives a hell of a sting, as I can attest to!
Also known as Ongaonga, tree nettle is a native species endemic to New Zealand, despite its exotic weedy appearance.
As we reached the highest point we caught a sudden glimpse of the lake framed through a gap in the bush. We came to a halt, gazing awe-struck at the view laid out before us.
An otherworldly scene presented itself as we emerged form the bush – the pristine Lake Marian, a blue-green jewel embedded in a hanging valley at the Southern end of the Darran Mountains.
We hopped across a boulder strewn field, straining our necks to peer up at colossal mountains encircling the lake. Clouds danced across the sky, changing the colour of the lake from the deepest of blue to the most vivid aqua.
Jeremy had a swim in the crystal clear but bone chillingly cold lake, while I set off exploring and taking photos.
After a quick snack we walked back around the lake, stopping for a quick chat with a lady we’d said hi to earlier along the track. She was a retiree who had spent her life tramping.
I remarked on the birdsong and the lady replied that it was nothing compared to what it used to be like when she was young.
I suppose our generation can only dream and imagine what it must have been like in her day. Hats off to those retirees using their hard-earned free time to give back to nature as it has so generously given to them.
Arriving at Milford Sound
We walked back to the bus and drove on, excited for the next part of our Milford Sound adventure. The final section of the drive climbs higher into the mountains towards Homer Tunnel.
A short wait for the lights at Homer Tunnel allows time to take in views of sheer cliffs with waterfalls tumbling from lofty heights.
Emerging on the other side of Homer Tunnel is always an exciting moment. From here one of the best viewpoints spans out over the Cleddau Valley. The road winds snakelike down the valley with layers of cliffs and waterfalls rising up dramatically on either side.
A couple of rascally Kea accompanied us as we took some photos. We almost ended up with a stowaway or two in the bus!
These kea are quite tame, so it’s important not to feed them or they may become reliant on scavenging, eventually becoming incapable of fending for themselves in the wild.
We continued down the valley soaking up a sensory overload of nature, finally arriving at the terminal ready to check into our cabin onboard the Milford Mariner.
All Aboard the Milford Mariner!
The Milford Mariner is a beautiful heritage-built vessel, with much more character than the cruisers and ferries that usually inundate Milford Sound.
The vessel has capacity for around 75 guests, but that day there were only 14 of us on board! We boarded late afternoon and made ourselves comfortable in our little cabin, a basic but more than adequate suite with a double bed and an ensuite bathroom.
After a quick introductory talk by the crew, we were free to do as we pleased, so of course we grabbed the camera and headed up to the viewing decks.
All the other boats had returned for the day, the Mariner being the only vessel permitted to be in the Sound overnight. It mostly was overcast, so we didn’t get the rain we were hoping for, but it was still extremely beautiful.
The boat slowly made its way past ancient mountains that pierced the clouds, continuing their slow journey towards the sky.
Seals lazed about languidly on rocks and waterfalls tumbled endlessly into the sea. I was lost in imagination, wondering what this landscape must have been like long before our time.
The fresh water tumbling from the mountain ranges is less dense than the salty sea-water of the Sound, creating a darker tannin-stained layer which blocks sunlight.
This makes it possible for deep-water species like black coral to survive at shallower depths, where at open sea they would typically be found below 50 metres.
Milford Sound supports the world’s largest population of black coral trees. So much beauty above! Many more intriguing mysteries below!
On a previous trip to Milford Sound, Jeremy dived the Sound and was lucky enough to see a massive black coral tree (they’re actually white), and a deep-sea seven-gill shark, among other weird and wonderful creatures!
Finally we reached the sheltered cove where we would hunker down for the night. The crew offered some activities – a guided kayak tour or a guided tour in a small tender.
We opted for the kayak tour, and our guide led us through the glassy clear waters of the cove, educating us on the history and wildlife of Milford Sound along the way.
She pointed out a couple of Fiordland crested penguins on the rocks, an endemic species and one of New Zealand’s rarest mainland penguins. A stoat scurried right past the penguin in the blink of an eye, in an ironic scene highlighting the critical state of our native ecosystems and the threats that they face.
An... Interesting Night...
Dinner was a nice buffet with plenty of vege options for us greenies, and after a couple of drinks we retired to our cabins for an early night.
The only two complaints I have about this trip are the paper thin walls and the noisy-ass generator. The couple in the room next-door to us had taken a bottle of wine down to their cabin, then proceeding to…. engage in a VERY loud session in the sack!
Now I have nothing against this – they’re only human after all, but I do like my sleep and in this situation the walls were so thin, you could hear EVERYTHING. They were well past the point of sobriety for discreetness.
Someone obviously had a fair amount of stamina, because this continued for quite some time and Jeremy ended up banging his fist against the wall in an attempt to shut the amorous pair up.
They got the message, so sleep was once more a possibility, but alas, it was not to be. Sleep evaded us again, thanks to the aforementioned noisy-ass generator running all night.
The consistent hum of the generator kind of ruined what we’d imagined would be a peaceful night in a remote location. It almost defeats the purpose of the overnight cruise, because it’s the tranquility and stillness you seek in choosing this trip.
I’m sure they have perfectly understandable reasons for running the generator running all night though (I mean, what the hell do I know about these things anyway), and luckily the following day would more than make up for a sleep-deprived night.
A Waterfall Wonderland!
We ate breakfast in a bit of a rush as the boat was already leaving the cove – we wanted to spend as much time as possible outside on deck. It had rained overnight so the waterfalls were pumping a bit more than the previous day.
In-keeping with the classic Milford Sound experience, the captain expertly steered the bow of the boat right up to the base of Stirling Falls and Fairy Falls.
The few mad dogs of us up on deck embraced the powerful cold spray coming from the falls extending as high as 155 metres. It was truly an invigorating experience, even if the camera did get a little bit wet. Totally worth it.
The captain then took us out to the Tasman Sea, and the skies darkened, adding to the moody atmosphere of the Sound. Suddenly the skies exploded in torrents of rain, giving us the real Fiordland experience we’d hoped for!
We huddled under the shelter on-deck. We were determined to stay outside so we didn’t miss out on a second of nature’s grand spectacle.
Just as quickly as it began, the rain subsided. Godlike rays of golden light punctured the clouds, illuminating scenes that were previously dulled by grey skies. The real Middle Earth was laid out before us, in all its mystical glory.
We were feeling alive as the Mariner slowly cleaved its way through the calm silvery waters back towards the dock. Nature’s show of light continued and we snapped photos left right and centre, thrilled to see the top of the mighty Mitre Peak emerging through puffs of cloud.
The final view of the stately Lady Bowen Falls topped off the trip beautifully. We disembarked feeling thrilled at this once in a lifetime opportunity to have experienced the wonders of Milford Sound with so few other people and boats around.
Final Thoughts
Milford Sound will always be one of my favourite places on Earth. The raw beauty of this place definitely deserves its reputation of reverence and wonder.
I could visit Milford Sound time and time again, and would never get bored of it. It would be even more spectacular to experience it during a storm!
We were lucky that we were able to make the most of discounted rates during a time of declined tourism, but after having experienced both the Milford Sound day cruise and overnight cruise, I would say it’s definitely worth splashing out on the overnight cruise if funds allow!
Despite some minor annoyances, it’s still an incredible experience and totally trumps the day cruise by miles!
Trip Details
Possum Lodge Motels & Camping Ground
Fees – from $40 per night
Location – 13 Murrell Avenue, Lake Manapouri
Deer Flat DoC Campsite:
Fees – $15 per night per adult (bookings required), Backcountry Hut Passes cannot be used at this campsite
Location – Milford Road, adjacent to SH94, 62 km north of Te Anau. Gravel road access
Lake Marian Track Info:
Track distance – 3.1km return via same track
Track time – 20 min return to falls, 3 hour return to lake
Track level – Advanced – tramping track
Location – track begins from Lake Marian carpark, 1km down the unsealed Hollyford Road Milford Sound
Tour – Real Journeys Milford Mariner Overnight Cruise:
https://www.realjourneys.co.nz/en/experiences/cruises/milford-mariner-overnight-cruises/
Location – Milford Sound, Fiordland National Park, Southland
Price – Usually between approximately $400 to $900 pp depending on cabin type, number of people per cabin and season (.i.e peak Season 1 Dec to 1 May is more expensive) (also, we obviously got it for a lot cheaper than these prices as they were running a deal, so watch out for specials!).
Includes – 3 course dinner and breakfast; kayaking & tender boat activities (weather dependent). Cabins – double, twin and quad share options.
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