Milford Sound, New Zealand (February 5, 2026)
Who knew I would be such a fan of Fiords? When Elena, Will and I first kicked off this World Tour adventure in Norway and Iceland (see related photo album) in June 2025, I was awe struck by these incredible glacier-made cliffs. While Iceland and Norway have some impressive Fjords (spelled differently up north), New Zealand offers breathtaking views best enjoyed on a boat.
So much beauty packed into Milford Sound. Loved every minute!
So that’s what we did. We got up, drove 2 hours enjoying history pod casts Elena downloaded while taking the all the scenic views along the way. Driving towards the mountains feels magical in and of itself. But once the three of us got on the boat, the beauty level increased beyond what any of us were anticipating.
Fiord selfie as we cruise Milford Sound together.
Quick side note: I took more than a hundred pictures today. As much as I’ve love to share them with you, the internet connection where we’re staying has been unreliable which means I must, instead, be much more selective as to which images I share. So today, I’ll be posting the highlights and, at some point, I imagine I’ll be in a better WiFi connection and can add a few more pictures at a later date.
Bowen Falls — the largest of many amazing waterfalls in the fiord
This is the largest waterfall in the area named Bowen Falls. It drops 162 meters (534 feet) and one of the permanent waterfalls in the fiord. Fun fact: it’s three times the height of Niagara Falls (57 meters / 168 feet). It's also where much of the area gets its drinking water.
Mount Pembroke — last remaining glacier visible from Milford Sound
Above is Mount Pembroke, one of the highest mountains in the fiord at 2025 meters (6,682 feet) and has the last remaining glacier visible from Milford Sound. It has been melting for over 15,000 years to feed the Harrison’s River and the Sterling Falls.
And while I could go on with the full 2 hour tour of the fiord and recount the captain’s keen insights, none of that is truly important (for this blog anyway). What is important is the overall feeling that the three of us had being in the car, on the boat, and back in the car ride home together. This is family time at its finest. Enjoying epic views together and having a really beautiful shared experience.
Elena put it best when she said, “This is my kind of day; looking at something beautiful, but not getting all sweaty about it.” Well said. Relaxing. Beautiful. Very little effort. All the things.
A family that boats together through the beautiful fiords …
…connects in nature & enjoys serenity together.
