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BY FAR the most wild and dramatic scenery in New Zealand can found in Fiordland, one of the largest national parks in the world, and often called the walking capital of the world.
Here the power of nature stuns you from its waterfalls tumbling hundreds of metres into virgin forested valleys and lonely fiords, to endless stretches of shimmering lakes and harsh granite peaks.
On the eastern side of Fiordland, glacierscooped valleys are filled with fresh water to form four large lakes - Anau, Manapouri, Monowai and Hauroko. There are a dozen dazzling fiords that beg exploration including the internationallyrenowned Milford Sound an enchanted wilderness with a beauty so powerful it will render you speechless.
There are regular cruises on Milford including overnight options and tours the new Underwater Observatory. If driving yourself, allow plenty of time for stops along the Milford Road from Te Anau, considered one of the finest alp drives in the world.
More remote, yet especially rewarding for its silent grandeur, a tour to Doubtful Sound is well worth putting a day aside for. The enthralling journey there will take you across Lake Manapouri, detouring to the mighty Manapouri Underground Power Station, then over to Wilmot Pass to embark at Deep Cove.
World-class tracks in the region include the Milford, Kepler, Routeburn, Greenstone and Hollyford tracks (guided walks are available on the Greenstone, Hollyford, Milford and Routeburn).
The three-day Routeburn walk winds through both Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks, with stunning and dramatic scenery throughout.
The famous Milford Track, known as the "finest walk in the world", takes three and a half days and passes through some of the most breathtaking views in the country.