BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN VIEW FROM COACH WINDOW
LOW FOG OVER MIRROR LAKES
JOHN WITH SNOW CAPPED MOUNTAIN PEAK
DEVIL'S STAIRCASE
DEVIL'S STAIRCASE
MITRE PEAK
WATERFALL INTO MILFORD SOUND
WATERFALL INTO MILFORD SOUND
MILFORD SOUND OPENS TO THE OCEAN
LAKE WAKATIPU
QUEENSTOWN AND LAKE WAKATIPU
Leaving Te Anau, we traveled south on winding roads through fog and mist before arriving at Devil’s Staircase, a truly stunning bit of nature with roaring water over and through rocks and boulders. Although we could not spot the Kea, mountain parrot, we did hear it singing in the treetops. We drove through the mile long Homer Tunnel which was completely hand hewn during many years. We drove on into the mountains to reach Milford Sound for a beautiful cruise with Mitre Peak visible, as well as, some waterfalls. Following the cruise on Milford Sound we drove back through the Southern Alps along the shores of Lake Wakatipu to Queenstown where we will stay two nights at the Mercure Hotel with grand views of Lake Wakatipu. Technically, Milford Sound is a fiord since it was carved by a glacier and not a river by definition for a sound. As we drove through the Southern Alps, we could observe “U” shaped valleys carved by glaciers (rivers carve “V” shaped valleys). Although we did not see an ice/snow avalanche, we did see evidence of tree avalanche, and rock avalanche.
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