Milford Sound is a fjord on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, in the Southland region, overlooking the Tasman Sea. It is part of the Fiordland National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A fjord is a valley that was carved out of the rock by the movement of a glacier as it advanced from the mountain to the sea, and was invaded by the sea after the ice receded. It is a huge inlet with steeply sloping banks (Milford Sound extends 15km inland). After the Maoris, Milford Sound was discovered on 11 November 1770 by the navigator James Cook, aboard his ship 'Endeavour'.
The first thing you will see when you arrive is Mitre Peak in the distance, as it is 1,692 metres high. The fjord is 400 metres deep in places and its waters are home to dolphins, seals and whales.
Despite its difficult access, it is one of New Zealand's most visited tourist spots with around 550,000 tourists visiting each year, mainly in January and February.