Great Destinations

Milford Sound, New Zealand South Island – March 2026

We spent a total of two weeks in New Zealand, but only one day in Milford Sound in the Fjordland National Park. It was the highlight of our trip with the most dramatic scenery of any place we visited. This was partly due to its incredible glacier-formed geography, but aided by stormy weather that brought much rain to the area just before our visit. This created literally thousands of temporary waterfalls in and around Milford Sound as well as leaving much fog and mist that shrouded the entire area with a mystical look. There are only two permanent waterfalls and both are massive and featured extensively here. The Sound was so photogenic that I carved out this separate gallery just to show some of what we saw in that one day. I’ve added captions to some of these images, but many just show varied views of the wild water, stone, and fog that we saw throughout our visit.

There are many other photos from our New Zealand trip showing other places we visited. You can jump to that gallery via the menu, or just click here.

A white ribbon waterfall drops from cloud-covered cliffs into dense green vegetation near Milford Sound.
Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Low storm clouds weave around rocky peaks above dense forest near Milford Sound after rain.
Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Spray rises where Stirling Falls crashes beside a tour boat along the sheer cliffs of Milford Sound.
Approaching Stirling Falls by boat in Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Clouds swirl above the Milford Valley below the Homer Tunnel entrance after heavy weather.
Looking down into Milford Valley from the mouth of the Homer Tunnel at the entrance to the valley and Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Heavy spray erupts where Stirling Falls crashes into Milford Sound near a passing tour boat.
Our boat escapes from the torrent underneath raging Stirling Falls on Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Clear blue water bends through a narrow rocky channel bordered by mossy forest near Milford Sound.
The Hollyford River Cascade, outside of Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Mitre Peak rises sharply through mist and dark clouds above the shoreline of Milford Sound.
Iconic and fearsome Mitre Peak rises in the mist at Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
A vertical waterfall cuts down a fog-softened mountainside above thick vegetation near Milford Sound.
Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
A high waterfall drops from a glacier-carved hanging valley into the deep green walls of Milford Sound.
A hanging valley is an elevated glacier-carved valley flowing into a larger glacier valley below. Stirling Falls flows out of such a hanging valley into the Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Stirling Falls descends from a high hanging valley into Milford Sound beneath dramatic cloud-darkened cliffs.
Stirling Falls spilling out of its giant hanging valley above Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Mist rises from wet rainforest as clouds part over the mountains along the Milford Sound route.
Parting clouds after a storm reveal new waterfalls just outside Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Dense vegetation clings to a nearly vertical fjord wall rising directly from the dark water of Milford Sound.
Fjord walls are so steep that trees and plants must intertwine their roots to help each other stay attached. They often collapse together in a tree avalanche – Fjordland, NZ
A glacier-carved valley narrows between dark mountains, with cloud bands and waterfalls above the Milford Sound road.
Milford Valley opens up to reveal the Fjord walls just before the access road reaches the Sound itself – Fjordland, NZ
Dark fjord walls frame the inner end of Milford Sound as waterfalls appear beneath low gray clouds.
Looking towards the inner end of Milford Sound with Lady Bowen Falls on the left – Fjordland, NZ
A low cloud layer settles between forested fjord walls and distant cliffs across the calm waters of Milford Sound.
A hanging valley across the sound from the tour boat harbor on Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Lady Bowen Falls plunges down a steep green cliff into Milford Sound under gray skies.
Lady Bowen Falls, the largest and one of only two permanent waterfalls on Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
A small tour boat passes below Stirling Falls, emphasizing the immense scale of Milford Sound?s cliffs.
A passing tour boat shows, by comparison, just how massive the Stirling Falls acutally are – Fjordland, NZ
A tall waterfall emerges through drifting mist on a forested cliff after rain in Fiordland.
Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
A narrow waterfall cuts down a jagged gray cliff beneath broken cloud cover in Milford Sound.
Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Low clouds drift along a steep forested fjord wall rising from Milford Sound?s dark water.
Guides say most of the surrounding mountains in Fjordland are untouched by humans – Fjordland, NZ
A swift turquoise river surges past rocks and forest vegetation in Fjordland near Milford Sound.
The Hollyford River Cascade, outside of Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Rain clouds drift through steep green cliffs as fresh waterfalls streak down the mountainsides near Milford Sound.
Transient waterfalls after rain outside of Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
A wide view shows steep mountain peaks and waterfalls rising from the waters of Milford Sound.
A panoramic view of the peaks rising steeply from the Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Blue-white water rushes between dark boulders and green forest along the Hollyford River near Milford Sound.
Hollyford River cascade just outside Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Fresh rain-fed waterfalls stream down a rugged mountain slope beneath broken clouds near Milford Sound.
Transient waterfalls after rain outside of Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Multiple waterfalls streak down a broad green and gray fjord wall along Milford Sound.
Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Thin white waterfalls descend through green rainforest on the steep rock walls above Milford Sound.
Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
A rain-fed waterfall drops in two stages down a mossy cliff face near Milford Sound.
An impressive but temporary rain-created two-tiered waterfall on Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Spray and mist rise beside steep green cliffs near Lady Bowen Falls at Milford Sound.
Mist arises from massive Lady Bowen Falls just out of view on the left – Fjordland, NZ
Fast whitewater rushes through a rocky river channel beneath forested mountains near Milford Sound.
Donne River flowing into Milford Sound, seen from Donne River bridge – Fjordland, NZ
Powerful white water pours down the cliff face in a close view of Stirling Falls.
Stirling Falls in Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
Orange and green cliff vegetation surrounds temporary waterfalls cascading down Milford Sound after rain.
A very colorful wall of temporary waterfalls on Milford Sound – Fjordland, NZ
A small cascade flows through mossy rocks and ferns in the forest near The Chasm.
The chasm is a major sight at Milford Sound, but was unreachable except for this nice cascade – Fjordland, NZ
Still water reflects reeds, forest, and mountains at Mirror Lake along the Milford Sound road.
Well-named Mirror Lake, on the Milford Sound road near Te Anau – Fjordland, NZ