Experience Fiordland National Park, a designated World Heritage area, and Queenstown with Real Journeys. They are a locally owned and operated company that has been sharing this incredibly beautiful part of New Zealand with travellers for 50 years.
Fiordland National Park located in South West New Zealand is the largest national park in New Zealand covering nearly 1.2 million hectares. As one of the world’s greatest wilderness areas Fiordland National Park is characterised by steep, jumbled topography, rugged coastline, dense rainforest and a challenging climate.
The exceptional beauty of this landscape has long been recognised with Fiordland National Parks creation in 1952 and being declared a World Heritage Area in 1986. (World Heritage is a global concept where natural and cultural sites of world significance - places so special that protecting them is of concern to all people are identified.)
In 1990, Fiordland was linked with three other national parks, Mount Aspiring, Westland/Tai Poutini, and Aoraki/Mt Cook, to form an expanded World Heritage Area of South West New Zealand. It acquired the Maori name of Te Wahipounamu (the place of greenstone).
Much of Fiordland National Park is inaccessible by road, however, the Milford Road, considered to be one of the finest alpine drives in the world, provides access to Milford Sound - the most famous of the fiords. Milford Sound is at the mountainous northern end of the national park and is renowned for Mitre Peak. The image of mile high Mitre Peak soaring above its sheltered waters has been a symbol of New Zealand’s wild and scenic character for the best part of a century.
Doubtful Sound is the second most accessible and visited fiord in Fiordland National Park. The route to Doubtful Sound includes a cruise across Lake Manapouri and a coach trip over Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove at the head of Doubtful Sound. This fiord is the second largest of Fiordland National Park’s fourteen fiords and it is three times larger than Milford Sound. Doubtful Sound is known not only for its breathtaking scenery, but also for its abundant wildlife - bottlenose dolphins, fur seals and penguins.
The best way to experience the vast and remote Fiordland National Park is by taking a cruise on Milford or Doubtful Sounds.
Other highlights in Fiordland National Park include a variety of well established walking tracks, including a one day guided walk on the world famous Milford Track, the Te Anau Glowworm Caves, and other outdoor activities such as fishing, golf etc.
Te Anau, located on the shores of Lake Te Anau (the largest lake in the South Island of New Zealand), is the gateway to Fiordland National Park. This attractive township has a full range of accommodation options, a variety of restaurants, retail outlets and other services. It is located approximately 2.5 hours drive south of Queenstown.
Queenstown, in the Central Otago region of New Zealand, nestles beside the sparkling waters of Lake Wakatipu and at the foot of the imposing Remarkables Range. The resort is readily accessible by road and air. It has an international airport with flights directly to and from Australia and other key destinations in New Zealand - Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington and Christchurch.
Queenstown is one of New Zealand’s most popular resorts offering visitors a vast array of attractions and activities all year round. These include action packed thrills, sporting activities, wine trails, galleries, museums, shopping, a variety of restaurants and bars and so on. Queenstown is known for the regular sailing of the beautifully restored vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm . The TSS Earnslaw has long been a feature of Queenstown with a history dating back to 1912.
Across Foveaux Strait from Bluff at the bottom of the South Island lies Stewart Island, one of New Zealand's largely undiscovered eco-adventure destinations. Readily accessible by ferry or aircraft, Stewart Island attracts nature lovers from around the world for either a one-day excursion or a more leisurely stay.
With its network of stunning bays, inlets, golden sand beaches and bush clad mountains; Stewart Island combines a spectacular mix of inspiring landscapes.
Stewart Island Experience runs regular ferry services with daily departures between Bluff and Oban, on board our comfortable catamarans. The crossing takes one hour. There are coach and flight connections from Invercargill, Queenstown and Te Anau. Car storage is available at our Bluff Visitor Terminal.
Activities and attractions include cruising to Paterson Inlet, taking a trip to Ulva Island Wildlife Sanctuary to view the many birds and flora, or simply exploring Oban and gaining an insight into the community, history and environment.
As 85% of the island comprises the Rakiura National Park, it is the ideal place to see kiwi in their natural habitat. There are many eco-friendly activities available on and around Stewart Island - from viewing the wildlife, to walking, boating, fishing, diving, kayaking, or simply relaxing.
