New Zealand · NZ

Milford Sound

Milford Sound (Piopiotahi in Māori) is a glacially carved fiord tucked into the northwest corner of Fiordland National Park on New Zealand's South Island. Called "the eighth wonder of the world" by Rudyard Kipling, it is the only fiord in Fiordland accessible by road and one of the most visited natural landmarks in the country. The fiord stretches 16 kilometres from its dramatic headwall to the Tasman Sea, flanked by towering peaks including Mitre Peak, which rises 1,692 metres straight out of the water. Beneath the surface, the Piopiotahi Marine Reserve protects an extraordinary ecosystem of black coral, dolphins, seals, and penguins — while above, rainfall can exceed seven metres per year, sending waterfalls cascading from impossible heights.