Tramping through Deer Flat
The drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound took
roughly 5 hours with occasional stops to walk
the nature hikes along the way.
The Lower Hollyford Valley
Due to El Nino, the weather has been exceptionally
wet, according to this article on the front of the Southland Times.
It read "You're going to have a great time as long
as you get blue skies and sunshine out of your head." Oh boy!
Kea - The only alpine parrot
We were warned "Enjoy these mountain clowns. For your sake and ours, don't feed them!"
The kea is very inquisitive and hard to keep entertained. They eat leaves, buds, fruit, insects, and rubber. (not kidding) They will eat your windshield wipers and tires if you let them.
Mattie trying to pet the kea. They wanted nothing to do with that!
The head of the Hollyford Valley
(where the road ends and the Homer Tunnel begins)
To get perspective, there are two couples walking on the remnants of an avalanche and appear as two tiny dots - one yellow and one black.
The Homer Alpine Nature Walk
(just before entering the Homer Tunnel)
The start of the Homer Tunnel
The one-way tunnel is 0.75 miles long and is the only way to access Milford Sounds via car or bus.
The Homer Tunnel emerges at the top of a long switch back road down the Cleddau River.
Amazing waterfalls cover the mountain side.
The Chasm
The Cleddau River carved holes through the soft rock of this waterfall to form the chasm.
To get perspective, the logs you see lying on the rocks are full grown trees.
Next up...Milford Sound
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