The return journey from Milford Sound to Frankton is 289 kilometres of revelation — the same road reversed delivers entirely different views, different light, and stories you did not hear on the way in. Stop at The Chasm to watch the Cleddau River carve through solid rock, pause at Mirror Lakes in daylight for the reflection you missed before dawn, and close the loop with a triumphant arrival back in Queenstown.

Arrêts de ce circuit (43)

1. 1
   The Chasm A short walk from the road where the Cleddau River forces through a narrow rock gorge in sculpted pools and waterfalls, one of the most dramatic 10-minute stops in Fiordland.
2. 2
   Cleddau River Water Carving Rock
3. 3
   Homer Tunnel Reverse Homer Tunnel from the western portal on the return journey, climbing 1-in-10 for 1,219 metres through solid granite back toward the Eglinton Valley.
4. 4
   Gertrude Valley Lookout A viewpoint into Gertrude Valley, leading to the Gertrude Saddle at 1,350 metres — one of the great unmarked alpine routes in Fiordland.
5. 5
   Christie Falls A waterfall cascading off the mountain wall beside the Milford Road, most visible on the return journey when you approach from the opposite direction.
6. 6
   Lord of the Rings Fiordland Film Locations
7. 7
   Lake Marian Track Carpark The carpark for the Lake Marian Track, one of Fiordland's best half-day hikes through beech forest to a glacial tarn ringed by alpine peaks.
8. 8
   Hollyford Valley Junction
9. 9
   Fiordland Endemic Birdlife
10. 10
    Milford Track Full History
11. 11
    Lake Gunn Nature Walk A 45-minute loop track through ancient red beech forest on the southern shore of Lake Gunn, one of the finest short forest walks in Fiordland.
12. 12
    Mirror Lakes Stop A series of small roadside lakes where still water perfectly reflects the Earl Mountains on calm days, one of the most photographed viewpoints on the Milford Road.
13. 13
    Knobs Flat Eglinton Valley
14. 14
    Upper Eglinton River Flats
15. 15
    Eglinton Wetland System
16. 16
    Cascade Creek Beech Forest
17. 17
    Earl Mountains Eastern Ridge
18. 18
    Lower Eglinton Plains
19. 19
    Te Anau Glowworm Caves An extraordinary cave system beneath Lake Te Anau, accessible only by boat, where thousands of glowworms illuminate the cave ceiling in a living constellation.
20. 20
    Te Anau Lakefront Farewell
21. 21
    Waiau River Valley SH94
22. 22
    Manapouri Power Station Overview
23. 23
    Clifden Gorge and Limestone Country
24. 24
    Southland Farming and Merino Sheep Country
25. 25
    Great Walks System Overview
26. 26
    Otautau Flats and Southland Plains
27. 27
    Southland Accent and NZ Dialect
28. 28
    Mossburn Valley Approach
29. 29
    Mossburn Deer Capital Return Mossburn on the return journey — the Deer Capital of New Zealand — where the science of deer farming explains how pest management became a major agricultural export sector.
30. 30
    Five Rivers Confluence
31. 31
    Lumsden Southland Heartland
32. 32
    Athol and Upper Oreti River
33. 33
    Garston and Waimea Plains
34. 34
    Von Valley Sub-Alpine Tussock
35. 35
    Kingston Flyer Heritage Railway
36. 36
    Lake Wakatipu Southern Tip Approach
37. 37
    Lake Wakatipu Southern End Return The southern end of Lake Wakatipu from the Kingston approach, revealing the full Z-shaped profile of the lake as you climb north through the Southland plains.
38. 38
    Lake Wakatipu Western Shore Drive
39. 39
    Queenstown Farming to Adventure Capital
40. 40
    Remarkables Range Panorama
41. 41
    NZ Rugby Culture
42. 42
    Devils Staircase Reverse The Devil's Staircase on the return climb from the south, where the engineering challenge of this demanding road section is most apparent on the ascent.
43. 43
    Frankton Approach The final approach to Frankton with Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables ahead, marking the close of the Pioneer Journey after three legs across Fiordland.

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