Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FIORDLAND
Formidable Fiordland is NZ's largest and most impenetrable wilderness, a jagged, moun-
tainous, densely forested landmass ribbed with deeply recessed sounds (which are technic-
ally fiords) reaching inland like crooked fingers from the Tasman Sea.
Fiordland National Park forms part of the Southwest New Zealand (Te Wahipounamu)
World Heritage Area, a combination of four national parks in the southwest corner of NZ.
Te Wahipounamu (the Place of Greenstone) covers 26,000 sq km and is recognised interna-
tionally for its cultural significance to Ngai Tahu, as well as for the area's unique fauna and
wildlife. The other three parks are Aoraki/Mt Cook, Westland Tai Poutini, and Mt Aspiring.
It is walkers who can delve the deepest into this remote and magical area, not only on the
famous, multiday Milford, Kepler and Hollyford Tracks, but even on short day walks, eas-
ily accessible off the highway.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Te Anau
POP 1910
Peaceful, lakeside Te Anau township is the main gateway to Fiordland National Park
tramps and the ever-popular Milford Sound, as well as a pleasant place to while away a few
days.
To the east are the pastoral areas of central Southland, while west across Lake Te Anau
lie the rugged mountains of Fiordland. The lake, NZ's second-largest, was gouged out by a
huge glacier and has several arms that extend into the mountainous, forested western shore.
Its deepest point is 417m, about twice the depth of Loch Ness.
 
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