Doubtful Sound is actually not a sound, but a fjord (or fiord, as it’s spelled in NZ). A fiord is a long, deep body of water with steep walls of rock on either side carved by glaciers. It’s the most inaccessible of New Zealand’s major attractions.
To reach it, we took a cruise over Lake Manupouri then bused through remote ranges before boarding a vessel on the water. Be sure to check out Olivia’s blog about our beautiful bus ride (on New Zealand’s most expensive road)!
Doubtful Sound is sometimes referred to as “Sound of Silence” because the lack of wind creates a quiet atmosphere, but honestly it could be because of how awe-inspiring it was — truly beyond words!
We boated past towering waterfalls, moody peaks, and mystic mountains. The neighborhood bottlenose dolphins came out to play, too, and one even jumped clear out of the water next to our vessel! There was a range of sun, clouds, mist, and rain, which made for an absolutely picturesque experience.
There’s no doubt about it, Doubtful Sound was my absolute favorite.
-Lydia Fielder
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