Traveling by boat across Lake Manapouri, we arrived in Fiordland National Park. We then boarded another boat that cruised us through the stunningly rugged Doubtful Sound. It was so majestic cruising past these massive mountains emerging from the water. There are hundreds of waterfalls that begin at the very top of the fiords and fall all the way down, with dozens of other waterfalls connecting and intersecting along the way. Doubtful Sound is known as the wettest place on Earth – obtaining 7-9 metres of rain per year!
So, needless to say it was a pretty rainy and wet day. The mist and the fog from the rain actually creates that magical, mystical, Lord of the Rings feel. At one point the captain shut off the engine and instructed no walking or talking so we could all hear the roaring of the waterfalls and observe the peacefulness of our surroundings. Some waterfalls were narrow while others were really big and wide. The captain steered the nose of the boat under a waterfall so people could fill paper cups of fresh fiord water. I thought it would be crystal clear like glacial water, but it had a yellow-tinge to it because of natural dye from all the leaves – just like tea.
A couple of dolphins were swimming around the boat perfectly in sync and there were also albatross birds circling and gliding overhead, mistaking us for a fishing boat.
After the sun set that night, we took a little walk to spot some glowworms. I had never seen glowworms ever in the wild before! They were so beautiful – some twinkly blue while others glowing white and green. They looked just like star constellations, all scattered and grouped in various formations and patterns.
I love this! I’m finally getting the chance to go through all of your amazing blogs about NZ… ahhhh!!!
Hi Debbi! Thanks so much!
Looks like you’ve had an amazing time! I would love to do this trip one day :)
Very much so!
It looks so cold. I am surprised there were dolphins… i love them, the first time I saw them I literally broke into tears I was so happy!
It really was chilly. The dolphins were a really nice surprise!
Those glowworms sound so cool. I think that I would like the twinkly blue ones best.
They were so neat to see! They were mesmerizing.
Nice article! My friend and I are heading to NZ next year. Reading this makes me want to visit that much sooner! :)
That is awesome! Hopefully you check out this region.
Cold wet and foggy? Sounds just like my hometown! It still looks like a great day despite that and that’s so cool you saw dolphins! I’d love to do this when I go to NZ!
It really was an awesome day despite the chilliness in the air . . . but that is also what gives it the Lord of the Rings Feel!
How majestic and beautiful that seems. I want to see some glow worms, that would be fun. I love that there are so many waterfalls, I would have trouble deciding which few to photograph. You picked some great ones. I’m originally from Seattle which is always said to be ‘Such a rainy and dreary place’. It’s nice to know we aren’t the wettest!
Nope, this place is literally the wettest place in the world! It is a beautiful place.
Rain or shine never let the weather dumpen any great outdoor activity. The glow worm looks fun
No need to let weather decide anything.
I would like to say it was a pleasure reading this, but I became more and more jealous with every sentence! The Captain sounds like an absolute legend, getting everybody to be quiet to experience the sound of nature. The waterfalls and catching the water in cups sounds great, but then dolphins and albatrosses and glowworms on top of that is just ridiculous! I’m surprised there is somewhere wetter than northern England :)
Haha the captain was pretty cool for doing that for us! The few people that continued to walk and talk he would yell at and tell them to shut up basically!
Another great post! You are so lucky to have seen dolphins in the wild like that, exactly how they should be seen!
Thanks! I agree ;)
Your pictures are great. I can only imagine how stunning this is in person!
Thank you!
This looks and sounds like an amazing experience! I got a little cold looking at the photos haha! I’m a huge sucker for waterfalls so I’m adding this to my travel list :)
This place is full of waterfalls absolutely everywhere!
Looks like a beautiful place, but ooohhh soooo wet! What a treat to see dolphins, it must have been a special moment!
The dolphins were a really nice surprise ;)
I think I went there when I was a kid but I can’t really remember – I’ve been to Fiordland/West Coast since then and it is definitely wet! Such a difference to nearby Central Otago which is a desert (according to my high school geography teacher).
It certainly is different but I do not believe Central Otago is a desert . . . !
Looks gorgeous! I went to the wettest place in the US (in Kauai) and I was so confused I asked my boyfriend at the time, but what about the ocean? Certainly that’s wetter? He had to explain it meant the wettest place on land. Oops! Looks like fun!
I wonder how wet and chilly Kauai was compared to here!
Doubtful Sound looks awesome! We only made it to Milford Sound but I imagine Doubtful is a lot more isolated and less crowded.
Doubtful Sound is very similar to Milford Sound but as you said, a bit more isolated and less crowded with others.
Beautiful place and even more amazing are many falls streaming from the mountains. Great pictures!
Thank you!
Looks wet, but I’m not sure about ‘wettest place on earth’. I’d always thought that Mawsynram laid claim to that one – they get more than 11 metres of rain there, compared to the 7-9 metres you mention in this article…
Wow I just looked up Mawsynram and it really does look so rainy and wet also!!