Fjord march

Our time-locked, freeze-framed southern fjords, Milford and Doubtful, serve up a dual journey of superlatives.
From Te Anau, photogenic Milford Highway wends its way to Milford Sound and world-famous Mitre Peak. The 70km drive traverses the Eglinton Valley before carving through the spectacular alpine terrain at Homer Tunnel.
En route, stop by the Mirror Lakes, which will reward you with fantastic reflections of the already superb landscape. These are best viewed early in the morning before the wind or the wildlife stir up the small lakes.
On arrival into Milford, mighty Mitre Peak commands your attention, reaching skyward. Jump on-board a Real Journeys cruise, which features splendidly delivered commentary to enhance your experience. Nature's movie reel of magnificent waterfalls, wildlife, unspoilt waters and soaring rainforest is, quite simply, magnificent.
The underwater observatory is the only place in the world where you can see black coral, and is certainly worth a visit. Once back on land, the short walk up to the lookout point offers one last majestic photo opportunity.
Doubtful Sound is Fiordland's second-most visited sound, although far less popular than its showbiz brother, Milford. Doubtful is also three times longer and 10 times bigger. From Te Anau, the first port of call is neighbouring Lake Manapouri, just a short 20km hop away. A day excursion to Doubtful Sound begins with a leisurely cruise across to the West Arm of Manapouri, which is where the power station is located. A fascinating side-trip down the cork-screw underground tunnel into the bowels of the station's inner sanctum gives you the chance to view the machine room, which controls the turbines. From West Arm, day-trippers then board a coach which tootles through Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove, Doubtful Sound.
This twisting alpine pass offers an absorbing encounter with untouched ancient rainforest. The pristine wilderness takes your breath away.
From Wilmot Pass, visitors alight from the coach at Deep Cove to embark on a wilderness cruise through the tranquil beauty of Doubtful Sound. After passing through the deep waters of the fjord, boxed in by towering vertical walls of alpine rock, Doubtful Sound empties out into the turbulent Tasman Sea.
One of the real thrills of the excursion is the passing parade of wildlife. Don't be surprised to see playful dolphins and graceful petrels shadowing the boat. Out in the Tasman, vast hordes of fur seals park up on the rocks, like docile, disinterested squatters. The full-day excursion returns you back to Lake Manapouri from Doubtful Sound.
TOP TIPS
* If your budget doesn't stretch to doing two cruises in the fiords, opt for Doubtful over Milford if you want the full-monty timeless wilderness experience. But be sure to drive to Milford Sound to survey mighty Mitre.
* The award-winning Real Journeys is Fiordland's longest-established tour company, operating a wide range of cruises and sightseeing adventures.
* In addition to the high-frequency Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound cruises, Real Journeys also operates the Te Anau Glow-worm Cave excursions, plus overnight cruises to the  remote Dusky Sound. The tour company's fleet is  first rate, and  the exemplary service, deep knowledge and genuine friendliness of their staff  make Real Journeys  an exceptional leader in the tourism market.
* More information on all excursions www.realjourneys.co.nz