MILFORD SOUND, South Island, New Zealand – Winter is creeping into the U.S. right now, but the seasons are reversed in New Zealand. That means excursion boat passengers don’t mind catching some spray off one of Milford Sound’s towering waterfalls.

Milford Sound. Image by Tom Adkinson.

Milford Sound is on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island and is a major attraction in a rugged region of glacier-carved fjords. Cliffs rise almost straight up from the deep waters, and waterfalls can exceed 3,000 feet. Rudyard Kipling called Milford Sound “the eighth wonder of the world.” Christchurch is the international arrivals city in this part of the South Island, and the community of Te Anau is the real jumping off spot to see Milford Sound.

Trip-planning resources: NewZealand.com/us/milford-sound