South Island Southland Region 2021 Lake Mavora and Te Anau Milford Road

Lake Mavora and Te Anau Milford

South Island Southland Region

New Zealand

2021

Mavora Lakes

Back in Southland again we had a few things on the list we didn't have time for before the Autumn festival.

We have had 4 nights at the North Mavora Lakes Doc camp (no internet or cell) 39km good gravel road in.

Having two days of fine weather and a good hike both days.

The first hike was a loop around the south lake, second hike up the shore of the north lake and return.

Sunday rained all day so was a rest day and apart from day visitors doing activities including swimming, kayaking, 4-wheel driving, biking, hiking, and toasting marshmallows on Saturday we had the lakes to ourselves.

Moved on to Te Anau for supplies staying at the NZMCA camp only two of us in here, a bit of a contrast to a full camp last time we were here in Autumn.

Doc Camp

South Mavora Lake

North Mavora Lake campsite

North Mavora Lake

12 km hike

13 km hike

The road in by the lakes

Stayed a couple of nights

Southland, Fiordland

Te Anau-Milford Road

Last year we took a tour from Te Anau to Milford Sounds, transferred for the boat tour and getting home the same day.

This time we stocked up in Te Anau for a winter adventure in the motorhome using the many Doc Camps along the way.

The first night's Doc Camp was Henry Creek (23 km from Te Anau with a very weak internet connection in the top car park) we had a walk around the camp coming out on the Te Anau Lakeshore and finding a few fungi along the way.

Walk around camp

Te Anau-Milford Road

Henry Creek to Lake Mistletoe for a 2 km walk, passing the Lake then returning the same way.

Next stop Te Anau Downs Historic Site, for a stroll onto the jetty where the Milford Track Barge is moored. The car park has an information panel telling the history. It is also a great viewing point for the Murchison Mountains, but not today as they were covered in cloud.

Next, we checked out Walker Creek,

and Totara Doc Camps deciding they were a bit small for us even though we seem to be the only ones overnighting at this time of the year out here.

Mackay Creek Doc Camp is closed so on to Deer Flat Doc Camp. Along the way, we passed the Fiordland National Park Sign (that also means no dogs allowed and forget internet and phone reception)

It's worth a stop at Eglinton Valley for the beautiful scenery with information panels, we did this last year on the tour and took photos on a perfect day.

Next stop Mirror Lakes we also stopped here on the tour last year, today we had a ripple on the lakes and not another soul in sight so peaceful.

Finally, we arrived at tonight's Doc Camp at Deer flat, more space here away from the trees and beside the river with the sun now out lunch before a walk around camp.

Te Anau-Milford Road

Deer Flat Doc camp is my favorite out of all the camps in the winter, simply because if the sun is out you get it where we were parked.

Cascade Creek Doc Camp on the other hand is the biggest and well set out I thought what a great camp. We arrived in low cloud and by the time we registered and had lunch the sun was out, we had parked beside the river but moved after lunch to catch the sun it was only 4 degrees outside.

By the time we came back from our walk the motorhome was in the shade again, so at 2 pm there is no sun because of the mountains all around and now 3 degrees on went the heater.

We loved the walk from the camp out to Lake Gunn it took us an hour to do the forest walk stopping many times to marvel at the huge giant red beech trees, Lake Gunn looked beautiful on a winter's day.

Along the road today we called into Knobs Flat that had a no vacancy sign, but the public toilets and information boards were open.

Kiosk Creek and upper Eglinton Doc Camps are both small.

Te Anau-Milford Road

Cascade Creek Doc Camp is the last Camp before Milford Sound, last night we had a few motorhomes come in the dark.

We woke to a good frost and drove 10km from camp to the Divide car park.

We walked to Key Summit and Lake Howden on the Routeburn Track 12 km 3.5-hour hike, returning to camp that was still in low cloud and 3 degrees at 3 pm

Te Anau-Milford Road

Today we drove from Cascade Creek Doc Camp to Hollyford Road Car Park.

A swing bridge starts the hike to the

beautiful Lake Marian high up in an alpine setting. Heavy was frost still around the lake in the afternoon the ascent was well worth the effort. Although tough going for me younger people were tackling the rough track no problems 10 km 3.45 hours.

If short on time or fitness the first 15 minutes of the track is easy and well worth it to see the spectacular series of waterfalls.

Arriving back at camp the trees were still covered in heavy frost.

Te Anau-Milford Road

Cascade Creek Doc Camp was zero degrees this morning but by the time we drove into Milford Sounds the sun was coming over the mountains turning into a lovely day.

We weren’t feeling like doing much walking today so a 30-minute stroll around the waterfront and out to the boat terminal was just right.

We saw a white Heron, Black Fantail and a Weka.

We had a red light at the tunnel and a Kea saw the motorhome and flew straight to us like a magnet lol.

We have come back to camp for the night and will return to Te Anau tomorrow.