A long, quiet fiord in Fiordland, where rainforest walls fall into still black water.
About Doubtful Sound
Doubtful Sound / Patea is a fiord in Fiordland, 40 km long and up to 421 m deep, the deepest in the South Island. Captain Cook named it “Doubtful Harbour” in 1770 because he was unsure he could sail back out. It is quieter and wider than Milford Sound. Dense native rainforest covers its steep U-shaped valleys, and 3,000–6,000 mm of rain falls a year. Around 70 bottlenose dolphins live here and never seem to leave the fiord. Fur seals, penguins and passing whales also visit. Getting here takes a boat across Lake Manapouri and a road over Wilmot Pass.
Getting there
- Best months
- Not stated
- Nearest airport / gateway
- Queenstown Airport (ZQN). Access is by boat across Lake Manapouri, then a bus over Wilmot Pass; tours connect from Te Anau and Queenstown.
- Permits & fees
- There is no general entry fee, but permits are required for some activities.
- Sources
- en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Doubtful_Sound
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubtful_Sound_/_Patea
en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Queenstown_(New_Zealand)
Photos of Doubtful Sound
