Doubtful Sound

One of the very few fjords in Fiordland National Park easily accessible for tourists is Doubtful Sound. It can only be reached, however, on an organized excursion. Excursions are run throughout the year by Fiordland Travel (Fiordland National Park).

The first stage of the excursion, which starts from Manapouri town, is by boat over Lake Manapouri.

The next stage is by bus to the power Manapouri power plant. A steep spiral tunnel leads up to the underground power plant, where seven giant turbines are installed in a huge cavern 200m below the surface of the lake.

After a conducted tour of the power plant the bus continues over Wilmot Pass (670m) to Deep Cove, at the east end of Doubtful Sound, a fjord running 20km inland between steep rock walls, with many branches and inlets. It was given its name in 1770 by Captain Cook, who did not venture in through the narrow entrance to the fjord, being doubtful whether he would find a harbor there and be able to get out again. After a cruise on a catamaran to the mouth of the fjord on the Tasman Sea, the bus returns to the power plant; then by boat across Lake Manapouri to Manapouri town, with the possibility of continuing by bus to Te Anau.