New Zealand is popular for its vast natural scenery, and Milford Sound is one of the most popular tourist destinations.
Last year, a blind man walked the Milford Track , a walking trail in Milford Sound, and this was recently featured in Stuff .
The most beautiful promenade in the world
Milford Sound is a fiord located about a five hour bus ride from Queenstown on New Zealand's South Island.
A "fjord" is a complex landform created by glacial erosion. Fiordland National Park, which includes Milford Sound, has 13 other fjords.
The Maori people, the indigenous people of New Zealand, have a legend about this fjord. It is said that long ago there was a giant called " Tute Rakiwhanoa " who created this fjord with a hand axe.
The Milford Track is a 4-day walking course that covers the 53.4km to Milford Sound and is said to be the most beautiful in the world.
The trails are well maintained, so even beginners can trek if they are well prepared with proper clothing and luggage, but we recommend a guided tour, where you can hear about the sights to see, including New Zealand's native plants and animals.
Guides and guide dogs to help you
Neville Falconer is a blind man who walked the Milford Track trail last year just before the COVID-19 lockdown. Falconer, now 62, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in his early 20s. He became legally blind in his 30s and has been completely blind for the past 10 years. However, Falconer and his wife Jenny have enjoyed many journeys with the help of their guide dog, Sophie.
The first thing Falconer needed to do to hike the Milford Track was to get permission to let Sophie accompany him. The Milford Track is located in a national park, home to many native New Zealand wildlife, so dogs are not usually allowed on the track. As Sophie is a guide dog trained to remain calm and protect her owner in any situation, he received special permission from the Environment Agency.
Falconer and his team were supported in their tracking by Ultimate Hikes, a company that has been running guided trekking tours for over 50 years.
The Milford Track was originally run by the New Zealand government, but since 1992 it has been taken over by Ultimate Hikes.
Enjoy nature in more than just your eyesight
The trek wasn't smooth sailing as the trail was damaged in places by the storm, and Falconer sprained both of his ankles and lost six toenails during the trek.
When times were tough, I thought I didn't want to be here anymore and wondered which way to go home. But I overcame those hardships and kept going.
said Falconer.
They also made it to Mackinnon Pass, the highest point on the Milford Track. Although they couldn't see the beautiful mountain scenery, forests, or waterfalls, they enjoyed the walk with their senses other than their eyesight.
The sound of the waterfall, the splashing water, the singing of the birds, everything was so wonderful.
He said.
Along the way, they encountered a flightless bird called a Weta (a New Zealand rail). Guide dog Sophie seemed a little intrigued, but made no attempt to chase it.
When he first lost his eyesight, he was very depressed, but now,
Lack of vision shouldn't be a hindrance
Falconer is very active in both work and travel, and plans to continue to visit famous hiking spots in New Zealand.
He now works as a manager for a real estate company and often travels to Auckland with Sophie on business trips. In his office he keeps a piece of granite given to him by a guide on the Milford Track as a keepsake.
Article author
- She loves New Zealand, where she spent her high school and university years, and calls it her hometown. She buys 100% New Zealand wine, and always keeps SILENI Sauvignon Blanc on hand. She loves Marmite. More than half of her past boyfriends have been Kiwis.
- Director of Deck Corporation
