New Zealand: Fiordland

Fiordland on New Zealand's South Island is the nation’s largest national park, one of the biggest in the world. There are only three roads in the park and a scattering of trails, including the classic and Milford, Routeburn and Kepler. When people think of New Zealand, they picture Milford Sound, a deep fiord ten miles long with mountains rising three thousand feet on either side.

Instead of trying to replicate the classic shot of Milford, I hiked up the catchment basin into a rainforest, a riot of green that reminded me of the Hoh River rainforest in Olympic National Park in Washington State. However, instead of giant cedars I found a forest of tree ferns. I shot under an umbrella in the light rain with the trees backlit by soft overcast light.

Don't forget to check out my show, ART WOLFE'S TRAVELS TO THE EDGE, on your local PBS channel to learn more about New Zealand's largest national park and my other worldly travels.