New Zealand's Most Incredible Helicopter Flight

Some landscapes refuse to reveal their true scale from sea level or a roadside lookout. They demand altitude, perspective, and the freedom only a helicopter can provide. A flight into Milford Sound and the Earnslaw Burn valley offers some of the most incredible scenery in New Zealand. 

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Milford Sound needs little introduction. It's been called the eighth wonder of the world, a place where vertical rock faces rise straight up from the ocean and waterfalls tumble from hanging valleys above. 

• Milford Sound runs roughly fifteen kilometres inland from the Tasman Sea, with near vertical rock faces that rise more than one thousand two hundred metres on either side.
  
  
• Fiordland National Park is New Zealand's largest national park at around twelve thousand six hundred square kilometres, and forms a major part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site.
  
  

Milford Sound is also famous for its weather. It is one of the wettest inhabited places in New Zealand, with average annual rainfall above six thousand eight hundred millimetres and rain on roughly half the days of the year. 

The hidden valley of the Earnslaw Burn

While Milford Sound is world famous, the Earnslaw Burn remains a quieter secret. This glacier carved valley sits north of Fiordland, near Glenorchy.

Heliworks Queenstown and its sister company Heli Glenorchy hold exclusive landing rights in the Earnslaw Burn valley. That means commercial helicopter landings here are tightly controlled, which helps protect the area and keeps the experience feeling remote and untouched.

From the air and on the ground you see:

• A hanging glacier high on the cliffs of Mount Earnslaw
  
  
• A wide valley floor cut by a braided river and surrounded by sheer rock walls.
  
  
• A curtain of seasonal waterfalls that pour off the glacier into the valley below, especially in spring and summer.
  
  

This valley has appeared in major film productions, including The Hobbit, which adds extra interest for guests who enjoy Middle earth locations.

Milford Sound and Earnslaw Burn Heli Flight

Exact routes can vary with conditions and the specific product, but Heliworks offers several flights that combine Milford Sound with Earnslaw Burn landings.

A typical experience from Queenstown usually includes the following stages.

Departure from Queenstown

You depart from Heliworks base near Queenstown, then climb quickly over Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding mountains. On clear days you can see back toward the Remarkables range and across to the high country stations that frame the region.

Pilots provide commentary through headsets, pointing out geology, history and landmarks during the initial climb and while crossing the Southern Alps. 

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Approaching Milford Sound

As you cross into Fiordland, the landscape becomes more rugged and forested. From above you see glacial valleys, snow capped peaks and dark lakes before the helicopter drops into the Milford basin.

Highlights of the Milford Sound Explorer flight:

• An aerial view of Mitre Peak, which rises about one thousand six hundred and ninety two metres almost straight out of the water and is one of New Zealand's most photographed mountains.
  

• The main fiord, where steep cliffs plunge directly into the sea and permanent waterfalls such as Stirling Falls and Lady Bowen Falls flow year round.
  
  
• An alpine landing in the surrounding ranges, allowing you to step out into snow with surreal views of the glacier.

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Landing at the Earnslaw Burn

The Earnslaw Burn landing is the emotional high point for many guests. You step out onto the valley floor, surrounded by the most incredible glacier and waterfall formations.  Truly one of the most incredible locations you can visit in New Zealand. 

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The Heliworks Difference

Heliworks places a strong emphasis on safety because it understands how important trust is when you step into a helicopter. Every flight begins with a clear briefing so passengers know what to expect, and the team follows a safety management system that has been approved by the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority. The pilots bring extensive local experience and they know how to navigate the fast-changing alpine weather that is so common in the Southern Lakes region.

When to fly and what conditions to expect

All scenic flights in this part of New Zealand are weather dependent. Clouds, wind and rain can affect whether helicopters can safely cross the main divide or land at certain sites. Operators may change landing locations, alter the route or reschedule flights to maintain safety.

Winter can reduce the volume of waterfalls at Earnslaw Burn, but usually increases snow coverage on the glacier and valley, which creates a very different but equally striking scene.