Today is dedicated to exploring Preservation Inlet, rich in the gold mining and forestry history that once made this quiet waterway a bustling hub. More than 2,500 gold miners and saw millers flocked to the region in the late 1890s, and early settler history can still be seen at the reclaimed mining towns of Cromarty and Te Oneroa, most spectacularly at the ruins of the Tarawera Mine and Smelter.

The inlet is also home to New Zealand’s first whaling station at Cuttle Cove and one of the country’s most remote lighthouses at Puysegur Point, operating since 1879. A coastal walk here, once a telegraph track built to connect the lighthouse, leads to the old landing shed at Otago Retreat.

The entrance to Chalky Inlet is guarded by the limestone cliffs of Chalky Island, the inspiration behind Cook’s naming of the fiord. This predator-free island, along with Great Island and Passage Islands, is home to some of New Zealand’s most critically endangered bird species, including the Little Spotted Kiwi and Kākāpō, and the endemic Te Kakahu Skink, discovered in 2002.

The protected harbours at North and South Port hold much of the human history in the inlet. North Port is the final resting place of the grounded GSS Stella, while South Port reveals an industrial past with the remnants of once prolific sawmilling. Sailing to the head of the fiord, the surrounding mountains envelop us with their majesty.

Over two days we leisurely explore Dusky Sound, visiting some of the most significant historical and conservation sites in New Zealand alongside majestic scenery. A navigation through Acheron Passage, which separates Resolution Island from the mainland, is a highlight of our time in Fiordland.

Predator-free Anchor Island shelters half of the world’s population of Kākāpō and Little Spotted Kiwi, and is home to historic Luncheon Cove, where New Zealand’s first sealing gang worked, and where the first European homestead and ship, the 16-metre Providence, were built and launched in 1795. On nearby Pigeon Island, learn the history of Richard Henry and his pioneering live transfer of birds to island refuges, an international first in wildlife conservation. Though his own efforts were undone by stoats swimming across, the island is now pest-free, fulfilling his original vision.

After a quiet night surrounded by the nature and wilderness of Breaksea Sound, join your naturalists on deck to spot seabirds, including the majestic Wandering and Buller’s Albatross, as we pass Breaksea Island. This was the site of the first successful island rat eradication programme, and it remains a protected nature reserve today.

From here we sail toward some of the most spectacular scenery in Fiordland, Doubtful Sound, known locally as the “sound of silence.” Spanning some 40 kilometres and holding the title of New Zealand’s deepest fiord, its cloud-wrapped mountains, sheer cliffs, waterfalls and quiet coves present nature on a truly grand scale. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner.

This morning we sail to the very head of Doubtful Sound in Deep Cove, home to several waterfalls including Helena and Lady Alice Falls. After a final breakfast and farewells, head ashore for a transfer to Te Anau via the picturesque Wilmot Pass, built as part of the Manapouri hydro scheme. In case of unexpected delays, we ask that you not book any onward travel from Te Anau until after 3pm today.

Note: Some voyages will operate the itinerary in reverse. During the voyage, circumstances may require deviations from the planned itinerary, including poor weather or opportunities for unplanned excursions. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed. Voyages are planned and scheduled pending final regulatory approval.