# Mountains, peaks & alpine air

> Mountains, peaks & alpine air: Milford Sound, Wanaka, Fox Glacier, Lake Pukaki, Hakone, Kintamani. Travel guide and alpine photography prints.

- Source: https://clevertourists.com/guides/collection-mountains-and-alpine-air
- Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from a 526-day trip across 20 countries)
- Published: 2026-02-09

When we needed altitude, this is where we went.

## Places

### Milford Sound, New Zealand

Milford Sound, in Fiordland National Park, is a glacier-carved fiord where sheer cliffs rise more than a kilometer straight from dark water. Among the wettest inhabited places on Earth, its frequent rain feeds hundreds of temporary waterfalls that pour from the cliffs.

### Wanaka, New Zealand

Wanaka is a lakeside town on the shore of Lake Wanaka, surrounded by the peaks of Mount Aspiring National Park. Quieter than nearby Queenstown, it is a base for alpine walks and is known for a single lone willow tree standing in the lake.

### Fox Glacier, New Zealand

Fox Glacier is one of two glaciers on the West Coast that descend through temperate rainforest to near sea level, an unusual combination of ice and lush green valley. The small township of the same name sits below it, close to a mirror-like reflective lake.

### Lake Pukaki, New Zealand

Lake Pukaki is a glacier-fed lake in the Mackenzie Basin whose intense turquoise color comes from finely ground rock flour suspended in its meltwater. At its head rises Aoraki / Mount Cook, the highest mountain in New Zealand.

### Hakone, Japan

A mountain hot-spring resort with volcanic valleys and Mount Fuji views.

### Kintamani, Indonesia

Kintamani, in Bali's northeastern highlands, overlooks the vast caldera of Mount Batur, an active volcano rising above a crescent crater lake. The cool, elevated region is known for sweeping volcanic views and sunrise treks.