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Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise Including optional lunch

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Milford Sound, New Zealand
Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise Including optional lunch
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Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise Including optional lunch
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Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
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Safety measures
icon1 hour 45 minutes  (approx.)
Mobile ticket
iconOffered in: English

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Overview

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to take a Milford Sound cruise while visiting UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park. Departing from Milford Wharf, this boat cruises past Mitre Peak and waterfalls cascading down steep-walled mountains that rise straight up from the water. See Bowen Falls, Stirling Falls and Seal Point while searching the deep fiord for marine life including bottlenose dolphins and New Zealand fur seals.
  • Cruise the waters of Milford Sound
  • Mitre Peak towering high above the fiord
  • See dolphins and seals in their natural environment
  • Optional lunch included (if selected at time of booking)
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Sightseeing cruise on Milford Sound
Lunch (if option selected)
Full commentary
Tea and coffee are provided complimentary to all passengers
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Milford Sound carpark at a fee of $20 for 5 hour
Southern Discoveries - Milford Sound Visitor Centre , Freshwater Basin, Milford Sound Highway 94, Milford Sound 9679, New Zealand
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This activity will end right where it started.
Make your way to the Milford Sound Visitor Centre and board the boat for your Milford Sound cruise. Peer out of the large viewing windows of the vessel or head to the outdoor decks to spot South Island marine life, such as bottlenose dolphins, fur seals and penguins in what Rudyard Kipling described as the ‘Eighth Natural Wonder of the World.’ 

While you cruise along the southern side of Milford Sound out to the Tasman Sea and return up the northern side, your crew describes the natural features such as Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls that descend from towering slopes into the serene waters of the deep fiord, nestled in World Heritage–listed Fiordland National Park. See points of interest like Seal Point and snap postcard-worthy pics of Mitre Peak, which reaches a height of 5,551 feet (1,692 meters).

Enjoy complimentary tea and coffee on board, and dig into a provided lunch (if option selected) before your cruise ends at Milford Wharf.
Itinerary
Stop At:  
Southern Discoveries - Milford Sound Visitor Centre
Your journey starts here, check in with friendly staff at least 15 minutes prior to departure.
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Duration: 15 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Stop At:  
Fiordland National Park
Fiordland National Park is in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s known for the glacier-carved fiords of Doubtful and Milford sounds. A beech forest trail on the sandy Milford shore offers views of towering Mitre Peak. Nearby, the craggy Earl Mountains are reflected in the glassy surface of Mirror Lakes. On the Cleddau River, the Chasm Walk passes over bridges with views of powerful waterfalls.
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Duration: 2 hours 
Admission Ticket Free
Stop At:  
Milford Sound
Milford Sound is a fiord in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s known for towering Mitre Peak, plus rainforests and waterfalls like Stirling and Bowen falls, which plummet down its sheer sides. The fiord is home to fur seal colonies, penguins and dolphins.
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Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Pass By:  
Mitre Peak
Mitre Peak is a beautifully dramatic mountain in the South Island of New Zealand, located on the shore of Milford Sound. It is one of the most photographed mountain peaks in the entire country.
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Pass By:  
Bowen Falls
The stunning Lady Bowen Falls is Milford’s highest waterfall. It plunges 162m from a hanging valley into the head of Milford Sound and provides electricity for the Milford Sound township by feeding a small hydroelectric scheme, as well as being the water source for the settlement
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Pass By:  
Sinbad Gully
Nestled behind the world famous Mitre Peak, the Sinbad Gully is characterised by extremely steep glacially carved walls punctuated by near vertical granite cliffs. These walls slowed pest invasion into the gully and as a result a number of unique native species remain in the Sinbad. Southern Discoveries is passionate about preserving Milford Sound’s beauty for future generations which is why it’s a key partner in a major conservation project – the Sinbad Sanctuary Project. The aim is to see the valley of New Zealand’s most photographed mountain (Sinbad Gully is at the base of Mitre Peak) become a sanctuary for native species.
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Pass By:  
Stirling Falls
Milford’s second-highest waterfall is the Stirling Falls, a staggering 151m in height – three times the height of Niagara Falls, but the 1,300m mountain behind displaces this incredible height. This is the famous waterfall that Hugh Jackman ‘jumped off’ in the movie Wolverine. The sheer drop of the Stirling Falls allows boats and brave kayakers to get right underneath – it’s an incredible feeling to have the power of 151m worth of glacial water falling on top of you.
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  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • All passengers please advise country of origin at the time of booking
  • Car Parking: On arrival at Milford Sound you can park at the Milford Sound carpark at a fee of $20 for 5 hours. Please allow 10 minutes to walk from the main carpark to the Milford Sound Visitor Centre. Alternatively, you can park free of charge at Deepwater Basin Carpark and walk over to Freshwater Basin to the Cruise Terminal. This walk is approximately 30 minutes in duration, so additional time will need to be allocated in order to do this comfortably and arrive at the terminal 15 minutes prior to your cruise for check-in.
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Infant seats available
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers
  • OPERATED BY Southern Discoveries
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise Including optional lunch?
A:The policies on face masks and attendee health are:

  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
  • Face masks required for guides in public areas
  • Face masks provided for travelers
See all safety measures taken by Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise Including optional lunch.
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise Including optional lunch?
A:The policies on sanitization are:

  • Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
  • Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
  • Gear/equipment sanitized between use
  • Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
See all safety measures taken by Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise Including optional lunch.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise Including optional lunch?
A:The policy on social distancing is:

  • Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
See all safety measures taken by Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise Including optional lunch.
Q:
What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise Including optional lunch?
A:The policies on staff health & safety are:

  • Guides required to regularly wash hands
  • Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
See all safety measures taken by Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise Including optional lunch.

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Traveler Tips

  • "Leave really early such as 6:30 to avoid the crowds." See review

Reviews

4.5
star-4.5
139 Reviews
5 stars
82
4 stars
38
3 stars
9
2 stars
8
1 star
2

Reviews by Viator travelers

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Showing 1-10 of 139 reviews
star-5
Nature at its purest
jemma_w
, May 2022
Beautiful experience,lucky enough to see some dolphins on our trip, the rain made it that more epic as the rain creates those magical waterfalls. So if you’re lucky enough to get heavy rain don’t worry as it creates the most beautiful teardrop’s forming off the Mother Earth….
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star-4
Worth the effort to get there.
Richard_O
, Jan 2022
Leave your camera or phone or whatever inside with someone and go outside. You will get some truly spectacular views. If you think about what you are seeing, it's awesome. I am very glad to have done this.
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star-5
Magical and Magnificent!!!!
Baljit_K
, Jan 2022
Amazing views and great service from team on board. Good food for kids was a bonus. A must do on your Queenstown trip!!!
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star-5
Perfect
Layana_F
, Aug 2021
It was great. Breathtaking. We were very lucky because it was sunny and saw dolphins swimming with the cruise. The guide and the whole team was lovely too.
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star-4
worth a visit
connie_h
, Feb 2020
we came in January. waterfalls are smaller, but the view is beautiful. And do not miss the points on the way to Milford. There are lots of looks outs to stop over. Leave really early such as 6:30 to avoid the crowds.
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star-5
Milford Sound cruise.
Alan_T
, Feb 2020
We were unable to take up the Milford Sound cruise due to the heavy rain and flooding at the time. We were very disappointed but there were no other options available. The drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound is an experience all on its own. There are some great stopovers on route and it is well worth spending time travelling this 120km stretch of road. Plan to undertake the trip in no less than 4 hours.
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star-5
Milford Sound cruise.
Alan_T
, Feb 2020
Unfortunately we were unable to participate in this sightseeing cruise due to the recent flooding at Milford Sound. This was extremely dissapointing as we had undertaken the Doubtful Sound cruise the previous day. My wife had previously undertaken the Milford Sound Cruise which she rated very highly. Hopefully we may get a compliimentary voucher from Real Journeys as a result of our non-participation.
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star-3
Only Worth it in Good Weather - Not Worth it Otherwise
William_J
, Jan 2020
Staff were nice, boat was fine. I just think that every tour operator could advertise that you aren't likely to see much as Milford is constantly raining. I saw grey - lots and lots of grey. I did also see some waterfalls, but I saw a million waterfalls driving into Milford Sound too - so they appeared less special than they would have otherwise. It's probably worth booking tours on the day subject to whether you can see anything from the foreshore (if you go early morning or around 4pm, these are the times that are much less likely to book out). If you struggle to see the cliff opposite you, it's not really an experience worth paying for.
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star-4
Nice tour
Brendan_H
, Jan 2020
Nice tour, big boat and not too crowded (like some other boats we saw that day that were packed.. Jucy). Standard loop around the bay so hard to differentiate. Would have been nice for the staff to wipe down the rain water from the benches on the top deck so the passengers could sit down - very easy for them to do and has a big impact on customer experience
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star-5
Great cruise with spectacular views
Cindy O
, Dec 2019
This was a 9am cruise so we paid for breakfast as well. The cruise boat was spacious and clean and the breakfast was plentiful and delicious. There was enough commentary for it to be informative but not overwhelming. Great value
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star-5
Perfect Cruise
Nancy_L
, Dec 2019
Went on a beautiful, sunny morning and caught the 0900 hrs cruise. The hot breakfast served on board was a nice welcome. There were not that many people on board that early in the morning, so we had plenty of room on the open decks. Felt the spray of the waterfalls, saw a pod of dolphins swimming, seals sunbathing and the stunning scenery. All in, a perfect cruise.
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star-5
Lovely cruise
jsang22
, Nov 2019
We did the morning cruise and do not regret it. Beautiful scenery. Got to see mountains, waterfalls, and penguins. The cruise lasted 1 hr 45 min and included complimentary tea and coffee. The boat was very spacious too; it had three levels. Also, the drive to Milford Sound from Te Anau was stunning.
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star-4
Great way to see the sound.
Melinda_S
, Oct 2019
Scenery was stunning, lunch was nice, the crew on board were amazing and very helpful, the only problem was the person I first encountered at front desk was incredibly rude, so luckily the rest of the activity made up for that.
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star-5
Outstanding!
Ken_M
, Jun 2019
This trip was truly wonderful! We loved the scenery and even got to see dolphins and a fur seal. The waterfalls were running hard and fast from all the rain. The captain was informative and funny
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star-5
Most amazing boat ride of my life!!
CHERLISA_B
, May 2019
The boat, food, staff, and of course view was fantastic! The price was more than half off other sites.
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star-3
Nice tour. The option of going to the...
sebastian_lope
, Apr 2018
Nice tour. The option of going to the observatory was not well explained.
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star-5
This was an amazing tour. I had a...
Kishan S
, Feb 2018
This was an amazing tour. I had a fantastic time enjoying the Milford Sound Cruise. Waterfalls, Fog, Drizzles, Rough waters!! Carry a rain coat when you go on this cruise..
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star-5
Thoroughly enjoyed our cruise. We...
Glenn_B
, Jan 2018
Thoroughly enjoyed our cruise. We had perfect weather and the views were spectacular. Would certainly recommend this tour.
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star-4
This tour was good. We took the 10...
Nishant D
, Jan 2018
This tour was good. We took the 10$ breakfast option and it was worth it.
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star-5
Milford Sound is absolutely...
Gloria V
, Apr 2017
Milford Sound is absolutely beautiful, we went on a wet, drizzly day which meant the mountain tops were covered by cloud but the waterfalls were amazing and the scenery still spectacular. The boat was skillfully guided right under a waterfall which was thrilling for those of us who ventured to the bow. We had another bonus, maybe because of the rain, the sandflies didn't bother us at all.
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