Fiordland & Milford Sound

Milford Sound Nature Cruise

Badge of ExcellenceFiordland & Milford Sound, New Zealand
Milford Sound Nature Cruise

From $87.48

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

  • 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

See the Eighth Wonder of the World on a Milford Sound Nature cruise, led by a naturalist guide. Gliding past granite walls, glacier-fed waterfalls and stunning Mitre Peak aboard a smaller-sized vessel than most Milford Sound cruises, you’ll have great photo ops of this famous South Island attraction situated within the UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park. Stay on the water for up to 2 hours, and be on the lookout for Fiordland crested penguins and bottlenose dolphins.
  • Enjoy the atmosphere of a smaller-sized vessel with a naturalist guide
  • Learn about the diverse wildlife and geological formations of Milford Sound
  • Choose from several departure times to suit your schedule
  • Get a glacial facial under Stirling Falls

What's Included

  • Live commentary on board from our passionate skipper
  • FREE Tea and coffee
  • Picnic lunch (if option selected)
  • Nature Cruise
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • On arrival at Milford Sound you can park at the Milford Sound carpark at a fee of $10 per hour.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Southern Discoveries - Milford Sound Visitor Centre
    Freshwater Basin, Milford Sound Highway 94, Milford Sound 9679, New Zealand

    Check in at our Southern Discoveries Milford Sound Visitor Centre, which is clearly visible as soon as you enter the Milford Sound Terminal - Freshwater Basin, Milford Sound Highway 94, Milford Sound 9679.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Make your way to the Milford Sound Visitor Centre, where you’re welcomed aboard the vessel by your captain before boarding our spacious, modern catamaran.

Sip a hot cup of coffee or tea, and take advantage of spacious outdoor decks or the warm indoor seating with large viewing windows. Throughout the cruise, you’ll pass glacier-carved rock walls, such as the 5,550-foot (1,692-meter) Mitre Peak, jutting up from the fiord. Due to the boat’s smaller size, your captain comes close enough to the tumbling waterfalls to offer a taste of the pure waters from the frothy cascades. 

Search for fur seals, bottlenose dolphins and Fiordland crested penguins as you listen to commentary about this postcard-perfect landscape in the World Heritage–listed Fiordland National Park.

At the end of the cruise, your captain returns you to the Visitor Centre.

Southern Discoveries - Milford Sound Visitor Centre

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Fiordland National Park (Te Wahipounamu)

1 hour 45 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

Milford Sound (Pass By)

Bowen Falls (Pass By)

Mitre Peak (Pass By)

Sinbad Gully (Pass By)

Stirling Falls (Pass By)

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Infant seats available
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Please advise of your country of origin at the time of booking
  • Car Parking: On arrival at Milford Sound you can park at the Milford Sound carpark. Please allow 10 minutes to walk from the main carpark to the Milford Wharf 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.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 200 travelers

Cancellation Policy

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.

Traveler Photos

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Featured review
Udara_L
My Milford Sound cruise on the ship was truly unforgettable. The breathtaking scenery and majestic fjords make it a must-do for any traveler. The ship provided stunning views of towering waterfalls, dramatic cliffs, and the serene beauty of the sound. The crew was knowledgeable and friendly, adding to the overall enjoyment of the trip. Don't miss out on this incredible experience—it's a highlight of any New Zealand journey!

Reviews

4.5
211 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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0
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 211 reviews
Wonderful experience (except for picnic lunch)
Rodion_K, Apr 2024
Amazing place with fantastic scenery and interesting geography. Second visit with different weather (more sun this time) enabled us to see much more of the surrounding mountains. We were only able to book a cruise with a picnic lunch at the time we wanted which increased our overall cost by £17 per person. The picnic lunch was not worth half. Unfortunately we were out of options.
Fantastic trip
nancy_h, Apr 2024
The other guests the staff and the wildlife and views were great. The quiet moment was stupendous thank you. Good humor knowledge and expertise on all legs.
A great cruise
Paul_F, Apr 2024
Great cruise, excellent commentary, friendly crew, enjoyed the complimentary cups of tea, the views/ sights were stupendous.
Your services are very...
ZhonghuiJames_L, Mar 2024
Your services are very good and give us a good trip. Thanks. I will remember your brand and recommend to my friends.
Came for the experience, but stayed for the views
Lindsey_A, Jan 2024
Honestly it was nice to see this gorgeous area even though weather conditions were not great. It made for awesome waterfalls. I'd give the location 5 stars and the boat ride 2. I wish we hadn't done the meal option as everyone was crammed in a space like sardines and people were holding tables, you could barely get a seat unless you waited in the queue prior to leaving probably an hour or more ahead of time. It didn't feel personal at all and just like we were herded cattle.
Holiday highlight
Ross_W, Jan 2024
Easy to find information point. Helpful staff. Well equipped Boat. Stunning views that will stay with me forever.
Great Experience! A Must-Do!
Udara_L, Jan 2024
My Milford Sound cruise on the ship was truly unforgettable. The breathtaking scenery and majestic fjords make it a must-do for any traveler. The ship provided stunning views of towering waterfalls, dramatic cliffs, and the serene beauty of the sound. The crew was knowledgeable and friendly, adding to the overall enjoyment of the trip. Don't miss out on this incredible experience—it's a highlight of any New Zealand journey!
Magnificent views and great time.
Ansel_C, Dec 2023
Was a very beautiful cruise, and there was a narrator (announcer) to tell you where to look. We managed to see seals chilling on the rocks and also got to be sprayed by the mist of the magnificent waterfalls. Food and snacks were provided as well. Highly recommend.
The view is good
Beibei_S, Dec 2023
The rate for car parking is confusing and there is not enough information to locate the machine. The instrution of boarding is not clear.
Milford Sound adventure
Alex_G, Dec 2023
Good views of the sound! Definitely bring a rain jacket/poncho. The company was very accommodating rescheduling us to the next tour when we couldn't make original time. It takes much longer to get there and find parking that you expect. The views on the way are very scenic
Trip of a life time
brittanny_w, Dec 2023
Spectacular scenery, lucky enough to see lots of wildlife including seals, sea eagles and dolphins. Truly unforgettable
Unique fiord experience
Audrey_D, Dec 2023
The stunning scenery. The witty commentary nice chocolate cake and free tea. Disabled parking near the terminal was thoughtful and appreciated
Incredible!
Julie_F, Nov 2023
The rock cliffs were steep and beautiful - and we saw penguins and seals. We really loved the tour! It was the right amount of time on a boat, and not overcrowded. Great views and ride.
Great option for Milford Sound
Josh_D, Nov 2023
We really enjoyed the cruise. The boat had plenty of space for everyone to get a good view and the crew did a nice job of pointing out interesting things to see.
Over crowded, dirty, didn’t see wildlife
Danielle_M, Nov 2023
Bad directions given, no signage, $50 for parking, buffet food horrible felt so dirty, over crowded ship, didn’t enjoy it. Would go on another cruise or plane, Milford sound was amazing a shame for this tour
Must do
Gillian_E, Sep 2023
We had a lovely day although it was very wet but this created a different experience. Only thing I would say is the car parking and getting to the terminal is a bit confusing. More signage would be helpful.
Southern Discoveries...
Iqbal_H, Aug 2023
Southern Discoveries staff were really helpful. I missed my timing due to wrong planning. The staff were very kind to help me & my family on the next cruise available. The cruise was fun and enjoyable.
recommended
Jenny_C, Aug 2023
Well worth the 3 hr drive each way. The scenery was absolutely amazing on the drive and the kids got to experience seeing dolphins' seals and penguins.
Super & WONDERFUL!~
Michele_N, Aug 2023
What a great cruise! ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! Everything from check-in to boarding & the trip were outstanding. You cannot beat the scenery. Awesome.
Nice Milford Sound cruise
Faith_B, Jul 2023
Beautiful cruise and well organized. Competitive price. Clear narration without too much or too little overhead Speaking.
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