Fiordland & Milford Sound

Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise with optional Picnic or Buffet

Badge of ExcellenceFiordland & Milford Sound, New Zealand
Milford Sound Sightseeing Cruise including Optional Lunch

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

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)

What's Included

  • 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
  • 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

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

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.

Southern Discoveries - Milford Sound Visitor Centre

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Fiordland National Park

2 hours Admission Ticket Free

Milford Sound

1 hour 45 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Mitre Peak (Pass By)

Bowen Falls (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
  • Most travelers can participate
  • 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 $10 per hour. 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
Don_R
The best cruise for enjoying the Milford Sound. The staffs where so friendly. The captain knew how to maximise the experience by getting us close to the waterfalls

Reviews

4.5
174 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 174 reviews
Disappointed
Barbara_N, Mar 2024
A long way to drive for a very short boat ride. We were crammed in a boat with a lot of people, stuck in a line for our meal, which was just mediocre food. You have a tray of food, no where to walk, reserved seats all around you by the windows, nowhere to sit - it was awkward and annoying. Boat trip was going on while trying to get food, so you could not look out and see things. So many people and nothing special. It was pretty, mountains are steep, but it went by so fast. Captain mumbled and you couldn’t understand everything he was saying, just some words here and there. None of the servers at the meal looked happy or like they wanted to serve you - more like they were annoyed you were there. For how long you drive to get there, they should make this ride out in the sound longer and more special, make it worth the trip - I would not do this one again.
Awesome
Sheila_M, Feb 2024
The captain was both informative and funny. He added a lot to the experience!! We would recommend this tour to anyone who is in the area. It was amazing!
Missed our trip.
WenGinn_T, Feb 2024
Cruise location and parking location has an about 10 minutes walking distance, you also need to pay parking fee by input your car license plate. Also when approaching Mildford Sound state route 94 has a little traffic. Trip description didn’t remind people about this, we missed our 1:15 PM buffet trip. If you are the first time to come to this tour, plan your trip at least 45 minutes ahead before the tour begin.
Great scenery - great...
James_H, Jan 2024
Great scenery - great employees! The boat was clean and the captain got right up close to waterfalls!! Had a great time
Incredible experience of...
Reetesh_P, Dec 2023
Incredible experience of sound best in world reality of nature and cruises are undefined magical experience
Good
LEE_Y, Dec 2023
Good and fantastic experience Never forgot Raining day but so nice and I will go there if I go to NZ
Must—do
Emma_T, Oct 2023
Fantastic must-do experience of your visiting this part of New Zealand. Make sure you’re ready for wet weather!
Great cruise
Margaret_M, Aug 2023
The commentary on this cruise is wonderful gives great insight to the place. Wonderful place to see and learn about
Treasure in our backyard
carla_k, Jul 2023
Thank you to the staff, the captain was so friendly and approachable and knowledgable. It was great seeing the dolphins, seals, and the beautiful scenery.
Wonderful winter wonder
Mark_T, May 2023
The rain because it showed the true beauty of the Milford Sound.! The Captain and crew were just wonderful and the ship was very comfortable! Thank you all
The Cruise To Be
Don_R, Apr 2023
The best cruise for enjoying the Milford Sound. The staffs where so friendly. The captain knew how to maximise the experience by getting us close to the waterfalls
Scenic feast
Jonathan_L, Mar 2023
The cruise provided the right length of time to get up close to the mountains and waterfalls. The buffer food was great and the staff friendly. The boat was clean and stable
Expected more
Soeren_J, Mar 2023
A bit too expensive for just a sailing trip and lunch. The location is beautiful though. Also was sold as ECO 2 hour trip with animal spotters but was just normal large cruise lasting 1.5 hours
Rainy but stunning
Phebe_J, Feb 2023
Although it was pouring rain, it was a wonderful experience. Our boat captain was knowledgeable and gave us sights that we wouldn’t have seen in sunshine; lots of amazing waterfalls. He also kept us informed about the weather/wind. Highly recommend
Sharing the stories of the whenua
Jane_D, Jan 2023
The commentary in Te Reo was a lovely addition and greatly appreciated. The amazing views and the squeals of joy from our friends who has never seen the sights before was another stand out moment.
Epic
George_M, Dec 2022
The drive to Milford sounds was sunning, incredible landscape and picture opportunities with added optional walks along the way!
Good
Charan_A, Dec 2022
Good trip and courteous host. Enjoyed the experience. Had the experience of coming close to a waterfall, it was surreal.
Breathtaking
Liesje_A, Nov 2022
Photos don’t do this place justice! And the Knowledgeable crew members made it more enjoyable. Absolute wonder if the world.
A must do in NZ.
Glenyce_J, Nov 2022
An amazing part of the world. Views were fabulous and narrative on the cruise pointed out many animals and information about Milford Sound. Picnic lunch was fresh and tasty.
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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