Wanaka
Beyond Wanaka

Milford Sound Glacier Flight & Cruise from Wanaka

Badge of ExcellenceWanaka, New Zealand
Milford Sound Glacier Flight and Cruise from Wanaka
  • 4 hours
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Experience the rugged beauty of remote Milford Sound from Wanaka, all in half-a-day. With a choice of morning or afternoon flight departures, fly over lush national parks, epic glaciers, and alpine lakes, before touching down in the Sound. Enjoy a scenic cruise, keeping an eye out for some of the local inhabitants including seals, penguins, and dolphins, before returning to Wanaka by plane.
  • Meet at Wanaka airport for a 45-minute scenic flight to Milford Sounds
  • During the flight, see the some of the best scenery in the South Island
  • Experience Milford Sound without spending hours driving on country roads
  • Boat cruise includes tea and coffee, as well as refreshing commentary

What's Included

  • Scenic flight & boat cruise
  • Free parking at Wanaka airport
  • Coffee and/or Tea
  • Personal expenses
  • Food and drink

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • 12 Lloyd Dunn Avenue, Wānaka 9382, New Zealand

    Departure Point: Southern Alps Air Reception at Wanaka Airport. Allow 15mins to self-drive from Wanaka. Free all day parking right outside our Blue Building directly ahead of you when you turn in to the Airport entrance way. Address: 12 Lloyd Dunn Avenue SH6, Wanaka Airport Dates: See Availability

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Southern Alps Air - Scenic Flights

4 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Siberia Experience

4 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 23 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.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

See more
Featured review
Tracy_S
Incredible half day trip. The flights were the highlights of the day and the views of the mountains, lakes and glaciers were awesome. Loved the approach and landing into Milford Sound. The cruise was pleasant and a nice interlude before the return flight. I’ve never travelled in a 6 seater Cessna before and I’m quite an anxious flyer but so glad we did it. George, as are all the pilots, was a superb, safe and extremely competent pilot and a very nice guy, to boot. Large sum of money for us to outlay but so glad we did it. Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. My 11 year old daughter loved it. Be sure to book early in your trip to the area as weather can cause cancellations and so wise to leave some time later in your itinerary to rebook, if necessary. Big thanks to everyone at Southern Alps Air for an unforgettable day.

Reviews

4.5
45 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
0
0
0
0
0
Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 45 reviews
Phenomenal experience!
Peter_V, Apr 2024
The flight, cruise and flight back was phenomenal in terms of views, comfort and style. I couldn't recommend this experience enough! Totally worth it! Winston our pilot was friendly, informative and a great pilot!
Beware of weather cancellations
Ronda_M, Mar 2024
The morning of our trip was windy and overcast in Wanaka and was canceled due to weather in Milford Sound. That afternoon the weather cleared up and they were trying to reschedule our flight for 2:00pm but it was cancelled too stating weather conditions were bad in Milford Sound. The next day we booked another boat cruise & drove the 10 hour roundtrip there only to find out from boat crew, that the weather had been a perfectly beautiful day the afternoon of cancellation. So we missed a beautiful afternoon and spent the following in the rain.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Hi there, Sorry that we were unable to fly you to Milford Sound. As we depart from Wanaka, and other flight operaters depart from Queenstown, we follow a different flight path, meaning the weather condtions are not always the same on these different routes. This can mean that Queenstown operators can proceed and we cannot (and vice versa). Low cloud and wind are issues that can be encountered anywhere on the path between Wanaka and Milford. We always err on the side of caution as safety is our top priority and it would be irresponsible to fly in unsuitable condtions. Apologies again that we couldn't fly in such condtions. We hope to have you fly with us again sometime in the future when the weather is better! Thank you, The team at Southern Alps Air
Amazing experience
JanJohan_K, Jan 2024
The scenery of Mount Aspiring National Park is amazing when seen from above. The combo of flying to Milford Sound, then doing the milford Sound Cruise, and then flying back via different path is greater than great!
Best thing we did in NZ!
Shannon_B, Dec 2023
This was such a cool flight! Hamish is a skilled and safe pilot. He did an excellent job providing an amazing experience. We couldn’t stop talking about what an amazing flight we had. Everything was stunning and the boat cruise was very family friendly. The communications via email through Viator left a lot to be desired. Hopefully they work on that, the experience itself was fantastic. FYI - they will only fly under visual flight rules, not IFR. This means if the weather is bad you will need to reschedule. Try to book an afternoon flight because the clouds lifted through the day while we were there around Christmas. Also if your flight does get cancelled, know that it is for your safety. It’s a great pilot who decides to stay on the ground when weather looks marginal. Sign up for this! It was awesome!!!!
Great experience
Elena_T, Dec 2023
The flight was absolutely stunning, cruise is fun and exactly the right length. Trip is very well organised and schedule worked out exactly as advertised.
Cancelled trip
Catrin_D, Dec 2023
Unfortunately our trip.was cancelled due to poor weather conditions. We were however very luck to have taken the trip.with another company from queenstown a few days later.
You NEED to do this!
Peter_A, Dec 2023
You NEED to do this… My partner has a fear of heights and I thought she’d struggle…she absolutely loved it and felt completely safe throughout the flight (slight turbulence and all) The pilot went well out of his way to make sure everything you could have wished for was covered-from a very knowledgeable commentary about each step of the flight, to offering to take pictures for you outside the aircraft. He was fun, witty and VERY polite-a credit to his firm. The flights themselves were breathtaking and I can’t imagine a better way of soaking in all of the scenery-probably the best flight I’ve been on so far. The cruise was very good too in an uncrowded large boat, again, allowing you to soak up the scenery in a unique way. This trip was worth every bit of the price and I would do it again should I visit the South Island in the future…highly recommended and the highlight of this holiday so far 👍🏻
Outstanding experience.
Tracey_C, Nov 2023
Stunning flight and picture perfect day at Milford Sound. Henry, our pilot did a wonderful job and was very informative.
Just Incedible
judy_r, Oct 2023
Hamish was an incredible pilot. He kept things smooth, gave excellent commentary and showed the beautiful SO. Alps before landing at Milford Sound WHAT A MEMORABLE DAY!!
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Hi Judy, We are glad to hear you enjoyed your flight. Thank you so much for flying with us! All the best, Southern Alps Air Crew
Amazing Experience
Joseph_W, Sep 2023
This was an absolutely fantastic experience. The Southern Alps Air staff were amazing and professional. We thoroughly enjoyed the flight to Milford Sound. The views from the plane were spectacular and our pilot Ryan was very knowledgeable about the area and gave us a very good commentary on the landscape that we were flying over. The cruise was also great. Getting down and actually being in the sound was absolutely awesome and a once in a lifetime experience. We would definitely recommend this experience 100%.
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Hi Joseph, What an awesome review, thank you so much! We loved having you fly with us. Best wishes, The team at Southern Alps Air
Great way to see Milford Sound
Marina_H, Sep 2023
The flight over to and through Milford sound was amazing, this was the best part of the day. Really enjoyed the stories and the information the pilot shared (Hamish) as we flew over Mt Aspiring national park. I could have happily flown around for hours. The boat cruise was most enjoyable when the sun was shining and wind wasn't blowing... A way to improve the experience, would be to have the ability to converse with everyone in the plane.
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Thank you so much for your great review! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed your time on this tour. All the best, The team at Southern Alps Air
The trip that didn’t happen
Kourosh_F, Jun 2023
Despite our payments and the fact that we had our tickets , they had no record of us and then they postponed us to the next day. Due to weather it didn’t happen the next day either. We lost the opportunity to see Milford Sounds. If we had known we could have made other arrangements for ground transportation. It was very unprofessional how it was handled!
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Hi Kourosh, We are sorry that you were not able to get to Milford Sound. We investigated into this further and we see that we have exchanged several emails with you which confirms we did have a record of your booking. Sadly, poor weather conditions means we cannot fly, this is stated on your ticket, and of course we want our passengers to have the best and safest experience possible. This is why we had to postpone or cancel this flight and you were provided a full refund, as per our cancellation policy. We always handle these situations with professionalism and we do our best to find an appropriate outcome. We want to fly as much as our passengers do! Again, apologies that you were unable to make to Milford Sound with us, we hope to have you fly with us in the future and that it is a beautiful day. All the best, The team at Southern Alps Air
Excellent Glacier views
AnnaMaria_N, Jun 2023
Excellent flight over the mountains and Glaciers. Our pilot pointed out all the sights and flew the plane really well.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Hi Anna, Thanks for your lovely review! We are so happy you enjoyed your experience with us. All the best! The team at Southern Alps AIr
Scenic Flight
Nan_J, Apr 2023
What an amazing experience. Snow covered mountains, glaciers, lakes, rivers, and mountain ranges stretching off into the distance. Then Milford Sound to top it off. Return journey just as spectacular.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Hi Nan! Thank you so much for the great review. We are so happy to hear you had a fantastic time! Enjoy the rest of your holiday. All the best, The Team at Southern Alps Air
Awesome experience
Ian_M, Feb 2023
Absolutely stunning from start to finish The weather was perfect for the trip Will definitely do it again next time we’re in NZ
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Hi Ian, It is so great to hear you had a great experience with Southern Alps Air! We are so glad you enjoyed it and we hope the rest of your holiday was fantastic too! Looking forward to flying with you again the next time you visit New Zealand! All the best, The team at Southern Alps Air
Spectacular!
Lyn_D, Jan 2023
Probably one of the most spectacular events that I’ve experienced in my life. A small plane - just 6 people - flying over rivers and lakes and mountains that are absolutely stunning followed by a cruise that gave a different perspective of this beautiful place. Topped off by a visit from a pod of dolphins. Our pilot Johan was great - describing the landscape as we flew. Even spotted the peak of Mt Cook above the clouds. Worth every penny
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Hi Lyn, Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review of your flight! We appreciate your feedback and are so glad you had a great experience. All the best, The SAA team
Unforgettable experience
Lorenzo_C, Jan 2023
For ys, the most incredible part was the flight. You can see very close the mountains, and our pilot was very nice snd explained everything we asked for. The cruise is awesome too because you can see the fiords closer but the boat is big so is not that near with us. In overall, such an unforgettable experience.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Thank you for taking the time to write this review. We are glad you enjoyed the experience and hope you enjoyed your holiday.
Must do experience
Colin_N, Jan 2023
We are from Scotland. All members of staff on flight and cruise were professional and friendly. The scenery was breathtaking.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review. We are glad you enjoyed.
Flight over Milford Sound
Fredene_P, Dec 2022
Our trip from Wanaka to Milford Sound was outstanding. We would have given it 5 star but we were extremely disappointed because at the last minute the company decided that the flight conditions were not good enough to stay long enough for the cruise and they only rebated us back $100 in total for 2 people. They called us 30 minutes before the flight and said that the flight would be going ahead but did not tell us that our cruise portion would be cancelled. We had to ask for the rebate and we don’t feel that $50 for the cruise that is at least $100 each to book is fair. Very little commentary during the flight. But having said all that, the flight was incredible and we would highly recommend l.
Response from Host, Dec 2022
Hello, thank you taking the time to write this review. We are glad you enjoyed the flight and we are sorry that the weather wasn't up to a good enough standard for the cruise. We endeavour to get as many flights on the cruise as possible but unfortunately the weather can be unpredictable. The cruise we offer is at a discounted rate than what you may find online. We charge $595 for the Milford flight with the cruise and $535 for a Milford flight with a brief landing, such as your flight. It is a $60 add on, and this is what you should have been refunded. If there is any confusion please feel free to contact our office and talk to one of our staff directly. We are glad that you enjoyed the views and the flight. We wish you and your family a lovely Christmas. Adele and the Southern Alps Air team.
Fantastic flight
Audrey_C, Dec 2021
The whole flight was fantastic, we got to see just how vast the southern mountain ranges were, the cruise was spectacular, penguins and seals then anther spectacular flight back highly recommend it.
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Oh we are so glad you enjoyed. Thank you for choosing us and we hope you got a few pictures of the seals and penguins. Thank you for writing this review! Adele and The Southern Alps Air team
Likely to Sell Out

From $396.43

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

Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought

Explore Similar Things to Do

Help CenterCustomer CarePrivacy and Cookies StatementAbout ViatorNewsViator blog
© 1997-2024 Viator, Inc.
Terms & Conditions