Milford Sound Day Tour with Scenic Cruise from Queenstown
Overview
Available languages
13 hours
Mobile ticket
Experience stunning scenery on an unforgettable day trip to Milford Sound. The pristine Milford Sound is part of the World Heritage Fiordland National Park, in the south west of the South Island, and is famed for its remote atmosphere and rugged beauty. It is New Zealand’s best known fiord and the only one that can be reached by road. Maori are believed to have discovered Milford Sound more than 1,000 years ago, returning seasonally to collect the prized pounamu (greenstone). In the early 1800s John Grono was the first European settler to land in the sound, which he named after Milford Haven in Wales. Described by Rudyard Kipling as the 'eighth wonder of the world', Milford Sound was carved by glaciers during the ice ages. Milford Sound is breathtaking in any weather. Cliffs rise high into the air from the dark waters, mountain peaks scrape the sky and waterfalls cascade downwards, some as high as 1000 metres.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Picnic lunch
Glass-roof coach transport with free WiFi
Hotel transfers (selected properties)
Milford Sound scenic cruise
Gratuities
What To Expect
Lake Wakatipu
Shaped like a lightening blot, Lake Wakatipu is New Zealand's third largest lake. You will be able to see views of the lake as you depart Queenstown.
Mirror Lakes Walk
Described by Rudyard Kipling as the 'eighth wonder of the world', Milford Sound was carved by glaciers during the ice ages. Milford Sound is breathtaking in any weather. Cliffs rise high into the air from the dark waters, mountain peaks scrape the sky and waterfalls cascade downwards, some as high as 1000 metres. When it rains in Milford Sound (and it often does) those waterfalls multiply with magnificent effect. See the mirror lakes of Earl Mountains
Options
Cruise, Tour & Lunch 7.40am
Tour, Cruise & Lunch 7.20am
Milford Sound Cruise
Picnic Lunch
Glass Roof Coach
Reviews
529 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Tour was canceled and I’m...
Anara O,
Sep 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
1.00Tour was canceled and I’m still trying to get a refund. I called multiple times and spent my money on roaming fees since their Support number was US number
Milford Sound
Randal B,
Sep 27, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00Our original tour operators Cheeky Kiwi cancelled our trip at 5pm the evening before trip. We rescheduled with another operator but the weather cut our trip short and we were unable to see everything in that amount of time. The bus driver was actually the best part of trip very informative.
Day trip Milford Sound.
KateMalaika,
Sep 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Fantastic day out to Milford Sound with plenty of interesting stops along the way. Of particular note is the stunning mirror lake and also monkey creek where we got to see some wild kea. Ivan the driver was fantastic with plenty of informative commentary along the way.
Beautiful trip to Milford Sound
Michelle Z,
Sep 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Adrian was a great driver. The trip is long and the roads narrow and windy. It's best to have a driver for this experience. The trip is long. It's a 12 hour day. Most of it is in the bus. We were very lucky to have a 5 hour window when the road to Milford sound was open that day. Our driver was knowledgeable and able to work our trip through the road opening.
Long day but well worth...
Jo M,
Aug 29, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Long day but well worth the time. The drive was relaxing, bus was very comfortable, Driver very informative, the scenery, you cannot capture the beauty. Milford Sound cruise was great. The rain did not dampen everybody’s enthusiasm
Milford Sound’s Finest: Dani and Abbi
238viennap,
Aug 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My partner and I booked this tour, and we are so glad that we did! Dani, our driver, and Abbi, our tour guide, were extremely experienced and knowledgeable, and kept us entertained on our 8 hours of driving! Dani skillfully navigated the windy roads while providing jovial commentary, and Abbi shared interesting stories about the area. Both gentlemen were passionate about the landscape and continuously offered to take photos of passengers at photo stops. We made many stops, including Lake Gunn, Mirror lakes, Fergus lake, the Chasm, Hundred falls, Homer tunnel, Monkey creek and Eglinton Valley, with a coffee stop at Te Anau. The views were spectacular, like nothing either of us have experienced before. The cruise along Milford Sound was magical, the cloudy and rainy weather meant that we got to experience mystical clouds and little waterfalls - they only run when there’s rain. 10/10 day!!
Absolutely amazing experience!
Compass65451509556,
Jun 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing trip, was really nice to be able to focus on the views rather than driving all the way there and the commentary from Nick the driver was brilliant. Easily the best money I spent whilst in Queenstown
A great day out to see one of New Zealand's most beautiful spots
Paradise16401295283,
May 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a brilliant day taking the bus from Queenstown to Milford Sound and back. One of the highlights of our trip was bus driver Nick who entertained us from start to finish with interesting and engaging commentary about the local area. He had an infectious enthusiasm for his job and his country and, as well as being a brilliant driver and a consummate professional, he was generous and patient at every turn. We felt very lucky to have been on his tour for the day! The trip is long, but worth it to see the spectacular landscape. Nick stopped several times for photo opportunities and the journey was never boring. The bus was also comfy, departed and returned on time and we had a great mix of people on the tour. Milford Sound itself was stunning and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing it on what turned out to be a great day of weather. The boat itself was nice but slightly chaotic and it felt like there were almost too many people on board. We arrived back in Queenstown delighted with our day. Thanks to Nick and awesomeNZ!
This tour is a great buy,...
Mark D,
May 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This tour is a great buy, and the quality is well worth the cost. Would do it again in a heart beat.
Just Wow!!
Jim F,
Apr 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The scenery was breathtaking. The slow pace of the boat made it so we could take everything in without feeling rushed.
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Operated by awesomeNZ Milford Sound Day Tour