Milford Sound Nature Cruise with Southern Discoveries
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 45 minutes
Mobile ticket
Discover Milford Sound with the experts. For over 70 years, we've shared our passion for the natural wonders of Milford Sound. Our premium catamarans are purpose-built for uncrowded comfort and unbeatable views.
More space means better memories. Enjoy ample room to roam, inside and out. Get closer to the spray of waterfalls and snap epic photos of Mitre Peak or Stirling Falls from outdoor viewing decks, or relax in the cosy interior cabins.
Immerse yourself in nature, not a crowd. We ensure a premium experience for all. Complimentary tea and coffee plus options to pre-order a picnic lunch or choose the To Kai buffet on selected departures.
Cruise with the original Milford Sound experts and discover the wonders of this unique fiord—all without feeling rushed.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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.
What To Expect
Your journey starts here, check in with friendly staff at least 15 minutes prior to departure.
Fiordland National Park (Te Wahipounamu)
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.
What‘s Included
Multi-lingual app for commentary available: App Store and Google Play search Southern Discoveries
FREE Tea and coffee
Live commentary on board from our passionate skipper
Picnic lunch (if option selected)
Nature Cruise of up to 2 hours
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.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Options
1.30pm Nature Cruise only
1.30pm Nature Cruise only
12.45pm Nature Cruise & Lunch
12.45pm Nature Cruise & Lunch
3.15pm Cruise & Picnic Lunch
3.15pm Cruise & Picnic Lunch
11.15am Nature Cruise & Picnic
11.15am Nature Cruise & Picnic
1.15pm Nature Cruise & Buffet
1hour 45min Milford Sound Nature Cruise with a freshly made Buffet Lunch.
3.45pm Nature Cruise only
3.45pm Nature Cruise only
1.15pm Cruise only
1:15pm Nature Cruise: 2-hour Milford Sound Nature Cruise with complimentary Tea & Coffee
10:30am Cruise only
10:30am Nature Cruise
10:30am Cruise & Picnic Lunch
10:30am Nature & Picnic: Enjoy a freshly packed Picnic Lunch onboard your Milford Sound Nature Cruise.
1.30pm Nature Cruise & Picnic
1.30pm Nature Cruise & Picnic
3.15pm Cruise only
3.15pm Cruise
12.45pm Nature Cruise only
12.45pm Nature Cruise only
1.30pm Nature Cruise & Buffet
1.30pm Nature Cruise & Buffet
11.15am Nature Cruise only
11.15am Nature Cruise only
1.15pm Cruise & Picnic Lunch
1:15pm Cruise & Picnic Lunch: 2-hour Milford Sound Nature Cruise with freshly packed Picnic Lunch.
11.15am Nature Cruise & Buffet
11.15am Nature Cruise & Buffet
3.45pm Nature Cruise & Picnic
3.45pm Nature Cruise & Picnic
Reviews
369 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
An awesome ride
Navigate47883132281,May 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Tim was nice to take photos of me...I find the narration too soft most of the time can't hear it well! They say biscuits available but none found though the club sandwich was good!
Superb experience
nelzn2026,May 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Thankyou thank you thankyou S/o uncle keith for the coach rides, caught it on a good day but wanna go on a bad day too and I hope I get him next time! Thankyou onboard services team! Y’all were so so niceee!! Best time of my life!! Nelz & Angela
Fantastic Experience
chloelK8434ND,May 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fantastic experience. Our driver and guide, Vaughn, was great! Very friendly, funny, knowledgeable and professional. The scenery from the coach en route to Milford Sound was incredible. Commentary was very interesting and we pulled over at several beautiful spots for photos. The cruise was amazing. Relaxing, stunning, and a brilliant way to see such a famous spot. A must-do if you're in the area!
Stunning scenic cruise with a professional company
Tapley58,May 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Professional crew made our trip one to remember. We struck a day with amazing weather, sunshine, no wind and no rain. Commentary on the boat by a young lady was very good, clearly she knew her stuff. Despite no rain we still were able to see a number of waterfalls and get up close and wet from one. A beautiful location to see in the comfort of the good weather. Even the Tasman was calm for us. The cruise started around 15 minutes late but the crew were very helpful in contacting our next activity to advise them of this slight delay. I would highly recommend this tour and company.
Outstanding Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Experience
amanda9099,May 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I did a return coach and cruise tour from Queenstown to Milford Sound, and it was absolutely amazing from start to finish. The true highlight of the day was the drive itself. The scenery along the way is unreal, and the journey through Fiordland is something you have to see to believe. We had plenty of photo stops at beautiful locations, which made the long trip feel enjoyable rather than tiring. A special mention to our driver “Vaughan” — incredibly knowledgeable, engaging, and informative throughout the trip. The commentary added so much value and made the landscapes even more interesting as we understood what we were seeing. The cruise in Milford Sound was lovely and well organized. Being out on the water surrounded by towering cliffs and waterfalls was unforgettable. This tour is well run, comfortable, and truly one of the best experiences you can have in New Zealand. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Queenstown.
Amazing tour! Highly recommend
Quest45703695357,May 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful experience on this tour. The bus tour guide Vaughan was exceptional. Lots of knowledge and history about all the different areas was shared with us along the way, lots of stops prior to getting to Milford sound to take pictures. He was so friendly and was probably one of the best bus tours we have been on thanks to Vaughan! The boat tour went for quite a while and we saw some amazing beauty of the Milford Fiords!! We were even lucky enough to see some dolphins and tuna fish jumping out the water. Beautiful day and beautiful tour with southern discoveries. I would highly recommend
Extraordinary
534matyt,May 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The Southern Discoveries Milford Sound tour was absolutely extraordinary. The views are breathtaking, the cruise itself is truly wonderful, and the entire experience exceeded every expectation. 🌊✨ We were lucky enough to see dolphins, which made the tour even more special. The entire staff was incredibly kind, professional, and punctual, making everything seamless from start to finish. If you’re visiting New Zealand, this tour is an absolute must — an unforgettable experience you should not miss.
Mother Nature shows its glory
Michel E,May 10, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Although it had been raining all night this enhanced the vista with all the water falls in there prime So excellent
Excellent views of spectacular scenery
BenjyBear,May 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Lovely cruise with plenty of room on deck to enjoy the views. Excellent guide who kept us all entertained. We say dolphins and seals and the scenery was spectacular.
Southern Discoveries Milford Sound
Excursion48427341858,May 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a really great experience with Southern Discoveries on the Spirit of Milford cruise (10:30 AM trip on 02/02/2026). It was such a fresh and memorable way to see the beauty of Milford Sound — absolutely stunning! The trip started right on time, so definitely recommend arriving at least 30 minutes early. There’s about a 15–20 minute walk to the check-in area, and parking machines can get busy, so getting there early makes things much easier. Staff were super friendly both at reception and on the cruise. The captain did a great job explaining everything clearly and guiding us to the best spots — really helpful, especially for international visitors like us. The crew were also lovely and even helped us take some nice family photos. Overall, a smooth, enjoyable trip and highly recommended if you’re visiting Milford Sound 👍
From NZ$179.00
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