Milford Sound Nature Cruise with Southern Discoveries

Overview

Available languages

German

Portuguese

Korean

English

Chinese (China)

French

Spanish

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.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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.

What To Expect

Your journey starts here, check in with friendly staff at least 15 minutes prior to departure.

10 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

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.

1 hour 45 minutes • Admission Included

Options

10:30am Cruise only

10:30am Nature Cruise

11.15am Nature Cruise only

1.30pm Nature Cruise & Picnic

3.15pm Cruise only

3.15pm Cruise

1.15pm Nature Cruise & Buffet

1hour 45min Milford Sound Nature Cruise with a freshly made Buffet Lunch.

12.45pm Nature Cruise only

1.30pm Nature Cruise & Buffet

11.15am Nature Cruise & Picnic

3.45pm Nature Cruise only

1.15pm Cruise only

1:15pm Nature Cruise: 2-hour Milford Sound Nature Cruise with complimentary Tea & Coffee

1.30pm Nature Cruise only

11.15am Nature Cruise & Buffet

10:30am Cruise & Picnic Lunch

10:30am Nature & Picnic: Enjoy a freshly packed Picnic Lunch onboard your Milford Sound Nature Cruise.

3.45pm Nature Cruise & Picnic

12.45pm Nature Cruise & Lunch

3.15pm Cruise & Picnic Lunch

1.15pm Cruise & Picnic Lunch

1:15pm Cruise & Picnic Lunch: 2-hour Milford Sound Nature Cruise with freshly packed Picnic Lunch.

Reviews

4.61

298 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

235

Wonderful Milford Sound Cruise Experience
Scenic23642714651,
Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A great experience with Southern Discoveries. The views were excellent, staff very friendly, and the boat was not crowded (10.30am departure) as we beat the tour buses. The skipper was extremely knowledgeable and was clearly an experienced local. We absolutely loved it!
Wonderful experience
Sally J,
Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
An amazing cruise. Beautiful scenery, great commentary. We got to see Fiordland Crested Penguins which was an added bonus. Friendly staff and the 10:30am cruise didn't many people on it. Highly recommend
Small and intimate Milford cruise experience!
OnAir56207049403,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I did the Discover More Cruise with Southern Discoveries, and I looooved how intimate and small the boat was (there was less than 10 people on board!), compared to the other cruises in Milford Sound with tons of people. I also loved having a nature guide on board that taught us so much about Milford Sound. We got to see wildlife such as penguins (which is super rare to see!) and sea lions which was so cool!! I’ve been to Milford Sound a couple times before, and this cruise was definitely the best one I’ve done here. :)
Milford Sound cruise
Christopher L,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00
A standard route through Milford sound similar to all other vessels. The pilot was knowledgeable and described many features but the sound was difficult to hear at times. The scenery was spectacular.
To arrive early at the...
R R,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
To arrive early at the terminal to arrange for car parking and allow 15 minutes of walk to the terminal.
Heaven On Earth
morehuw,
Nov 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Absolutely breathtaking, the cruise gave us the best views of Milford Sounds. The captain and crew were lovely, even slowing in areas with the best views, and added interesting commentary without overdoing it, and the coffee on board was a nice touch. Definitely a highlight of my trip.
Best experience down south
Navigator24198928869,
Nov 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Made me want to sell up buy a yacht learn to sail and live in milford sound,and I still might.Ive seen the pics on telly but didn't realize being there would be a spiritual experience.
Unforgettable
GoPlaces46656077019,
Oct 31, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We did the Milford Sound Southern Discoveries Nature Cruise with the VIP upgrade — and it was 100% worth it! The views were absolutely stunning, a true bucket list experience. The staff were amazing and provided exceptional service throughout, and the food selection was wonderful. A quick heads up for anyone driving in: there can be a bit of a wait before the tunnel into Milford, so factor that into your journey time. The road can also come to a sudden stop as you get close to the tunnel and there are some blind bends, so take it slow. Also, the carpark is about a 5-minute walk from the boat terminal, so allow a little extra time to get to check-in comfortably. Overall, an unforgettable experience and highly recommended — breathtaking scenery, friendly staff, and great value for the VIP upgrade!
A good experience in spite of apalling weather conditions.
tomcB4367QM,
Oct 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
We went out in appalling weather conditions - pouring rain, poor visibility but lots of waterfalls. The boat was very comfortable & the commentary was excellent. A good experience.
Milford sound spectacular
GoPlaces21735676824,
Oct 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A once in a lifetime experience that should not be missed. We did the morning run highly recommended. The drive from Queenstown was fantastic with some amazing scenery and the 2 hour cruise was beautiful. The weather didn't look like it would be clear but as we drove through the mountains it gave us 4 seasons in a day including snow !