Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour, Cruise & Picnic Lunch from Queenstown
Overview
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Milford Sound Tour & Cruise, this small group, fully-guided day trip combines the amazing return journey to Milford Sound with a boutique Milford Sound Cruise. Led by our famously passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life by sharing their stories and rich background knowledge, and run in modern, comfortable minibuses that are packed with extras, ensuring your comfort and safety.
Description
Highlights:
- Boutique Milford Sound Cruise
- Fiordland National Park
- Lake Te Anau, Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Hollyford River, Homer Tunnel & Mitre Peak
- Wildlife Spotting
Itinerary:
1. Queenstown - Your tour starts in the stunning city of Queenstown. As we drive out of the city your guide will not only set the scene for your adventure today but also point out and guide you past some of the area’s top highlights.
2. Lake Wakatipu & Devil's Staircase – Departing Queenstown we wind our way around Lake Wakatipu and through Devil's Staircase, with amazing views of ‘The Remarkables’ Mountain Range and the lake.
3. Lake Te Anau – After more amazing mountain, river and farmland views we arrive in Te Anau, home to Lake Te Anau, New Zealand’s second largest lake. While in this idyllic town we will stop for a break and maybe meet some of the local animals or wildlife. Continuing along the lake we stop at Te Anau Downs, the starting point for the Milford Track, to hear the stories and admire the views.
4. Eglington Valley – Leaving Te Anau and entering Fiordland National Park we stop in Eglinton Valley. With views worthy of Lord of the Rings, this valley follows the path of an ancient glacier through Fiordland. One of the first major attractions as you enter the park, it really sets the scene for a journey that only get more impressive the deeper you get.
5. Mirror Lakes – Our next stop on this epic adventure is Mirror Lakes for a short stroll to see the famous reflections of the Earl Mountains. Get the right day, take a good picture and no one with be able to tell which way is the right way up for the photo.
6. Lake Gunn – Continuing along the Milford Road we come across Lake Gunn. Named after a famous explorer and popular for fishing, often we will stop at Lake Gunn for some photos and to enjoy the peace.
7. Hollyford River & Falls Creek – A short drive away we start passing the Hollyford River a gorgeous and powerful river full of large boulders and rapids. Feeding into the river at Falls Creek is the first of our extremely impressive waterfalls of the area, one of many to come.
8. Darran Mountains – Climbing in altitude we go deeper into the Darran Mountains and these views require another stop to admire and take photos. We are also entering the area where Kea (the world’s largest alpine parrot) like to live. Start keeping an eye out for these large, cheeky and colourful birds that never fail to thrill and entertain when found.
9. Homer Tunnel – To make our way back down towards the sea we enter the mind-blowing hand-built Homer Tunnel, hearing the incredible history and stories. Emerging from the tunnel the valley descends sharply towards Milford Sound and on a rainy-day you will see hundreds of waterfalls cascading down the mountain side.
10. Milford Sound – Following the valleys to the sea we arrive at Milford Sound where you will board your cruise! Our Milford Cruise partners offer a boutique cruise on a smaller boat which is less crowded and a crew that offers a much more informative and personal tour of Milford Sound. The smaller boat means you get closer to the wildlife and nature including the New Zealand fur seals basking on the rocks, massive rock faces rising for hundreds of metres out of the sea and the waterfalls cascading from an ancient rainforest high in the mountains. This cruise is unbeatable.
11. Mitre Peak – While on the boat cruise you will be able to marvel at the awe-inspiring Mitre Peak, the iconic Milford Sound mountain, with its steep triangular peak rising high up above the reflective waters of the Milford Sound.
12. Pop's View Lookout – Next we pull over to admire the elevated amazing views of the divide in the Southern Alps, close to the start of the Routeburn Track. While here the guide will tell you the stories of ancient Maori explorers.
13. Queenstown – Sadly we must start to head back to Queenstown but your day is not over with a fully guided return trip and many stops and breaks along the way.
Please note: Individual and total weight restrictions apply to specific aircraft and flights. Maximum weight limit 116 KG
Cancellation Policy
Terms: Tours will only run if at least 5 people have booked on the tour, we reserves the right to alter the tour due to weather or operational needs.
A full refund will be issued for cancellations made a minimum of 10 days prior to the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Small Group & Fully Guided Tour
Cruise Entry
Picnic Lunch
Water available & snacks provided
Picnic lunch for infants (0-3)
Pickup from hotels not listed
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
Options
Reviews
3,288 reviews
Recommended for everyone in the world
River E,Apr 8, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Really fun, Martin knows a lot about the area and taught us a lot to break up the long drive. Really great experience, and the smaller bus made it feel more personal
Great experience
544januszg,Apr 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The trip was great , but our guide Sonja was definitely part of this success!
Mind blowing scenery
Dave B,Apr 8, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A lovely way to see the scenery , having a Coach ride we could sit back and take it all in. I recommend it
Amazing tour!
Journey627361,Apr 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing tour, our tour guide, Amy, was so knowledgeable, friendly.
Must see attraction in New Zealand
Vacation751588,Apr 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very cool experience seeing Milford Sound as well as multiple other stops on the way. It’s a loooong day, but worth it.
Milford Sound on 3 April 2026
bksidhu16,Apr 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Hi we (Malaysia team) had an absolutely fantastic experience with Mr Cheeky Kiwi Travel on our trip to Milford Sound on 3 April 2026 . From start to finish, everything was well organized and seamless. The journey itself was just as breathtaking as the destination, with stunning scenery all along the way that made the drive truly unforgettable. The lunch provided was enjoyable and well-prepared, adding to the comfort of the overall experience. Even though we encountered rainy weather, it was completely beyond anyone’s control,and honestly, it added a unique charm to the landscape, making Milford Sound feel even more dramatic and magical. The tour guys was professional, friendly, and made sure everyone was comfortable throughout the trip. Overall, it was a memorable and worthwhile experience. Highly recommended to anyone visiting New Zealand!
Awesome day at Milford Sound.
Kenneth W,Apr 5, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound. Every type of scenery can be seen. Our driver was excellent and his knowledge of the area helped to make a great day even better. I highly recommend this day tripper.
Definitely worth a 10/10
jessmX2023ZS,Apr 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Danny was a fantastic tour guide. He was fun and engaging - at both a 7am pickup and a 7pm drop off. He kept us entertained on the many hours of driving with music, local stories and history, games - and was always checking to see if we were comfortable with temperature / water / snacks. It was great doing this as a small group as it meant no one got overlooked or left out. This was definitely worth the money - so many different photo opportunities - and ones you can’t access in a big tour group. It’s a LONG day but it honestly didn’t feel like it, as on the way to Milford Sound - you stop for lots of photos of different sites and locations. We’ve booked two CheekyKiwi tours on this trip (based off past recommendations) and honestly cannot wait for the next one!
Great tour! Incredible guide - Dani
gustavo m,Apr 5, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The ride was super and Dany, our guide was amazing !! The best !! The places were perfect! And all was synchronized
Above and Beyond!
AverieH,Apr 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My alarm didn’t go off. Neither did my back up alarm. It was thanks to Raghav, our tour guide, who just kept calling me back to back, that I finally woke up. I was freaking out. He was perfectly calm. He said if I could be down in front of my hotel in 10 mins he’d pick me up on the way out of Queenstown. I was like a frantic tornado getting out of my hotel room, but I made it down there as Raghav was pulling up. I apologized profusely to him and everyone else on the tour, and Raghav said, “No one gets left behind on my tour.” I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that. And he made up the time on the drive, without having to skip a single stop or break along the way, and with time to spare before our cruise. This tour was my last blast excursion before leaving NZ/Aotearoa the next day. And Milford Sound was so worth it - teeming with waterfalls and baby seals - it would’ve been devastating to miss. I didn’t get to take the flight back to Queenstown because of high winds, but by the time I was back in the van I had the refund for the cancelled flight in my account. Raghav is my hero. 100 stars for Raghav.
From A$315.26
Queenstown, New Zealand
- Free cancellation
Reserve Now & Pay Later - available
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