Milford Sound Premium Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

Overview

Available languages

English

13 hours

Mobile ticket

Milford Sound is arguably the most scenic destination in New Zealand and a must-see for any traveller. Whether seen in sunshine or rain, the incredible views are guaranteed to leave you awestruck. This globally award winning small group tour is for travellers seeking an all-inclusive, uniquely-kiwi, personalised trip from Queenstown to Milford Sound and back.

Our fleet of modern Mercedes vans are fitted with leather seats, panoramic scenic windows, Wi-Fi and Spotify. Enjoy a small-group journey with 15 people maximum for ultimate comfort and undivided attention from your guide.

Let your Altitude Tours guide entertain you with in-depth knowledge of the area, as you travel from Queenstown into the Fiordland National Park on the famous Milford Road. Enjoy many scenic photo stops at both famous locations, as well as your guide's favourite spots.

Enjoy a 1hr 45min boutique uncrowded cruise and picnic lunch while taking in the incredible beauty that Milford Sound has to offer!

Additional Info

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Please bring walking shoes, warm clothes and rain jacket.

Please be aware that Milford Sound is a 5 hour drive from Queenstown (one-way with sightseeing stops). This is a full day excursion, and including the 1hr 45min cruise on the fiord, allow approximately 13 hours door to door.

A packed picnic lunch is included in your experience. The default choice is a chicken, however you can request a vegetarian lunch until 5pm the day prior.

Please bring a reusable water bottle on tour with us. There are multiple locations to refill during the day.

The cruise operator requires all passengers need to be able to board and disembark the vessel without assistance in case of an emergency.

Cancellation Policy

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

What To Expect

Start your day by meeting our friendly local guide at or near your Queenstown accommodation. You'll travel in style in a premium Mercedes van designed for touring with only 15 seats onboard. The first leg of our journey to Milford Sound transports you from Queenstown through the picturesque Southland farming country and the charming town of Te Anau, where we'll make a brief stop by the lakeside for refreshments.

Admission Not Applicable

Lake Te Anau

Lake Te Anau is in the southwestern corner of the South Island of New Zealand. The lake covers an area of 344 km², making it the second-largest lake by surface area in New Zealand and the largest in the South Island. It is the largest lake in Australasia by fresh water volume.

Admission Not Applicable

What‘s Included

Packed picnic lunch is included

WiFi on board

Convenient pick up and drop off locations around Queenstown

Tea & coffee available on the nature cruise

Knowledgable and friendly local driver/guides

1hr 45min nature cruise on Milford Sound

Off-the-beaten track scenic photo stops en route

To reduce single-use plastic, we do not provide water bottles. We recommend anyone travelling NZ to have their own reusable water bottle. There are several locations to refill during the day.

Pickup points

Mercure Queenstown Resort

21 Sainsbury Road, Fernhill Queenstown New Zealand

Hotel St Moritz Queenstown - MGallery Collection

10-18 Brunswick Street, Queenstown New Zealand

Copthorne Hotel & Apartments Queenstown Lakeview

88 Frankton Road, Queenstown New Zealand

Rydges Lakeland Resort Queenstown

38 - 54 Lake Esplanade, Queenstown New Zealand

Kamana Lakehouse

139 Fernhill Road Queenstown New Zealand

Rendezvous Heritage Hotel Queenstown

91 Fernhill Rd Queenstown New Zealand

Queenstown Holiday Park Creeksyde

54 Robins Road, P O Box 247 Queenstown New Zealand

Crowne Plaza Queenstown By IHG

93 Beach Street, Queenstown New Zealand

Options

6am Summer Departure & Lunch

Nature Cruise: This tour includes a 1 hr 45 min nature cruise on Milford Sound.
Packed Picnic Lunch : This option includes a packed picnic lunch box. The default selection is chicken, with options to change to vege.
Standard Van: This tour is conducted in our standard premium Mercedes touring vehicles.
Pickup included

7.30am Departure & Lunch

Nature Cruise: This tour includes a two hour nature cruise on Milford Sound
Packed Picnic Lunch: This tour includes a packed picnic lunch. The default option is chicken; please get in touch if you would prefer a vegetarian
Standard Van: Our 7.30am departure is conducted in out standard premium Merceds touring vans
Pickup included

6.30am Glass Roof Van & Lunch

Cruise : This tour includes a 1 hr 45 min nature cruise on Milford Sound
Packed Picnic Lunch: This tour includes a packed picnic lunch. The default option is chicken; please get in touch if you would prefer a vegetarian
Glass Roof Mercedes Sprinter: This option connects to our 6:30am departure which offers a guaranteed glass-roof top van.
Pickup included

Reviews

4.90

2,537 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

2347

152

Huge congratulations to the team for a great day out.
Marcus B,Mar 29, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00
It’s a long day but worth every minute of the day and the money. Chelsea our driver/guide was most accommodating with rest stops and she gave information about the areas.
Great trip
K6350BZandyb,Mar 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Excellent trip, guide was helpful and knowledgeable, and the trip on the sound was amazing!
Pray for a little morning rain!
angelag988,Mar 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
It was a full day of driving out to Milford, cruising, and driving back to Queenstown. It was FUN. It had rained in the early morning, so although it was wet and sometimes drizzled during our intermediate stops, the rain gave us loads of waterfalls and streams to see along the way. Our guide, Mylov, was full of interesting information on New Zealand. The land, people, and culture. One stop, we all climbed out and stood just off the road, holding our water containers under dripping moss. He walked back and forth, checking on everyone as they filled their jars with fresh rain water, filtered though the leaves and moss. Fun. Tasty also! While cruising, there were also a lot of waterfalls to see. We also got to go near one of the larger falls that kicked up an incredible amount of mist and wind. I had a rain poncho on, and it kept flying up and back. I'm not sure if the poncho helped keep me dry at all. My hair was soaked through.... but my jacket was partially dry. It was such a fun experience. The ford was amazing. Tall mountains plunging into the waters in a steep and deep drop. We cruised to the edge, touching on the ocean, then turned around. The ship was smooth. No rocking or jolts. They offered unlimited hot drinks (coffee, tea, or cocoa), and cookies. You could sit or stand on the open top deck, or go down to the sheltered seating. Toilets on board. We were all tired from the adventure during the return trip, smiling during our sleep.
Milford Sound cruise and coach
Darr J,Mar 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00
We had an incredible experience, what set this experience apart was our guide Chelsea who is so kind, funny and knowledgeable about…everything!
AMAZING and very highly recommended
Debbie P,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00
Amy was AMAZING! She kept us to time, shared her excellent knowledge of New Zealand and the South Island! Absolutely will recommend this tour
DO does NZ right!
1919Tess,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our driver & guide, Do, did an amazing job. Not only is she a great driver, she shared her wealth of knowledge about interesting places throughout our trip. And…she knows EVERYTHING about the Lord of the Rings movies & which scenes were filmed in New Zealand. Her easy-going and professional manner intertwine perfectly. Her love of NZ shines through all she shares about the country and its people.
Where there’s a Will…
P L,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Will, our guide and driver extraordinaire for the day made this highly anticipated trip truly a fun adventure! His energy from the minute he picked us up from the hotel to drop off was positive and upbeat! He engaged us with local facts, history, legends, and entertaining stories accompanied by a great music playlist. The brief stop for breakfast was a nice way to fuel us for the long journey ahead! The stops along the way were worthwhile and beautiful and broke up the day nicely! We had great weather made for a perfect boat ride through the Milford Sound. Thank you Will!
Great day
KarenC2223,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Really enjoyed our trip to Milford sound. I wasn’t looking forward to the long bus journey but it was actually fine. The bus is comfy and not cramped. We had plenty of stops along the way at a couple of small towns and at view points. Nicole was very Friendly, knowledgeable and approachable. Milford sound was beautiful saw sone seals and got a waterfall facial. The sandwich for lunch wasn’t my favourite but all in all a good day. Would recommend.
A good day’s journey to Milford Sound.
Patricia B,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
It was awesome Chelsea was fantastic. Her knowledge w impressive We thoroughly enjoyed our journey with your company.Chelsea certainly made the day special. Thank you. Patricia
Sensational and not to be missed experience!
U9958ZYkimb,Mar 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
What a life-changing experience! We experienced the absolute beauty of the trek to and of Milford Sound. Our guide, Stewart, was lovely. The pacing and places he stopped to enjoy the beauty were outstanding. This is an absolute must-do on every level! The beauty of Milford Sound is breath-taking.