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Small Group, Award Winning Milford Sound Day Experience & Cruise

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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. Thisglobally award winning small group tour is for travellers seeking an all-inclusive, uniquely-kiwi, personalised trip from Queentown to Milford Sound and back.

Our fleet of modern Mercedes vans are fiited with leather seats, panoramic scenic windows, Wi-Fi and Spotify. Enjoy a small-group journey with 15 people maximum for ultimate comfort and undivded 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 2-hour boutique uncrowded cruise and picnic lunch while taking in the incredible beauty that Milford Sound has to offer!

Additional Info

Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness

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 2 hour cruise on the fjord, 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 waterbottle on tour with us. There are multiple locations to refill during the day.

Cancellation Policy

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

What‘s Included

Packed picnic lunch is included

WiFi on board

Convenient pick up and drop off locations around Queenstown

Knowledgable and friendly local driver/guides

2-Hour nature cruise on Milford Sound

Off-the-beaten track scenic photo stops en route

Tea & coffee available on the 2 hour nature cruise

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.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

1

Lake Wakatipu

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 16 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
2

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

Options

7.30am Departure & Lunch

Nature Cruise: This tour includes a two hour nature cruise on Milford Sound
Lunch: A packed picnic lunch is included on this tour
Standard Van: Our 7.30am departure is conducted in out standard premium Merceds touring vans
Pickup included

6am Summer Departure & Lunch

Nature Cruise: This tour includes a two hour 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

6.30am Glass Roof Van & Lunch

Cruise : This tour includes a 2 hour nature cruise on Milford Sound
Picnic Lunch: This tour includes a packed picnic lunch
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

2,243 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

2069
139
22
8
5
  • Mystical Sound

    Stella P,

    Oct 10, 2025

    - Viator

    5.00

    Boarding the cruise was smooth and easy. The hot water dispenser malfuntioned but the staff switched to using an electric kettle to ensure constant hot water supply for beverages. The cruise was smooth sailing and the commentary was helpful. While it rained on the day of our trip, the weather added a mystical feel to the Sound and made the waterfalls dance in the wind, creating a very different atmostphere and look!

  • I found the scenery and...

    brad n,

    Oct 9, 2025

    - Viator

    5.00

    I found the scenery and the tour to be wonderful Andy, our driver, was terrific with telling us about the surroundings as well as all of New Zealand history Everyone was very accommodating and made our experience a great one

  • Amazing Milford sound experience!

    Irina P,

    Oct 5, 2025

    - Viator

    5.00

    Amazing Milford Sound Experience! We had an incredible day exploring Milford Sound with a small group of just 14 people — such a big advantage compared to the huge tour buses we saw along the way. Our guide, James, was absolutely fantastic — very safe driver, full of interesting stories and local insights, and he managed everything with perfect timing but without any rush. The drive itself was breathtaking — honestly, almost as stunning as the fjords! The boat was medium-sized, super comfortable, with plenty of space indoors and on the covered decks to enjoy the views. Even though we didn’t get any sunshine, the fjords were still magical and impressive. A very warm, well-organized, and unforgettable experience — highly recommend!

  • Didn’t get the glass top van I booked – disappointing but great guide

    Eliza V,

    Sep 15, 2025

    - Viator

    3.00

    I booked this Milford Sound tour for my family through Viator months in advance, and at the time the booking clearly included a glass top van. This was one of the main reasons I chose Altitude – the Viator listing and promotional images all showed a spacious glass top van, and I’d even seen a video of another traveler on this exact tour enjoying it. The idea of seeing the Milford Road through the glass top sounded spectacular, and it was a real selling point for us as a family. If I had known it wasn’t going to be a glass top van, I would have booked a different tour. To then turn up and be in a standard van was a huge let down, and I was incredibly disappointed not to receive what I booked. It now seems the glass top is offered only as an extra feature, but I can say with certainty it was included when I booked, and at no point was I informed of the change. The only option when I booked was if we wanted lunch included or not. Throughout the day, we kept commenting how amazing a glass top would have been on that stunning drive – it really would have transformed the experience. The van we did travel in was okay but very uncomfortable for such a long journey. The recliners dug into most of our thighs (even the smallest passengers were complaining), and with a fully booked van there wasn’t a spare seat to spread out into. Ten hours in those seats was tough. There were also no charging ports, which feels like a basic feature that should be standard for such a long day. On the positive side, our driver and guide Allegra was absolutely outstanding – the real highlight of the day. She was warm, funny, and engaging, with so much knowledge about the legends, history, and natural features of the area. She’s also an incredible driver – we felt safe the entire way and somehow the long drive felt shorter thanks to her energy and skill. What made the experience extra special were the thoughtful touches she added – for example, playing Time by Hans Zimmer as we drove through the Milford Tunnel. Little things like that showed how much she cared about making the journey memorable, and they were so appreciated. Allegra really is a credit to Altitude and the main reason I’ve rated this as high as I have. I also pre-ordered the packed lunch, which was excellent – a chicken sandwich, fresh salad, and a delicious brownie. While it isn’t necessary (there are places to buy food on the way), it was nice to have something ready-made and tasty. The cruise on Milford Sound itself was fantastic, and with the rain, the waterfalls and atmosphere were especially dramatic – Milford really puts on a show. Unfortunately, the weather also meant no flights back (not the company’s fault), though after the uncomfortable drive there we were really hoping for that option. Overall, Milford Sound and Allegra made the day memorable, but I can’t give more than 3.5 stars because I didn’t receive what I booked. Altitude (and Viator) need to be clearer about the glass top van now being an optional extra instead of advertising it as standard, and the comfort of the vans needs serious improvement. Allegra was outstanding and the absolute saving grace of this tour. But in the end, I didn’t get what I booked, and I feel ripped off.

  • Best Queenstown Experience!

    Kristin l,

    Sep 14, 2025

    - Viator

    5.00

    My trip to Milford Sound was amazing. First of all, the weather was way better than expected - sunny in the morning, rainy a bit in the afternoon, snowy by evening, so we had a little bit of everything. Do, my tour guide, was such a great guide. Her driving was top notch, she gave lots of info that was easy to digest, played an epic soundtrack while driving that made the viewing experience all the better. Oh and we spotted a penguin, dolphins, and seals on the cruise. The day honestly couldn't have gone better. Highly recommend the tour as it was well worth the premium price!

From NZ$379.00

4.90
2,243 reviews
Check availability

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Operated by Altitude Tours Milford Sound Experience

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Australia: Pavel Australia Pty Ltd

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