Milford Sound Cruise: Extended and Leisurely Journey from Queenstown or Te Anau
4.8
157 Ratings
Queenstown
Embark on an extended and leisurely Milford Sound cruise from Queenstown or Te Anau. Experience the stunning beauty of the sound, spot wildlife, and enjoy informative commentary.
Duration: 12 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Milford Sound - RealNZ brings you closer to Piopiotahi Milford Sound’s magic amidst colossal landscapes and cascading waterfalls on a 2-hour cruise. Travel out to the Tasman Sea and pass by the world-renowned Mitre Peak. An onboard nature specialist will provide insightful commentary about the Fiord and be on the lookout for dolphins, penguins and fur seals.

• Glass-roofed coach transport from Queenstown or Te Anau
• 2-hour cruise of the UNESCO-listed fiord
• Restaurant quality food available for purchase onboard
• Unparalleled views from our outdoor decks and indoor lounge
• Discover Milford’s towering peaks, cascading waterfalls and lush rainforest

What's Included
  • Air conditioning available in the vehicle
  • All fees and taxes included
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Lunch (but available at extra cost)
Additional Information

Embark on a relaxed, prolonged journey through Milford Sound to the Tasman Sea, tailored for the liberated, self-governing voyager. Our nature cruises come with a flexible itinerary meant to give guests an opportunity to explore the features that make Milford Sound famous worldwide. You’ll spend approximately two hours drifting toward waterfalls, identifying wildlife, and absorbing knowledge from our expert Nature Guide who will be interacting with guests. Be on the lookout for wildlife such as seals, dolphins, and penguins.

If you’re interested in ordering a picnic lunch in advance, please get in touch with the provider directly after finalizing your reservation.

The bus ride from Queenstown to Milford totals around 5 hours. This includes occasional breaks at viewpoint locations and a 20-30 minute halt in Te Anau. For those coming from Te Anau, the trip to Milford lasts around 2.5 hours (one way). The cruising experience lasts for 2 hours.

Please be aware, the cruise happens on a variety of specialised RealNZ vessels purposely designed for such journeys.

  • Operates in all weather conditions
  • Please dress appropriately
  • Infant and Child rates are the same for this product
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
Location
88 Beach Street
Beach Street
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.8
(157 Ratings)
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600katrinaw
May 30, 2024
Spectacular location and a well paced experience - While this is a long day on a bus, Barry our driver did a fabulous job, enduring we were comfortable and pacing stops for food breaks and photo shoots. We were thrilled to see the young Kea in the wild! Our cruise was very enjoyable particularly since the boat took us up close to the cliffs & waterfalls. The sun shone & Fjordland, the forests, mountains, rivers & plains were truly amazing to experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alice_l
May 27, 2024
The bus trip to the... - The bus trip to the Milford Sound was fun with stops along the way for picture taking and sightseeing. We saw Kea which was a wonderful surprise. The Milford Sound cruise was large and in a good condition, a very enjoyable trip I would say. But I do recommend checking the weather before going, it would be a great scene if there was heavy rain. We were not that lucky so we didn’t see much waterfalls on the trip. Still, it was a good trip and I would definitely recommend it.
Review provided by Viator
Pamela_v
May 6, 2024
Great experience - Great experience, Nathan the driver was super nice, the coch and the boat were nice and big. If you are not a big fan of road trips this is not for you, it will take 6 hours to get to Milford sounds from Queenstown and 4 to go back. But it is a beyond beautiful!
Review provided by Viator
Fionamsh
May 2, 2024
Fantastic experience - Very well organized. The bus was comfortable and the glass ceiling a bonus for high mountain views. It was a bit of a squeeze though and not much space for a bag/ backpack.( If you are a larger build I'd recommend having a conversation with them before you book to ensure you will be comfortable). Our driver, Brian, was great fun and informative. We made several stops for photos on the way. The boat trip was wonderful and thecaptain/ guide friendly and informative. It was a beautiful sunny day but very cold out on the deck so dress warmly! We very much enjoyed the whole experience and definitely recommend it. We were on the Sovereign.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
495sonjat
Apr 20, 2024
Rainy adventure - Such a great trip. Much preferred taking the cruise from te anau so we could look at the scenery. We had heavy rains it was awesome. Bruce our driver was great
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gerald_l
Apr 14, 2024
A thoroughly enjoyable day & experience. - Brilliant Coach Driver with his commentary. Awesome views. the Captain on our boat Milford Haven went the extra mile to show us sights close up.
Review provided by Viator
E7681sncindyb
Mar 22, 2024
Great Way to Go - We were very pleasantly surprised with the whole experience, from booking online, to the check-in, the bus ride, and the boat, everything was seamless and easy. We were expecting a gong show, but it was anything but. Our bus driver from Te Anau, Reynald, was excellent, providing pertinent information along the way, and stopping at prime locations that weren't too busy. It was a very comfortable trip. The boat was excellent too, not over crowded, and again the comentary from the guide was very enlightening. We were going to drive to Milford ourselves, but are happy we didn't. We'd definitely recommend this tour with RealNZ to anyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michael
Mar 20, 2024
Fantastic experience! - I could not rate RealNZ highly enough, for the tour and also the service. Following a mixup with a different operator the previous day; an awful experience with the company concerned, we decided to book with RealNZ. Brilliant decision! It started with a happy friendly reception, Brandon, and just got better.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
230cherissek
Apr 21, 2024
Over priced and over booked - The coach trip to and from the cruise was good and the tour guide, Bruce, was very helpful and informative. We made a few stops along the way for pictures and the coach was large and comfortable with huge glass windows and a glass roof. However the positive coach ride was not followed by a positive boat cruise. It was a unorganised chaos of people running everywhere and pushing past eachother, it was like people had never been out before. There was no queuing system and people were pushing to the front and barging through. I was hit with umbrellas several times and also had my feet stood on many times too. About 99% of tables were reserved for tours, buffet food and other food options so if you tried to save money, like me, you didn’t have a seat option reserved and had to walk round and round hoping to find a seat, this was near on impossible as I was one of the last to board the boat. The whole journey was carnage and everyone was shouting and speaking so loud you can’t even hear the caption speaking and informing you of your surroundings. I understand the company cannot help the weather but it was so misty and cloudy you couldn’t even see the amazing views that you paid to visit. I at least expect to be able to hear about the history and facts about the area. Had I of been able to hear the announcements, the madness and stress of the unorganised people would have been worth it but instead I had to listen to everyone shouting and seeing no views for the entire journey. I wouldn’t recommend this company purely because of their lack of control of the guests on board and the inconsideration of people who have bought their own lunch. I paid a lot of money for this tour and didn’t enjoy the main attraction.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ginsengnewyork
Apr 28, 2024
DISSAPOINTING & UNCOMFORTABLE - Milford Sound is gorgeous, but getting there can be awful if you choose the wrong company, which is what we did with RealNZ!!! Uncomfortable 10 hour bus ride: Seats are narrow, so good luck if you have long legs. No toilets either on board! And no space for a small backpack... Poor time management! Our driver got to Milford Sound late and told us to run to our boat as it was leaving, which proved difficult as the quay is full of different groups trying to get on the right boat. Never again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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June 2024
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