Milford Sound Small Group Tour, Cruise, Picnic Lunch from Queenstown

This small group, fully-guided day trip combines the amazing return journey to Milford Sound with a boutique Milford Sound Cruise aboard Cruise Milford, the number 1 Trip Advisor rated cruise company, led by our famously passionate tour guides!

More info

Inclusions

• Small Group & Fully Guided Tour
• Cruise Entry
• Picnic Lunch
• Bottled Water & Snacks

Exclusions

• Scenic Return Flight
• Pickups from hotels not listed

Itinerary

• 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.

• Lake Wakatipu – Departing Queenstown we wind our way around Lake Wakatipu, with amazing views of ‘The Remarkables’ Mountain Range and the lake, stopping for photos is a must.

• Devils Staircase – Continuing around the lake we will pass through Devil’s Staircase. This elevated windy part of the road is famous for dramatic photos and setting the scene for the day to come.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Milford Sound – Following the valleys to the sea we arrive at Milford Sound where you will board your cruise with Cruise Milford (the No. 1 Cruise operator in Milford Sound on TripAdvisor). The Cruise Milford experience offers 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.

• 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.

• The Chasm – After your cruise do not fear the adventure is not over, there is the return journey with many more amazing stops. One of the stops during this journey (weather and timing dependent) is The Chasm. A spectacular bush walk and dramatic views of powerful waterfalls and water sculpted shapes in the rocks.

• 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.

• 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.

Extras

• One-way plane flight from Milford Sound to Queenstown
• One way heli flight from Milford to Queenstown
• Please note: Individual and total weight restrictions apply to specific aircraft and flights. Maximum weight limit 116 KG

Duration

• This experience will take approximately 13 hours.

Departure Location

• Our default central meeting point is The Station, Home of Adventure in central Queenstown.

Hotel Pickup

• We pickup from the below locations only. If your hotel is not listed we do not pickup from there so please select your closest alternative.

• Kamana Lakehouse

• Mercure Queenstown

• Heritage Hotel

• Rydges Lakeland

• Hotel St Moritz

• Crowne Plaza

• Novotel Lakeside

• Nomads Hostel

• Flaming Kiwi Backpackers

• Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel

• Pinewood Lodge

• The Station - Home of Adventure

• LyLo Queenstown

• Sofitel Hotel & Spa

• Aspen Lodge

• Ramada Queenstown Central

• Heartland Hotel

• Scenic Suites

• Holiday Inn Express & Suites

• Millennium Hotel

• Copthorne Hotel & Resort Lakefront

• Copthorne Hotel & Apartments Lakeview

• Swiss Belsuites Pounamu

• Oaks Shores Resort

• The Rees Hotel

• Holiday Inn Frankton Road

• Sherwood Hotel

• Frankton Bus Interchange

• Wyndham Garden

• Hilton Resort & Spa

• Jacks Point/Hanley's Farm

What To Bring

• Reliable Footwear
• Rain Jacket
• Sun Protection
• Camera

Additional Information

• Children under the age of 8 are legally required to travel in a safety/booster seat in our vehicles. You can either bring your own or you can rent one for NZ $20 per seat.

Terms And Conditions

• Children under the age of 8 are legally required to travel in a safety/booster seat in our vehicles. You can either bring your own or you can rent one for NZ $20 per seat.

Cancellation Policy

• Change your booking up to 24 hours before the start time of your experience​
• Changes are not permitted within 24 hours of your experience​
• Late arrivals or no shows may result in you forfeiting your experience​

Booking Information

• Confirmation in the form of a tour voucher will be received at time of booking
• Upon completion of purchase, please print the voucher and present on day of the experience
• Mobile Vouchers are accepted! Vouchers can also be presented on your mobile device for this attraction
• For your information, complete Tour Operator Information including contact details is included on your tour voucher
• Availability was accurate at the time of booking however, is subject to change due to circumstances out of our control
• We strongly suggest reconfirming your booking with the tour operator within 24 hours of making your booking and prior to making other travel arrangements