Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

4.9
(2,542 reviews)

13 hours (approximately)
Pickup offered
Offered in: English

Premium small group tour including a boutique Milford Sound cruise designed for an immersive viewing experience, and picnic lunch from Queenstown. There is no better way to see this most famous of attractions!

Highlights:
• Milford Sound Cruise
• Fiordland National Park
• Lake Te Anau, Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Hollyford River, Homer Tunnel & Mitre Peak
• Wildlife Spotting

While the destinations you will be visiting are truly spectacular, Cheeky Kiwi Travel believe it is our small groups, our guides, the journey and little details that set our tours apart. Secret stops, wildlife viewings, specially designed vehicles and other pleasant surprises ensure our tours are an experience to remember.

Our tours are led by our passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life by sharing stories and background knowledge, and run in modern, comfortable minibuses that are packed with extras, ensuring your comfort and safety.

What's Included

Water available & snacks provided
Picnic Lunch - please note dietary requirement at time of booking
Cruise Entry
Small Group & Fully Guided Tour
Hotel pickup & drop-off (listed locations only)
Picnic lunch for infants (0 - 3)
Child safety car seat available for NZ$20 (notify 24 hours prior to tour)
Optional extras and activities - please select the tour option you want at time of booking

Meeting and pickup

Pickup points
You can choose a pickup location at checkout (multiple pickup locations are available).
Pickup details:

- Pickup offered from listed locations only. If your location isn’t listed, please choose your nearest available option & meet us there. - If your accommodation is yet to be confirmed, we ask that you select The Station - Home of Adventure for now. You can update this later! - Pick-ups begin up to 20 minutes before the tour departure time. To ensure a smooth start, please be ready and waiting outside by this time. - Pick-up locations are carefully planned for each tour and may vary by day. If your pick-up location changes, kindly inform us in advance. - Our guides make multiple stops and may arrive within a 10-minute window. To ensure a timely departure, we recommend being ready 5–10 minutes early, as we are unable to wait for late guests. - You will receive an email with important pickup information the day prior, please read this information.

OR
Meeting point

PICKUP TIMES: 6:30am for our 6:30am departure 7:00am for our 7:00am departure If your accommodation is yet to be confirmed, we ask that you select this location for now. You can update this later!

End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Duration: 13 hours (approximately)
  • Queenstown (Pass by)

    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.

    Admission ticket free
  • 1
    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.

    10 minutes Admission ticket free
  • Devil's Staircase Lookout Point (Pass by)

    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.

    Admission ticket free
  • 2
    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.

    20 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 3
    Eglinton 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.

    10 minutes Admission ticket included
  • 4
    Mirror Lakes Walk

    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.

    10 minutes Admission ticket included
  • 5
    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.

    5 minutes Admission ticket free
  • (Pass by)

    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.

    Admission ticket free
  • 6

    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.

    10 minutes Admission ticket free
  • Homer Tunnel (Pass by)

    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 hundreds of waterfalls cascading down the mountain side.

    Admission ticket free
  • 7
    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).

    2 hours Admission ticket included
  • Mitre Peak (Pass by)

    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.

    Admission ticket free
  • 8
    Pops View Look Out

    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.

    10 minutes Admission ticket free
  • Queenstown (Pass by)

    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.

    Admission ticket free

Additional info

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
Supplied by Cheeky Kiwi Travel

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Tags

Day Cruises
Day Trips
Nature and Wildlife Tours
Full-day Tours
Bus Tours
Private and Luxury
Lunch Cruises
Walking Tours
Ports of Call Tours
Water Tours
Nature Walks
Shore Excursions
Excellent Quality
Viator Experience Award 2024
Worry-Free Shore Excursion
Top Product
Low Supplier Cancellation Rate
Low Last Minute Supplier Cancellation Rate
Viator Experience Award 2025
Curated Catalog
Port Pickup
Short term availability

Cancellation Policy

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

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Rating

4.9 Based on 2542 2542 reviews
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