Day trip

The easiest way to experience Milford Sound from Queenstown. Travel to Milford Sound in a premium glass-roof coach with scenic stops, then join the Milford Sound Nature Cruise to explore the fiord.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later: Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 12.5 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide: English
Audio guide included: Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, English, Portuguese

Highlighted reviews from other travelers

Kylie – Australia

Stan was our driver and he was great. Great sense of humour, informative and helpful. Great stops along the way and cafes with decent food. Comfortable seating and views great. Nothing we didn’t like about the trip, Stan was all about getting us there and back and kept to a timeline that was flowing and accommodating to all.

Andrzej – Poland

I enjoyed the narration about the places. The stops were too short. Overall, interesting locations, though a bit commercialized.

Itinerary

61 pickup location options:
Hotel St Moritz Queenstown - MGallery, Earnslaw Lodge, Alpine Village, BreakFree The Point Queenstown, Platinum Queenstown Villa Apartments, Alexis Motel and Apartments, Quest Queenstown, Hulbert House: Award Winning Queenstown Luxury Boutique Lodge, Scenic Suites Queenstown, The Ridge Resort, Amber Lodge Motel, Queenstown House Boutique B&B, Oaks Queenstown Shores Resort, Frankton Terminus, LQ Queenstown Hotel, Wakatipu View Apartments, Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa, Wyndham Garden Queenstown, Pinewood Lodge, Villa del Lago, Lakeside, The Dairy Queenstown, Oaks Queenstown Club Suites, Reavers Lodge, Coronation Lodge, The Waterfront, Browns Boutique Hotel-Book Direct Save 20%, Heritage Queenstown, Cranbury Court Apartments, St James Apartments, Melbourne Lodge, The Glebe, Queenstown Gateway Apartments, Haka Lodge Queenstown, Sherwood Queenstown, Coronet View Apartments, Ramada Suites by Wyndham Queenstown Remarkables Park, Kamana Lakehouse, Whistler Queenstown, Heartland Hotel Queenstown, Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, Amity Queenstown Serviced Apartments, Lomond Lodge Motel & Apts, Abba Court Motel, Spinnaker Bay Executive Apartments, 110 Beach Street, Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park, an IHG Hotel, Sudima Queenstown Five Mile, Highview Queenstown Apartments, Historic Stone House, Holiday Inn Queenstown Frankton Road, an IHG Hotel, The Central Private Hotel by Naumi Hotels, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Queenstown, The Spire Hotel Queenstown, Mercure Queenstown Resort, Eichardt's Private Hotel, Azur Luxury Lodge, Commonage Villas, Club Pacific Queenstown, mi-pad Queenstown Hotel, The Rees Hotel, Luxury Apartments & Lakeside Residences, The Carlin Boutique Hotel
Bus/coach
(2.5 hours)
Te Anau
Break time (30 minutes)
Bus/coach
(45 minutes)
Eglinton Valley
Photo stop (5 minutes)
Bus/coach
(5 minutes)
Mirror Lakes
Photo stop (10 minutes)
Bus/coach
(1 hour)
Milford Sound
Boat cruise (2 hours)
Bus/coach
(2 hours)
Te Anau
Break time (30 minutes)
Bus/coach
(2 hours)
Finish at:
110 Beach Street

Main stop

Other stop

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

Sit back, relax, and view iconic sights with commentary from your expert driver
Enjoy panoramic views with the glass-roofed coaches
Be shown some of the best short walks and photo stops along the way
Cruise beneath the waterfalls of Milford Sound and look for native wildlife
Modern, purpose-built boats designed for comfort and stunning views

Full description

Let us handle the driving while you focus on Fiordland’s breathtaking scenery. Recline in our spacious, low-emission coaches with panoramic glass roofs, USB charging ports, and live commentary from guides who know every glacier-carved valley and hidden waterfall. Download the free Southern Discoveries app to hear your tour commentary in a range of languages. After a refreshment break in Te Anau, your journey continues along the Milford Sound road – voted one of the world’s most scenic drives. Stop at Mirror Lakes (where mountains reflect perfectly in still waters), Eglinton Valley (an ancient glacier path), and Monkey Creek (a chance to spot keas here). Arriving at Milford Sound, connect seamlessly with your two-hour nature cruise aboard our purpose-built catamaran, designed to deliver the best possible views of the fiord. Find your perfect viewing spot - either from the spacious top deck or through panoramic windows in the comfortable cabins. Cruise along the fiord, past the towering Mitre Peak and feel the spray of the 15,000-year-old Stirling Falls cascading from ancient rainforest. Get close to Bowen Falls, keeping watch for New Zealand fur seals, dolphins, and rare Fiordland crested penguins. The journey extends to the Tasman Sea, offering dramatic views of the fiord from every angle. Learn about the landscape's formation and wildlife with expert commentary available in multiple languages via our free app. Complimentary tea and coffee are available throughout the cruise, or choose to add a freshly prepared picnic lunch or To Kai buffet (on selected departures) available to order when booking. The return journey to Queenstown offers different perspectives of the spectacular scenery as the afternoon light sheds new light on the landscape. Milford Sound is approximately a 5-hour drive from Queenstown or a 2-hour drive from Te Anau (including stops). Trips depart daily. A scenic flight from Queenstown to Milford Sound take around 45 minutes.

Includes

Transportation by glass-roofed coach
USB charging ports onboard
Live commentary
2-hour Milford Sound Cruise
Lunch (if option selected)
Tea and coffee
Multilingual commentary by app
30 sections of commentary from Queenstown through to Milford Sound

Headphones
Audio guide for the cruise component

Important information

What to bring

Warm clothing
Sunglasses
Camera
Sunscreen
Insect repellent

Know before you go

Appropriate child restraints are not provided by the activity provider. Please bring your own as without this you may be turned away and unable to travel
Always be prepared to enjoy some rainfall during your visit. The landscape is especially dramatic during wet weather as rainfall creates dozens of temporary waterfalls
All vessels are fully licensed with a range of beverages plus a selection of snack foods. Note that smoking is not permitted on any of the vessels
Reservations may be amended to another date or time, subject to space and availability
It is an approximate 5-hour drive each way from Queenstown. Scenic flights are available on request for the return journey, weather permitting
In the interest of your safety, the activity provider may cancel the activity at any time due to unsafe weather conditions or maintenance
Guests are required to use their own headphones when using the app on the coach, as live English commentary is running and they want to minimize disruption

Top destinations

Nearby destinations

From Queenstown: Milford Sound Day Trip on Premium Coach