Only 3 stars due to lack of coordination on the back-end…read more.. This review is purely and solely for Milford Sound Scenic Flights (MSSF) as the tour operator (not the underlying attractions of Milford Sound, Glenorchy, and boating the Dart River - all of which were stunning, just truly awesome!!) We took the full-day package of flying a plane out to Milford Sound, then taking the boat cruise up the sound, then taking a helicopter ride back to Glenorchy, then riding jet boats up the river. The plane and helicopter rides were provided in-house by MSSF and outstanding on every level. Mitre Peak provided the cruise up/down the sound, which was also outstanding on every level. Jet boating was provided by Dart River Adventures and was excellent. The only issues occurred on the back-end, in trying to get the ride back to Queenstown. The very costly price of this tour included hotel pickup AND drop-off, but there was considerable confusion of logistics in taking the coach back to Queenstown from Glenorchy, approx. 40 km. What started out nicely in the morning as 10 people in a van for initial hotel pickup, ends with over a hundred people trying to herd onto 2 buses with little direction. When multiple customers, including ourselves, asked about which bus we were supposed to take, the driver, clearly irritated over the lack of internal coordination and communication, barked out at a group of about 15 of us "just get on the damn bus!" While I understand the frustration, one should not be in a customer-facing business if they can't handle their emotions. To make matters worse, they attempted to drop us in the middle of town, NOT back at the hotel which was clearly in the scope of what we purchased. Luckily, one of the guys from the boating group was there, saw what was happening, and helped us grab a taxi - at no additional cost - back to our hotel. So while I'd like to give Milford Sound Scenic Flights a 5 star review, they get docked a star for poor back-end execution. I expect that they will claim that this was a different organization that provided the ride back and thus not their fault, BUT we paid a small fortune for this tour and Milford Sound Scenic Flights, as the ones we paid and thus as the primary coordinator, bears responsibility to make sure that all aspects of the tour have been properly executed, and this one aspect was not well performed. It's a bit unsettling to be in a foreign country, out in the middle of the wilderness, 40 km from your hotel, and have a bus driver yelling at you because of planning and communication inadequacies of his organization.

Fabulous time. Our pilot Liam was awesome and made us feel at ease. We had gorgeous day and views…read moreof the Milford Sound and Queenstown. Traveled March 2020.

We purchased this cruise in advance through TripAdvisor so we wouldn't have to wait in queue…read more Parking near the terminal was convenient for NZ$10 per hour and it was about a 10-minute walk to the check-in area. When we arrived, we simply showed the operator our email confirmation number, received a blue boarding card, and were directed to Terminal 3. Boarding was smooth and organized, and with the capacity capped at 75 passengers, we were among the first to get on. We chose to sit in the back on the outside. The cruise itself was roughly an hour 45 minutes and took us through the fjord. Because it had rained the day before, many of the waterfalls were flowing beautifully. We spotted a few seals sleeping on the rocks and even saw a couple of penguins. When the boat pulled up close to one of the larger waterfalls, we got soaked but it was all part of the fun. The weather was sunny and in the mid-50s Fahrenheit, which made for a perfect experience, especially compared to the rainy conditions earlier in the week. Complimentary tea, coffee, and cookies were available on the first floor, and the boat also had a restroom onboard. The staff were warm, welcoming, and even helped take photos for passengers. Overall, it was a smooth, scenic, and memorable cruise!

DATE OF TOUR: End of February 2020 BOOKED: directly through…read morecompany TOUR: 5 stars - bucket list material TOUR GUIDES: 5 stars CONTACT WITH COMPANY PRIOR TO TOUR: 5 stars EASE OF BOOKING ONLINE: 5 stars TIPS: bring snacks and water if you are able (especially if being picked up from Queenstown), 1 bathroom break to/from Queenstown to Milford Sound (there is a bathroom on the bus, but at one point ours was out of order), it was very beneficial for us to have an international cell in order for them to contact us, i recommend a rain coat (I got a lite one off of Amazon and that was plenty) Milford Sound was high on my list when planning our trip to New Zealand. After experiencing it's wonder, I think this is something that should be on everyone's bucket list. Personally, I don't believe that the travel time to experience places should play that much of a role and I 100% feel that Milford Sound is worth it. Our time was just magical here. Out of all the Milford Sound tours, we chose Cruise Milford based on a review we saw saying that their cruises were smaller at meant you got more access to the scenery, etc. And that was true when you saw our Cruise compared to others. I received a call/text the day before from the company to make sure we were set, Because of flooding recently, food would not be available at Milford Sound and we were offered a package to add lunch. They were also very friendly at fielding our questions on food, snacks, bathroom breaks, etc (see below). Thank goodness, T-Mobile offers relatively cheap deals for international phone service. The morning of, our ride never showed. So, I called the lady that we spoke to the night before and by the time she called me back, she already had a Taxi ready to pick us up and bring us to the final bus stop (there was a mixup in the system). We booked our trip with transportation from our hotel in Queenstown. It is a 2-hour drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound, so it was honestly a great plan the day after getting in from our long flight as we slept most of the bus ride. From Queenstown there is a short stop to grab breakfast, coffee and use the bathroom and their grab/go pastries were DELICIOUS my husband and I went back for seconds before we got back on the bus. We stopped at the same stop on the way home and there wasn't much food left by the end of the day and hardly enough time to go to the other restaurants, so I HIGHLY recommend bringing snacks. There is a bathroom on the bus, but as I wrote above, ours was out of order halfway through the trip

Great Experience! Cruise ride, buffet, show and farm animals!…read more We did they evening bbq dinner (not Texas bbq, don't expect bbq sauce, they mean grilled meats) Cruise: the was relaxing, they had a bar areas with snacks, drinks and food options to buy Dinner: There are a wide variety of food (salads, bread cheese, appetizers, meats and desserts) you'll find something you'll like. It was a buffet style, the meats were lamb, chicken and venison Show: they sheer a sheep in front you and give you background knowledge Animals: once the show is done you can head to the gift shop or see the animals Overall great evening dinner experience HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Taking a leisurely cruise on the TSS Earnslaw along the majestic Lake Wakatipu is something not to…read moremiss while visiting Queenstown. The TSS Earnslaw is a 120+ year old coal steamship that is maintained almost exactly to how it was at that time. It's quite a large vessel at 48 meters long with two levels. You can access almost the entire ship. There's a top view the engine room to see the coals being shoveled into the furnace while also feeling the heat! There's a cafe where you can purchase food, coffee, and drinks with a good amount of tables to sit, a small museum/photo gallery of its history, and just where ever you are on the ship, you will always have amazing views of the pristine Lake Wakatipu and the mountain range. It can be windy, and the stairs can be steep and slippery, so be careful. You can purchase tickets on their website, or at the RealNZ Visitor Centre ticket counter located at the wharf along Beach Street. There are other activities you can add on with your cruise, such as the Walter Peak Farm Tour (with afternoon tea), a Gourmet BBQ Dinner at Walter Peak's Homestead Restaurant, or an Eco Experience where you tour the farm's gardens and grounds. In other words, the TSS Earnslaw's destination is Walter Peak High Country Farms, which you can partake in activities, or walk around yourself and catch the next ride. Overall, this was a very fun and enjoyable experience, and a must do while visiting Queenstown. The whole cruise was 90 minutes. It was a smooth ride, and the food and coffee is more than acceptable. The staff were friendly.

My girlfriend and I had an awesome morning with Erwan (the guide) and his mountain shredders! In 5…read moreminutes on the training area, we were already trying wheelies and drifting it! He then took us to an amazing track in between a wineyard. The sun was shining, the air was pure, the landscapes amazing and the FUN was real! I recommend it to anyone looking for an adrenaline rush or even for a family cruise as the speed is easily controlled.. Thanks Erwan, and see you next time!!

From the owner: Come on an exciting tour in Queenstown on the new Mountain Shredders which are a crossover between…read morea Skateboard , a standup Jetski and a Tank. The tracks are fun and you will have some amazing views of Queenstown. We will pick you up from The Station .

We just finished the Routeburn Track with Angelo G. As our guide. He picked us up at our hotel in…read morethe morning and explained the area history, flora and fauna along the way to the National Park. This is the best hike we have been on. Angelo was very professional and well versed in the demands of the trek. He is very knowledgeable about the plants and birds we encountered along the way. We learned a lot and enjoyed ourselves through the whole day. I highly recommend this tour! Thank you Angelo and Nomad Safaris.

We took the Lord of the Rings Glenorchy tour. We went to 5+ filming locations, our guide had a…read morebunch of anecdotes and facts to share, and we got to see pictures from the films to help us realize where we were. I won't ruin the surprise, but there is a very cool photo opportunity at the end of the tour as well. Essential for Tolkien fans!

Heli Tours is probably one of the greatest ways to see Milford Sound, beautiful Queenstown, and…read moreglaciers so quickly! It is a bit pricey, but definitely worth the $$$$! We booked our tour through Happy Travels in downtown Queenstown for the fly+cruise+fly package! Our tour details: 9am - We called ahead to make sure the weather was good to fly and our trip was not going to get canceled. There was a Heli Tours van that picked us up from our hotel in Queenstown! 9:15am - We got to the Heli Tours office and waited for 2 more people to arrive. 9:30am - Our tour was suppose to start at 9:30am sharp, but the other folks never showed up. 9:45am - Only 4 of us, including the pilot (Ben)! It was so awesome!! There was a quick safety briefing. We got on the heli and we were all super excited to be in a heli for the very first time! Ben did some commentary, but it was honestly difficult to hear everything he was saying. Also the window had our reflections so it was a bit difficult to take pictures through the window clearly. We flew over many beautiful rivers and mountains. 10:25am - When we landed in Milford, Ben escorted us onto the bus that took us to where the boats were. We hopped onto a small boat for our 10:45am departure with about 20 other people and they had a sectioned off area for the Heli Tours group inside the boat!! There was free tea/coffee and chocolate cookies. I really enjoyed the cruise through Milford Sound and because we were on a smaller boat, we got to go up close to the waterfalls!! Got a free shower too! LOL! 11:45am - After the cruise, Ben escorted us back onto the bus heading back towards the helipads! 12:30pm - Landed on a glacier! Took a bunch of photos! It was quite the experience! The fluffiest powder of snow I've ever felt and stepped in! It was so fresh!!! Unbelievable! 1:00pm - Headed back and flew over towards Queenstown 1:30pm - Arrived back at the Heli Tours office by the airport 1:45pm - Got a van ride back to our hotels 2:00pm - Arrived at our hotel It was definitely one of the greatest experiences ever. If you can afford a helicopter ride to see Queenstown/Milford, it's by far the best way to see so much in a short amount of time! This tour was really great because we got escorted throughout our tour and we were well taken care of! Ben was a great pilot and he made everyone get a chance to sit up front! I only wished they somehow had a Milford/Doubtful Sound tour! That would be so worth it since I haven't seen any tour group have both in one day! TIPS: - If you do book this tour, I recommend booking it thru Happy Travels. - Wear sunscreen and apply frequently (I got sunburned) and bring sunglasses! Wear appropriate shoes for the wet boat ride and the snowy glacier. Layer because it gets hot inside the helicopter and then it's quite cold outside the boat and on the glacier!

Decided to join this tour last minute after original plans were cancelled due to weather…read more Not only were the beers really good but Lewis simply made the tour. He was extremely personable, knowledgeable and made the tour very personalized in a group setting. Adding a stop between the breweries also added to the special nature of his tour. Would recommend to anyone visiting with a free 3-4 hours.

From the owner: Great day out trying Queenstown's best Craft Beers. Enjoy 13 tastings over three different stops…read morewith an included beer and food matched lunch. Visit at least 3 breweries over three stops on your afternoon out. Try a brew with a view today!!

WOW! Fantastic helicopter ride to land on a glacier! Pilot was informative, friendly, and very…read morenice. The helicopter takes 6 people and we had a turn sitting in the front on the way back. The views even from the back, were spectacular. I would thoroughly recommend this company. They do pickups from hotels, or there are a few parking spaces right outside their building. It was a wonderful experience, lasted about an hour, and I'm so glad we did it!

Completely agree with the previous reviews from Tas & Timothy, Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters…read morewas a once in a lifetime experience that I highly recommend to anyone visiting Queenstown. We arranged a roundtrip helicopter flight to Milford Sound with a two hour cruise ($945.00 NZ) in early January 2017. There high reviews, perfect safety record, and updated helicopter fleet were some of the main reasons we decided to go with them. Our initial flight was canceled, however, Glacier Southern was able to have us rebooked for the following afternoon flight with the caveat that it was unlikely we would do a glacier landing, but instead do some sort of alpine landing. Upon checking in, we were introduced to our "special" pilot, Alfie Speight, who was the filming pilot for several Hollywood movies - The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings. Flight over the mountains from Queenstown was beautiful, and the views over Lake Wakatipu and Glenorchy were amazing. Alfie pointed out various sights/trails along the way, and was more than happy to answer any questions regarding the helicopter, terrain, landmarks, or films he had been involved in. The highlight of the flight was landing on a glacier, where we spent 15-20 minutes enjoying the views and snow. We continued our journey towards Milford Sound with an amazing approach to the airfield with what seemed like just a few feet over the tree tops. We spent the next two hours on a two hour cruise that heads out to the Tasman Sea. Views were amazing on the cruise. Do bring a jacket as it was a little chilly going out with the wind coming towards us. The return had us stopping to see New Zealand Fur Seals and a large waterfall. After the cruise we all hopped back into the helicopter for the return journey to Queenstown. The helicopter trip to Milford Sound with Alfie and Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters is not to be missed. These guys were truly professional the entire way!

We did the quickie tour because there wasn't a lot of free time on the schedule and it was totally…read moreworth it. Quick out to the top of a mountain/hill. Quick opportunity for photos. Quick trip back over the lake. Great experience. Well organized and very safe. Pilot was great. Office was great. Transportation to and from was great. Would do a longer trip with them sometime if possible. Note that they cancel a lot of flights. Book early in your stay as you could get postponed due to weather and probably will. Enjoy!

I mean, it's just, I... Here the thing: I'm a wordy person who enjoys speaking in hyperbole, and…read moreeven I'm having a hard time coming up with a way to describe just how amazing this experience was. First off, the weather could not have been better. And the helicopter pilot could not have been more informative. And with each of the three landings (the first on a bluff overlooking the reason that Lord Of The Rings was filmed here, the second at Milford, and the third on a snowy glacier) I realized exactly why we had spent so much money to do this. It was expensive. And worth every penny. In fact, we did it again the second time we came to Queenstown. And we'll probably do it the next time as well. If you can swing it in your budget, this is an absolute MUST DO.

We had a wonderful day with Sam Kuprus doing an out and back hike on the Routeburn Track. He was…read moredelightful and very knowledgeable! We are American and he taught us so much about the unique flora and fauna of NZ, discussed conservation and anti predation efforts. He also answered many questions we had about this beautiful and welcoming country. What an amazing and gorgeous forest walk, with epic waterfalls at the top, the azure waters of the Routeburn accompanying us most of the way!

Paula and Phil planned out a fantastic day of wine touring during our visit to Queenstown. We had…read morenever been to New Zealand prior to our trip and they did a wonderful job of recommending places to visit and eat and we took their advice on several stops. They were wonderful hosts and we enjoyed our day with them!! Thanks again from the guys from Austin, Texas!!