The Southern Discoveries cruise on Milford Sound was so exciting. Fun fact: Southern Discoveries is…read morethe oldest tourism operator in Milford Sound, having been established in 1954. Boarding the boat, you're immediately struck by the grandeur of the surrounding water. The sound is technically a fjord carved by glaciers during the Ice Age. The cruise takes you past huge waterfalls, cliff walls, and the iconic Mitre Peak. We saw dolphins, a very rare occurrence. And, of course, sea lions were out sunning themselves. The staff were knowledgeable and friendly, offering engaging commentary about the unique geography and wildlife of the area. The boat itself was spacious and comfortable, with large windows and open decks providing uninterrupted views.

We had a fantastic tour. The captain and outstanding guide Ida got us up close to waterfalls and…read moreseals. Ida's enthusiasm and commentary were exceptional compared to monotone and canned comments from other tours I have been on. I would go out of my way to get on a tour with Ida next time.

Absolutely majestic. Our captain of Milford Sovereign was fantastic! Cruised up so close to…read morewaterfalls we felt the spray of the water. The views were spectacular, it is truly a breathtaking experience. The captain took us out to the Tasman Sea and we even got to see some seals. The views of the mountains with dozens of tiny falls was like being in a movie set. You can see the snow covered peaks in the distance and when the sun comes out the water turns turquoise. This is a must do if you are visiting the South Island of New Zealand. The staff was super friendly. They have coffee, soda, wine, beer, even champagne on board. You can also get boxed lunches or snacks. Fantastic cruise!

Milford Sound is often referred to as the "Eighth Wonder of the World," and it's easy to see why…read more Milford Sound was named after Milford Haven in Wales by a Welsh settler, but its Maori name, Piopiotahi, references a now-extinct bird called the piopio. My visit to Milford Sound was the most magical day of my New Zealand trip. From the air, it looks like a green and blue jewel amongst the mountains, and from the water, its towering peaks are overwhelming. Milford Sound is part of Fiordland National Park, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990. It was discovered by Europeans in 1812 but was known to Maori for centuries, who considered it a sacred place. You must fly. You must cruise. You must see this place.

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

Excellent! Our tour…read morestarted with Grayline Coaches, nice comfortable seats, windows needed washing especially on one side which was a shame. Bus driver excellent very knowledgeable. Several stops, some good some could have given a miss. Would have been nice to have longer at Mirror Lakes. The boat we were on at Milford Sound was very nice clean and comfortable seats, lots of photo opportunities. Magnificent dramatic scenery, well worth the trip! We took a packed lunch although there was food on the boat and both ways was a cafe stop.

We're on our New Zealand "taster's" tour, and the only place we're staying on the South Island is…read moreQueenstown. And if you're going to visit Queenstown, you're going to want to visit Milford Sound (it's actually a fjord, but whatever). And if you want to visit Milford Sound and you have a time constraint, the fastest way to get there is by air (35 minutes one-way). Our travel people booked the flight out via Air Milford. Normally, I'm nervous about these things. I like my planes to have at least two sources of propulsion and yet are preferred to propellers. And honestly speaking, I'm not prone to having such adventures. Nonetheless, today was an amazing Queenstown day, and the conditions were right for the flight. The weather is temperamental around here, so the procedure was to call in the night before and call in this morning. We didn't have to call in this morning as Air Milford called us and told us the trip was a "Go!" The communication was open and informative. We got picked up in front of our hotel by a Queenstown taxi and were ferried to the airstrip. Check-in was simple. Antony came out and briefed us in front of a map. We loaded up the plane fully, and off we went. The flight was flawless. Antony told us all the landmarks and what we were seeing. Can't say I was completely calm, but Antony flies the Cessna as you or I would commute to work. We saw lakes, rivers, valleys, mountains, grasslands... everything that Frodo saw, except from the sky.... so I guess as you would were you riding a giant eagle with seat belts. On the way into Milford Sound, you fly to the Tasman Sea and turn back. You make a small turn and then plop into the air strip. On the way out, Antony had everyone (who wanted to) take pictures with the plane, and my wife even got to ride the co-pilot. The flight home was less nervous. It was a continuous stream of pictures. In short, If you like adventure... If you're time-constrained... If you like supporting family-owned, small businesses... If you like excellence in an amazing experience. You should book with Air Milford.

Right from the beginning safety talk they were professional and reassuring. Explaining what to…read moreexpect and what could happen dependent on weather. The pilot was very competent (I sat in the co pilots seat on the return flight and could see what he was doing and could listen to the radio transmissions, and while not a pilot have flown in smaller sized aircrafts with commercial airline pilots). Great scenic flight and then on to the boat for more spectacular views and complementary beverage and muffin! The boat captain narrated at times and got us close enough to walls to see details and one waterfall so close that those of us on the bow got way wetter that I expected!! (good thing my camera is weather sealed)

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 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!!

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.

The weather was unfortunately not in our favor but Ray made the tour so fun that we enjoyed every…read moreminute of it ! On our way to Milford Sound, we stopped at various places with unbelievable beautiful scenary/ backdrop of the Fiordland National Park. Despite of the gloomy day (as the storm was coming), my camera was in for a treat. What I love most about this tour is: - Small group (no more than 15!) that it almost felt like a private tour - Ray partnered with a small business owner who made delicious scones and lunches and that is a personal touch for me :) - Lovely stop-over for morning tea - Ray explained a lot about the town Te Anau, history of Fiordland/ Milford Sound - Ray never really rushed us , though some of us took a bit longer as we were busy clicking our cameras away I would highly recommend anyone to join Ray on his Milford Sound tour :)

From the owner: Exceptional Milford Sound Tours & Guided Hikes from Te Anau…read more Discover the best of Fiordland National Park with Fiordland Tours. We offer daily, award-winning sightseeing tours to Milford Sound, along with guided walks on the famous Routeburn, Kepler, and Lake Marian tracks. For something extra special, try one of our adventure combos, including jetboat & hike or heli-hike experiences. With small groups of no more than 16, you’ll enjoy a personalised experience led by expert local guides. Our tours are designed at a relaxed pace so you can fully immerse yourself in Fiordland’s natural beauty.