Milford Sound Nature Cruise with Southern Discoveries | 1 hour 45 minutes

245 Reviews | Fiordland & Milford Sound
Select Date and Travelers
You can select up to 15 travelers in total.
Adult (15-99) Minimum: 1, Maximum: 15
2
Child (5-14) Minimum: 0, Maximum: 15
0
Infant (0-4) Minimum: 0, Maximum: 15
0
Free Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
10:30am Cruise & Picnic Lunch
2 Adults x $115.56
$231.12
Approx Total
$231.12
10:30am Nature & Picnic: Enjoy a freshly packed Picnic Lunch onboard your Milford Sound Nature Cruise.
10:30am Cruise only
2 Adults x $92.80
$185.60
Approx Total
$185.60
10:30am Nature Cruise
1.30pm Nature Cruise only
2 Adults x $92.80
$185.60
Approx Total
$185.60
1.30pm Nature Cruise only
12.45pm Nature Cruise & Lunch
2 Adults x $115.56
$231.12
Approx Total
$231.12
12.45pm Nature Cruise & Lunch
1.30pm Nature Cruise & Picnic
2 Adults x $115.56
$231.12
Approx Total
$231.12
1.30pm Nature Cruise & Picnic
1.30pm Nature Cruise & Buffet
2 Adults x $133.07
$266.14
Approx Total
$266.14
1.30pm Nature Cruise & Buffet
12.45pm Nature Cruise only
2 Adults x $92.80
$185.60
Approx Total
$185.60
12.45pm Nature Cruise only

Inclusions / Exclusions

  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: German, Portuguese, Korean, English, French, Spanish
  • Multilingual commentary app for cruise commentary
  • FREE Tea and coffee
  • Live commentary on board from our passionate skipper
  • Picnic lunch (if option selected)
  • Nature Cruise of up to 2 hours
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • On arrival at Milford Sound you can park at the Milford Sound carpark at a fee of $10 per hour.

Overview

Immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of Milford Sound during a modern, spacious boat cruise. Enjoy indoor and outdoor observation decks that provide fantastic photo opportunities of this famous South Island natural wonder, inside New Zealand's World Heritage–listed Fiordland National Park. Stay on the water longer than most other tours, and get close to the waterfalls and other natural features that give the sound its nickname, the Eighth Wonder of the World. Our vessels are all purpose built for viewing - providing you with unbeatable viewing capabilities from our full height viewing windows and 360º viewing decks.

Meeting points

Check in at our Southern Discoveries Milford Sound Visitor Centre, which is clearly visible as soon as you enter the Milford Sound Terminal - Freshwater Basin, Milford Sound Highway 94, Milford Sound 9679.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

  • N/A

    Your journey starts here, check in with friendly staff at least 15 minutes prior to departure.

    10 minutes

  • Fiordland National Park (Te Wahipounamu)

    Fiordland National Park is in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s known for the glacier-carved fiords of Doubtful and Milford sounds. A beech forest trail on the sandy Milford shore offers views of towering Mitre Peak.

    1 hour 45 minutes

  • Milford Sound (Pass By)

    Whatever the weather, our newly refurbished vessels offer unbeatable views through full height viewing windows. Make the most of out 360º decks which are perfect for that perfect photo. Our passionate skippers share their knowledge with lively and entertaining commentary. This is the perfect cruise for single travelers, couples and families with plenty of room to take in the views.

  • Bowen Falls (Pass By)

    The stunning Lady Bowen Falls is Milford’s highest waterfall. It plunges 162m from a hanging valley into the head of Milford Sound and provides electricity for the Milford Sound township by feeding a small hydroelectric scheme, as well as being the water source for the settlement.

  • Mitre Peak (Pass By)

    Mitre Peak is a beautifully dramatic mountain in the South Island of New Zealand, located on the shore of Milford Sound. It is one of the most photographed mountain peaks in the entire country.

  • N/A (Pass By)

    Nestled behind the world famous Mitre Peak, the Sinbad Gully is characterised by extremely steep glacially carved walls punctuated by near vertical granite cliffs. These walls slowed pest invasion into the gully and as a result a number of unique native species remain in the Sinbad. Southern Discoveries is passionate about preserving Milford Sound’s beauty for future generations which is why it’s a key partner in a major conservation project – the Sinbad Sanctuary Project. The aim is to see the valley of New Zealand’s most photographed mountain (Sinbad Gully is at the base of Mitre Peak) become a sanctuary for native species.

  • Stirling Falls (Pass By)

    Milford’s second-highest waterfall is the Stirling Falls, a staggering 151m in height – three times the height of Niagara Falls, but the 1,300m mountain behind displaces this incredible height. This is the famous waterfall that Hugh Jackman ‘jumped off’ in the movie Wolverine. The sheer drop of the Stirling Falls allows boats to get right underneath – it’s an incredible feeling to have the power of 151m worth of glacial water falling so close to you.

Sample Menu

Additional Info

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Please advise of your country of origin at the time of booking
  • Car Parking: On arrival at Milford Sound you can park at the Milford Sound carpark. Please allow 10 minutes to walk from the main carpark to the Milford Wharf Visitor Centre. Alternatively, you can park free of charge at Deepwater Basin Carpark and walk over to Freshwater Basin to the Cruise Terminal. This walk is approximately 30 minutes in duration, so additional time will need to be allocated in order to do this comfortably and arrive at the terminal 15 minutes prior to your cruise for check-in.

Free Cancellation

August 03100% refund
August 04No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews

4.6

245 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
  • 5 stars
    189
  • 4 stars
    31
  • 3 stars
    11
  • 2 stars
    10
  • 1 star
    4

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 189 reviews with 5 stars

Great bus trip

Published on Feb, 2025

Our bus driver was great. As he drove very carefully he gave us a New Zealand history lesson. He stopped the bus several times along the trip to Milford soundto all everyone o e bus time to take pictures. After the cruise he lead us to our pilot to fly back to our hotel .

Rainy day result!!!

Published on Feb, 2025

Fantastic nature cruise with Southern Discoveries. We parked in the free parking and walked the 30 mins to the terminal which was lovely even in the rain. Having initially been disappointed that it was raining on the day we booked it actually turned out to be a bonus. What we hadn't realised was that many of the waterfalls are rain fed and only appear when it's rained. We had the most spectacular views with dozens of waterfalls cascading down the fjord walls, absolutely breathtaking.

Best day out

Published on Feb, 2025

The whole thing experience was outstanding. The drive to Milford sound was amazing- we took 3 hours from Te Anau and made lots of stops. Everything about the cruise was really professionally done from the checking, the boat/ crew and food. Loved the whole day.

Paradise on Earth

Published on Feb, 2025

Senic Beauty, amazing guide/boat driver. We did a 12.45pm tour on 6th Feb. It was just awesome. Best part was waterfall, dolphins and Seals

A1 cruise for an A1 spot

Published on Jan, 2025

It was a lovely adventure, beautiful boat that took us further than all the others around us. Everyone enjoyed there food and the crew were amazing. Bonus we saw dolphins and seals.

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