Top Fiordland & Milford Sound activities
Top Fiordland & Milford Sound landmarks
Beyond Fiordland & Milford Sound
Fiordland & Milford Sound trip ideas

Milford Sound Nature Cruise with Southern Discoveries

351 Reviews 4.73 out of 5 stars Based on 351 traveler reviews collected by Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor | Recommended by 95% of reviewers |
Badge of Excellence |Badge of Excellence This experience is highly rated by travelers and has met our top quality standards.
Fiordland & Milford Sound, New Zealand

Loading Options
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 19 (0) days in advance.

1 hour 45 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Instant confirmation
Offered in: English
and 5 more
French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean

Overview

Discover Milford Sound with the experts. For over 70 years, we've shared our passion for the natural wonders of Milford Sound. Our premium catamarans are purpose-built for uncrowded comfort and unbeatable views.

More space means better memories. Enjoy ample room to roam, inside and out. Get closer to the spray of waterfalls and snap epic photos of Mitre Peak or Stirling Falls from outdoor viewing decks, or relax in the cosy interior cabins.

Immerse yourself in nature, not a crowd. We ensure a premium experience for all. Complimentary tea and coffee plus options to pre-order a picnic lunch or choose the To Kai buffet on selected departures.

Cruise with the original Milford Sound experts and discover the wonders of this unique fiord—all without feeling rushed.

What's Included

  • Multi-lingual app for commentary available: App Store and Google Play search Southern Discoveries
  • FREE Tea and coffee
  • Live commentary on board from our passionate skipper
  • Alcoholic beverages Alcoholic Beverages
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
See 3 moreSee 4 more

Meeting Location

Meeting point

Freshwater Basin
Milford Sound Highway 94, Milford Sound 9679, New Zealand

Show on Google Maps

Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Book Online

Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your tour begins.
Read more

Safe & secure • Easy breezy • Hassle-free

Southern Discoveries - Milford Sound Visitor Centre

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

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

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.
Read more

1 hour 45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

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.
Read more

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.
Read more

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.
Read more

Sinbad Gully (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.
Read more

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.
Read more
Show 6 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • 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.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 200 travelers

Frequently Asked Questions

(8)

Q: Will I get seasick on Milford Sound Nature Cruise with Southern Discoveries?

A: If you have any doubts about becoming seasick on the water, we recommend taking a Dramamine® Motion Sickness Relief tablet the night before your trip. Some people recommend taking it the night before your cruise and then again that morning so you will not feel so drowsy. Read more Feb 2023

Cancellation Policy

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

Still have questions?

We're here to help.
Activity code: C-3960NATURE

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.73
351 reviews

Average 4.73 out of 5 stars based on 351 traveler reviews collected by Cool Destinations and partner sites such as Trustpilot, Viator, and TripAdvisor

5 stars
290
4 stars
44
3 stars
4
2 stars
8
1 star
5

Loading Options
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 19 (0) days in advance.

Similar Tours & Activities

Milford Sound Cruise - RealNZ
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out

Get closer to nature on a Milford Sound Day Cruise with RealNZ. Discover glacier-carved cliffs rising from the ink waters below – when you’re travelling...

2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hours • Free Cancellation
4.8 (526)
from
$110.67

Milford Sound Cruise

Enjoy uninterrupted views of glacier-carved cliffs on your Milford Sound cruise aboard mdoern, spacious and comfortable catamarans. With spacious seating indoors, an open sun deck...

1 hour 45 minutesFree Cancellation
1 hour 45 minutesFree Cancellation
1 hour 45 minutes • Free Cancellation
4.9 (302)
from
$93.41

Milford Sound Luxury Lunch Cruise onboard The Fiordland Jewel

Enjoy chef-prepared cuisine while taking in the breathtaking landscapes and local wildlife of Milford Sound. With a boutique atmosphere the Fiordland Jewel was designed specifically...

2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hours • Free Cancellation
4.8 (18)
from
$214.91

Milford Sound Grand Tour Helicopter Scenic Flight Departing from Milford Sound

Combine all that Milford Sound is famous for into one flight! Explore Mitre Peak, the Sutherland Falls, and Tutuko Glacier. A minimum of four passengers...

45 minutesFree Cancellation
45 minutesFree Cancellation
45 minutes • Free Cancellation
5.0 (5)
from
$535.49

Travelers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought

Cruise Milford NZ Small Boutique Cruise Experience
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out

Rated one of the Top 10 Experiences in New Zealand. Join our boutique small boat cruise and experience Milford Sound the "local" way. We limit...

1 hour 45 minutesFree Cancellation
1 hour 45 minutesFree Cancellation
1 hour 45 minutes • Free Cancellation
4.9 (3,080)
from
$118.92

Premium Milford Sound Tour, Cruise & Lunch from Te Anau

Premium small group tour including boutique Milford Sound cruise onboard a Milford Sound Cruise, and picnic lunch from Te Anau. There is no better way...

7 hoursHotel pickup offeredFree Cancellation
7 hoursHotel pickup offeredFree Cancellation
7 hours • Hotel pickup offered • Free Cancellation
4.9 (914)
from
$183.73

Milford Sound Cruise - RealNZ
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out

Get closer to nature on a Milford Sound Day Cruise with RealNZ. Discover glacier-carved cliffs rising from the ink waters below – when you’re travelling...

2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hoursFree Cancellation
2 hours • Free Cancellation
4.8 (526)
from
$110.67

Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

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...

13 hoursHotel pickup offeredFree Cancellation
13 hoursHotel pickup offeredFree Cancellation
13 hours • Hotel pickup offered • Free Cancellation
4.9 (3,438)
from
$227.49

What's Included

Activity name

  • Multi-lingual app for commentary available: App Store and Google Play search Southern Discoveries
  • FREE Tea and coffee
  • Live commentary on board from our passionate skipper
  • Picnic lunch (if option selected)
  • Nature Cruise of up to 2 hours
  • Alcoholic beveragesAlcoholic Beverages
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • On arrival at Milford Sound you can park at the Milford Sound carpark at a fee of $10 per hour.

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • 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.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 200 travelers
  • Operated by a business

Protecting you

Activity name

For your protection and stress-free bookings, use our secure platform to pay for bookings. Southern Discoveries

Report Product Issue

Activity name

Language
Currency

Site Settings

Activity name

Currency

Activity name

Activity name

Free Cancellation

100% refund
No refund

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

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

Sorting, ranking, and search results

Activity name

Cool Destinations wants to make your searches as relevant as possible. That's why we offer many ways to help you find the right experiences for you.

On some pages, you can select how to sort the results we display and also use filter options to see only those search results that meet your chosen preferences. You'll see explanations of what those sort options mean when you select them.

If you see a Badge of Excellence label, the award is based on average review ratings, share of bookings with a review, and number of bookings through Cool Destinations over a 12-month period.

The importance of any one factor over any other in a sort order varies, and the balance is constantly being reviewed and adjusted. We're always updating our systems and testing new ways to refine and improve your results to make them as relevant as possible to meet your needs.

Choose an option

Activity name

or

Cool Rewards Terms & Conditions

Activity name

Cool Rewards

  • Cool Rewards is a loyalty program operated by Cool Destinations. Rewards may be earned by any eligible person holding a Cool Destinations account, subject to the Cool Destinations customer Terms of Use.

Earning rewards

  • Rewards can be earned by making bookings on the Cool Destinations website. You will be able to see the value of the rewards you can earn during the booking process.
  • Earned rewards will be issued in a pending state and will move to a confirmed state 24 hours after the start time of the experience.
  • Earned rewards will be available to redeem once they are no longer in a pending state.
  • For bookings that are moved to a different travel date, the rewards will be redeemable after the amended travel date.
  • If a booking where rewards were issued is canceled, the earned rewards will not be redeemable and will be moved to a canceled state.

Redeeming rewards

  • To redeem rewards, you must be logged into your Cool Destinations account.
  • Any available rewards will be automatically applied the next time you make a booking, and their value will be deducted from your order at checkout, unless you choose not to apply them, which requires you to indicate this via the toggle switch. Bookings made using rewards are subject to the standard Cool Destinations Customer Terms of Use.
  • You will not be able to redeem only a portion of your available rewards at checkout. It is only possible to redeem all or none of your available rewards.
  • There is no minimum order value required to redeem your rewards. This means that you can pay for 100% of your order with rewards.
  • Rewards are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash.
  • If rewards are redeemed against a booking that is canceled or refunded, the rewards will be reissued to your account.

Miscellaneous

  • You can check your Cool Destinations account to see the rewards you have collected at any time. You are responsible for ensuring that your rewards balance is correct.
  • We reserve the right to modify these Cool Rewards Terms and Conditions at any time, with or without notice, including the rules for earning and redeeming rewards. Any changes will be reflected in the updated Terms and Conditions.
  • We reserve the right to terminate the Cool Rewards program and cease issuing any further rewards on future bookings. All pending and available rewards balances will be honored.
  • By earning and redeeming rewards, you agree to these Terms and Conditions, as well as any subsequent changes made to them.