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Milford Sound Nature Cruise with Southern Discoveries

Offered by Southern Discoveries

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$165.00 per person

4.6 (344 reviews)

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Booking handled by our partner, Viator

1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) Mobile or paper ticket accepted Offered in: German, Portuguese, Korean, English, Chinese (China), French, Spanish

Cruise Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park with spacious catamarans, clear views of Mitre Peak and Stirling Falls, plus tea and coffee included.

Tour Overview

Check in at least 15 minutes before departure, then set out into Fiordland National Park on a Milford Sound cruise designed for space and clear views. For more than 70 years, Southern Discoveries has been sharing this fiord with visitors, using purpose-built premium catamarans with full-height viewing windows, 360 degree decks, and indoor cabins for a comfortable trip in any weather.

As you travel through Milford Sound, the scale of the landscape becomes clear. Mitre Peak rises sharply from the shore, while Lady Bowen Falls drops 162 metres from a hanging valley at the head of the fiord. At Stirling Falls, boats can get close enough to feel the force of 151 metres of glacial water falling beside you.

Your skipper provides lively commentary along the way, adding context to the places you pass, including Sinbad Gully behind Mitre Peak, where steep glacially carved walls and near vertical granite cliffs have helped protect native species. Southern Discoveries is also a key partner in the Sinbad Sanctuary Project, which supports conservation in this part of Milford Sound.

Tea and coffee are included, with picnic lunch pre-orders available and the To Kai buffet offered on selected departures. This cruise suits single travellers, couples, and families who want room to move and time to take in the fiord.

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
  • Picnic lunch (if option selected)
  • Nature Cruise of up to 2 hours

Not Included:

  • 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.

What To Expect

  1. 1

    Southern Discoveries - Milford Sound Visitor Centre

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

    10 minutes

  2. 2

    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

    Admission: Included

  3. 3

    Milford Sound

    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.

    Pass by without stopping

  4. 4

    Bowen Falls

    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.

    Pass by without stopping

  5. 5

    Mitre Peak

    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.

    Pass by without stopping

  6. 6

    Sinbad Gully

    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.

    Pass by without stopping

  7. 7

    Stirling Falls

    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.

    Pass by without stopping

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Southern Discoveries - Milford Sound Visitor Centre

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

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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.

Important Information

From December 3 2021, we will be requiring vaccination certificates to be shown prior to joining any Southern Discoveries experience.

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.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.