Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown
Description
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 way to see this most famous of attractions! Highlights: • Milford Sound Cruise • Fiordland National Park • Lake Te Anau, Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Hollyford River, Homer Tunnel & Mitre Peak • Wildlife Spotting While the destinations you will be visiting are truly spectacular, Cheeky Kiwi Travel believe it is our small groups, our guides, the journey and little details that set our tours apart. Secret stops, wildlife viewings, specially designed vehicles and other pleasant surprises ensure our tours are an experience to remember. Our tours are led by our passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life by sharing stories and background knowledge, and run in modern, comfortable minibuses that are packed with extras, ensuring your comfort and safety.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your tour starts in the stunning city of Queenstown. As we drive out of the city your guide will not only set the scene for your adventure today but also point out and guide you past some of the area’s top highlights.
Departing Queenstown we wind our way around Lake Wakatipu, with amazing views of ‘The Remarkables’ Mountain Range and the lake.
Continuing around the lake we will pass through Devil’s Staircase. This elevated windy part of the road is famous for dramatic photos and setting the scene for the day to come.
After more amazing mountain, river and farmland views we arrive in Te Anau, home to Lake Te Anau, New Zealand’s second largest lake. While in this idyllic town we will stop for a break and maybe meet some of the local animals or wildlife. Continuing along the lake we stop at Te Anau Downs, the starting point for the Milford Track, to hear the stories and admire the views.
Leaving Te Anau and entering Fiordland National Park we stop in Eglinton Valley. With views worthy of Lord of the Rings, this valley follows the path of an ancient glacier through Fiordland. One of the first major attractions as you enter the park, it really sets the scene for a journey that only get more impressive the deeper you get.
Our next stop on this epic adventure is Mirror Lakes for a short stroll to see the famous reflections of the Earl Mountains. Get the right day, take a good picture and no one with be able to tell which way is the right way up for the photo.
Continuing along the Milford Road we come across Lake Gunn. Named after a famous explorer and popular for fishing, often we will stop at Lake Gunn for some photos and to enjoy the peace.
A short drive away we start passing the Hollyford River a gorgeous and powerful river full of large boulders and rapids. Feeding into the river at Falls Creek is the first of our extremely impressive waterfalls of the area, one of many to come.
Climbing in altitude we go deeper into the Darran Mountains and these views require another stop to admire and take photos. We are also entering the area where Kea (the world’s largest alpine parrot) like to live. Start keeping an eye out for these large, cheeky and colourful birds that never fail to thrill and entertain when found.
To make our way back down towards the sea we enter the mind-blowing hand-built Homer Tunnel, hearing the incredible history and stories. Emerging from the tunnel the valley descends sharply towards Milford Sound and on a rainy-day hundreds of waterfalls cascading down the mountain side.
Following the valleys to the sea we arrive at Milford Sound where you will board your cruise with Cruise Milford (the No. 1 Cruise operator in Milford Sound on TripAdvisor).
While on the boat cruise you will be able to marvel at the awe-inspiring Mitre Peak, the iconic Milford Sound mountain, with its steep triangular peak rising high up above the reflective waters of the Milford Sound.
Next we pull over to admire the elevated amazing views of the divide in the Southern Alps, close to the start of the Routeburn Track. While here the guide will tell you the stories of ancient Maori explorers.
Sadly we must start to head back to Queenstown but your day is not over with a fully guided return trip and many stops and breaks along the way.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
*If no pickup is selected at time of booking, you will be allocated our default meeting point (The Station - Home of Adventure). You are welcome to update this at any time. If your location isn’t listed, please choose your nearest available option & meet us there. *Pick-ups can begin up to 20 minutes before the tour departure time, depending on location. To ensure a smooth start, please be ready and waiting outside 5 minutes prior to your specific pickup time. *Pick-up locations are carefully planned for each tour and may vary by day. If your pick-up location changes, kindly inform us in advance. *Our guides make multiple stops and may arrive within a 10-minute window. We are unable to wait for late guests.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Flights are always 'On Request' until confirmed with our partner airline
- Scenic flights cannot be confirmed without full names and weights of all travellers. Scenic flight weight restrictions are 130 KG
- If our regular flight operator is unavailable, we may be able to arrange an alternative operator; however, this could be at an additional cost
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
- Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair.
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
- Please advise any dietary requirements per person at time of booking
Reviews(3,521)
Great experience! The landscapes are breathtaking, the cruise is great and our guide Raghav was super nice, conducting us safely and sharing plenty of interesting information with good sense of humour. Super thanks!
Went with the whole family this time and once again, it did not disappoint!! Never a dull moment with Danny the tour guide from Cheeky Kiwi! Interactive, fun and very approachable! Definitely will recommend!! Noah says hi btw 👋
Had a fantastic time, Jason was a great guide, lots of fun facts and very entertaining! The spots on the way in were just as pretty as the sound itself.
Amazing trip!! Beautiful views!! A lot of nature. Relaxing. The tour guide was amazing. Great energy and knowledgeable. Book it! You will not regret it.
We had an incredible experience on our Milford Sound tour, and a huge part of that was thanks to our guide, Danny. He is incredibly knowledgeable about New Zealand and shared so many fascinating facts throughout the journey. His passion for his job really shines through, and his enthusiasm made the whole trip fun, engaging, and unforgettable. Thank you, Danny, for making our Milford Sound experience so special. Highly recommend!
This is the best tour I had so far. It’s definitely worth doing this Milford Sound trip with cheeky kiwi and especially having a cheeky guide, Danny, who’s not only very friendly, but also makes the trip informative, entertaining and light. It’s raining so we got a good display of waterfalls along the way. The weather was rough—strong winds made the waves go wild—but it made the cruise even more exciting! Never a dull moment and will definitely go back and do it again with Danny as guide 🤞🏽
LOVE IT! Simply love the entire trip!
Had an amazing experience chasing the waterfalls in Milford. Danny, our guide did an amazing job guiding us and telling us fun facts. The sad part was it was raining and cloudy all morning, but that made it so much more special since everywhere we looked were waterfalls. Cheeky Kiwi did an amazing job organizing everything and making sure we got to stop at epic photo areas. It’s a must do when in queenstown and I am glad I chose cheeky kiwi
What a great experience it was experiencing the Milford Sounds! The day we went was super raining and cloudy, however that worked out because everywhere we looked were waterfalls. Danny, our guide, did an amazing job guiding us and giving us cool facts! Cheeky kiwis does an amazing job organizing everything and making sure we stopped for the best photos. It’s a must do when in Queenstown!
What an absolutely unforgettable experience! The Milford Sound Small Group Tour and Cruise from Queenstown was worth every single penny and every minute of the day. If you're visiting Queenstown, this should be at the very top of your bucket list. A huge thank you to our tour guide, Jason, who truly made the journey exceptional. His knowledge of the region was incredible, and he shared fascinating facts and stories throughout the trip. He was friendly, personable, funny, and always happy to help, making everyone feel comfortable and looked after. The small group setting made the experience feel much more intimate and personal than a large coach tour. The drive to Milford Sound was just as spectacular as the destination itself. We stopped at a variety of scenic locations along the way, each offering breathtaking views and plenty of opportunities for photos. Every stop showcased another incredible part of this country’s natural beauty. The Milford Sound cruise was simply unforgettable. Even though we experienced very rainy weather, it only added to the magic, with countless waterfalls cascading down the cliffs and creating some of the most breathtaking scenery we've ever seen. By the end of the trip you’ll be grateful for the rain. This tour exceeded all our expectations. From the incredible scenery and well-planned stops to Jason's outstanding guidance and the intimate atmosphere, everything was perfect. We couldn't recommend it more highly—it's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that everyone should have on their bucket list.
