Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

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Recommended by 99% of reviewers

Badge of Excellence | Fiordland & Milford Sound, New Zealand

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13 hours (approx.)

Hotel pickup offered

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Overview

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.

What's Included

Lunch Picnic Lunch - please note dietary requirement at time of booking
Water available & snacks provided
Cruise Entry
Hotel pickup & drop-off (listed locations only)
Small Group & Fully Guided Tour

Picnic lunch for infants (0 - 3)
Child safety car seat available for NZ$20 (notify 24 hours prior to tour)
Optional extras and activities - please select the tour option you want at time of booking

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Meeting and Pickup

Pickup point

Pickup details

- Enjoy the convenience of pick-ups from selected hotels. If your location isn’t listed, simply choose the nearest available option & meet us there!- 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. To ensure a timely departure, we recommend being ready 5–10 minutes early, as we are unable to wait for late guests.- To ensure a smooth start, please be ready and waiting outside 5 minutes prior to pickup time.

Meeting point

Corner of Shotover & Camp Streets
Shotover Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand

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

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

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

What To Expect

Queenstown (Pass By)

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.

Lake Wakatipu

Departing Queenstown we wind our way around Lake Wakatipu, with amazing views of ‘The Remarkables’ Mountain Range and the lake, stopping for photos is a must.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Devil's Staircase Lookout Point (Pass By)

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.

Lake Te Anau

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.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Eglinton Valley

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.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Mirror Lakes Walk

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.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Lake Gunn

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hollyford River (Pass By)

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.

Darran Mountains

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.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Homer Tunnel (Pass By)

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.

Milford Sound

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).

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Mitre Peak (Pass By)

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.

Pops View Look Out

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.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Queenstown (Pass By)

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.

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Additional Info

Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
If you have dietary requirements. Please kindly indicate it to the special requirements at the time of booking
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Specialized infant seats are available
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.

A moderate amount of walking is involved.
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.
Children aged 7 years and below are required by law to travel in a child safety car seat. If you don't have a car seat one can be provided (See Exclusions) Please advise at time of booking.
Scenic flight weight restrictions are 116 KG
Scenic flights cannot be confirmed without full names and weights of all travellers
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Frequently Asked Questions

(8)

Q: Will I get seasick on Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown?

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