Milford Sound · Doubtful Sound · Te Anau

Fiordland Tours

Cruises, coach days, scenic flights and jet boats from Queenstown and Te Anau

Fiordland tours take you onto Milford Sound beneath a peak that rises 1,692 m from the water, across Lake Manapouri to Doubtful Sound, which no road reaches, and over the mountains from Queenstown. Each card shows where the day starts and how long you spend on the water, so you book the right one.

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Most tours here refund in full up to 24 hours ahead, so you can book now and decide later.

14Fiords in the park

1,692 mA peak straight from the sea

From $94A cruise on Lake Te Anau

Hours, prices and access verified by the Fiordland Tours team — last checked 2026-09-21.

Fiordland Tours › Tours & Tickets 2026 Updated: 2026-09-21

Start here

Top Fiordland Tours for 2026

The best Fiordland tour is the one that starts nearest your bed. Start from Queenstown, Manapouri or the Milford Sound terminal.

Best seller

Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

★★★★★ 4.9 (3,674 reviews · 13 hours)

Road day and cruiseThe Station or hotel pickupFly-back option extraPicnic lunch included

Leave The Station in Queenstown at 6:30am or 7:00am, or be collected from a listed hotel, for a 13-hour Fiordland day in a group of 15 at most. The road north stops at Lake Te Anau, the Eglinton Valley, Lake Gunn and the Darran Mountains, then gives you two hours at Milford Sound for the boutique cruise. A picnic lunch, water and snacks are in the fare, and children 7 and under get a booster seat. The vehicle has no toilet, so use the breaks, and a flight back can be added when you book.

Pickup in Queenstown
Lake Wakatipu and the Devil's Staircase
Break at Lake Te Anau
Eglinton Valley and Mirror Lakes stops
Lake Gunn and the Darran Mountains
Through the Homer Tunnel
Two-hour boutique cruise on Milford Sound
Pops View lookout, then back to Queenstown

From $215 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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From Manapouri: Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Trip

★★★★★ 4.8 (1,804 reviews · 7 hours)

Lake, pass and 3-hour cruisePearl Harbour, ManapouriFood on sale, card only

Board at Pearl Harbour in Manapouri for a seven-hour Fiordland day that crosses the lake, climbs the pass by coach and reaches Doubtful Sound, the fiord no road reaches. Nature guides lead three hours on the sound, and the early-departure option spends two hours in the inner fiord. Both lake crossings and both coach trips are in the fare, with a rainforest stop on the way over. Food and drinks are on sale on board, card only, and you should know the boats do not take wheelchairs.

Check in at Pearl Harbour in Manapouri
Cruise Lake Manapouri to West Arm
Coach over Wilmot Pass with a rainforest stop
Board the Patea Explorer at Deep Cove
Three-hour cruise of Doubtful Sound
Coach and lake cruise back to Manapouri

From $205 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Cruise Milford NZ Small Boutique Cruise Experience

★★★★★ 4.9 (3,208 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes)

1h45 cruiseMilford Sound terminalBring your own food

Check in at the second counter on the left in the Milford Sound Visitor Terminal for a Fiordland cruise of 1 hour 45 minutes on a small boat. The skipper takes you past the peak and the waterfalls, with coffee, tea and biscuits on board and fur seals, dolphins and penguins to look out for. No food is sold, so bring your own, and wheelchairs and strollers can come aboard. The main car park costs NZ$10 an hour, card only, 10 minutes' walk away, or park free at Deepwater Basin, 40 minutes' walk.

Check in at the Milford Sound Visitor Terminal
Board the Cruise Milford boat
Cruise past Mitre Peak and the waterfalls
Look for fur seals, dolphins and penguins
Back to the terminal

From $110 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Why book with us

Trusted by Thousands of Visitors

⚖

Best Guides

Fiordland guided tours here run with nature guides, driver-guides, pilots and skippers who time the road stops, read the weather and point out the seals and dolphins on the water.

✓

Book With Confidence

Most tours here refund in full up to 24 hours ahead, and each card shows the price, where you meet and whether lunch or a flight is in the fare.

★

Experience of a Lifetime

Sail beneath a peak that rises 1,692 m from the sea, stand in the spray of a waterfall on deck and cross a lake and a pass to a fiord no road reaches.

FREE CANCELLATION up to 24 hours in advance on most tours listed here; the Doubtful Sound overnight needs 14 days and the Milford Sound overnight is non-refundable.

Everything available

All Fiordland Tours and Tickets

Fiordland Milford Sound Tours

Fiordland Milford Sound tours reach the one fiord you can drive to, by coach, by plane or from the cruise terminal itself. Allow 45 minutes at Milford for parking and the walk in if you drive yourself.

Milford Sound: 2-Hour Small Boat Scenic Cruise

★★★★★ 4.8 (3,093 reviews · 2 hours)

2-hour cruiseMilford Sound terminalBring your own food

Sail the whole 16 km of Milford Sound in two hours on a small boat, out past St Anne's Point to the Tasman Sea and back to the wharf. The skipper stops at points of interest, with indoor and outdoor viewing areas, live commentary, and tea, coffee and hot chocolate on board. You pass Lady Bowen Falls on the way out and nose in close under a second waterfall on the way home. No food is carried, so pack lunch, and parking is free at Deepwater Basin, 40 minutes' walk from the terminal.

From $96 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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From Te Anau: Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walks

★★★★★ 4.9 (919 reviews · 1 day)

Coach, cruise and walksTe Anau pickupPicnic lunch includedMax 15 guests

Door-to-door pickup from central Te Anau starts a full Fiordland day with a nature driver-guide, in a group of 15 at most. You cruise for two hours on a small boat out to the Tasman Sea, and a packed picnic lunch is in the fare. The day adds about three and a half hours of guided short walks and stops of 5 to 30 minutes, at Lake Gunn and in the Hollyford Valley. There is no Queenstown pickup or drop-off, so stay in Te Anau the night before.

From $157 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Milford Sound Overnight Cruise Fiordland Jewel

★★★★★ 4.8 (135 reviews · 17 hours 30 minutes)

Overnight on Milford SoundMilford Sound terminalDinner and breakfastMax 22 guests

Spend about 17 hours on Milford Sound aboard the Fiordland Jewel, checking in at the terminal between 2:30 and 3:00pm and sleeping in an ensuite cabin at anchor. Dinner, breakfast, coffee and tea, kayaking and a tender-boat excursion are in the fare, and the top-deck hot tub opens after dinner. Alcoholic drinks are on sale, while transport to Milford Sound and NZ$30 overnight parking are extra. The fare is per person in bookings of two, non-refundable and unchangeable, so book once your dates are fixed.

From $847 per person, bookings of two

Non-refundable and cannot be changed.

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Fiordland Tours from Queenstown

Fiordland tours from Queenstown leave early and return in the evening, by coach or with a flight home. A Fiordland National Park tour from Queenstown runs 9 to 13 hours, so plan a quiet next morning.

From Queenstown: Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Trip

★★★★★ 4.7 (364 reviews · 13 hours)

Lake, pass and 3-hour cruiseBeach Street, QueenstownFood on sale, card only

Meet at 88 Beach Street in Queenstown 15 minutes before the coach leaves for a 13-hour Fiordland day to Doubtful Sound and back. The coach runs along Lake Wakatipu to Manapouri, a boat crosses the lake, and a second coach climbs the pass to the fiord. Three hours on the water with nature guides is the heart of the day, and the drivers give commentary on the road. Food and drinks are on sale on board, card only, so you can buy lunch rather than carry it.

From $273 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Queenstown: Milford Sound Small-Group Tour w Cruise & Lunch

★★★★★ 4.9 (663 reviews · 11 hours)

Road day and cruiseQueenstown hotel pickupFly-back option extraPicnic lunch included

Travel from Queenstown in a small group for an 11-hour day, with pickup from a listed hotel or stop such as The Station or Frankton Terminus. You break for 30 minutes in Te Anau, then stop in the Eglinton Valley, at Lake Gunn and by the Hollyford River on the way in. A 105-minute boutique cruise on Milford Sound follows, and a picnic lunch, snacks and water are in the fare. A flight back to Queenstown can be chosen at booking, while child safety seats are not supplied.

From $210 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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From Queenstown: Milford Sound Day Trip with Cruise & Flight

★★★★★ 4.9 (34 reviews · 9 hours)

Coach in, fly backQueenstown hotel pickupFlight back includedPicnic lunch included

Ride in by road and fly home: hotel pickup in Queenstown starts about five hours of stops on the way to Milford Sound, among them Knobs Flat and the Eglinton Valley. A two-hour cruise takes you out to the Tasman Sea, with tea, coffee, hot chocolate and water on board and a picnic lunch. The 40-minute scenic flight back to Queenstown ends a nine-hour day. If weather cancels the flight, you return by coach and the flight portion is partly refunded.

From $540 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Fiordland Tours from Te Anau

Fiordland tours from Te Anau start in the lakefront town, the closest base to both fiords. Staying the night there turns a long day into a short one.

From Te Anau: Doubtful Sound Coach & Cruise

★★★★★ 4.7 (450 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes)

Lake, pass and 3-hour cruiseLakefront Drive, Te Anau

Catch the coach at 85 Lakefront Drive in Te Anau for an eight-and-a-half-hour day on Doubtful Sound, the fiord you reach only by boat and coach. The fare covers the coach to Manapouri, the lake cruise both ways and the coach over the pass, with photo stops and commentary. Three hours on the sound follow, with live commentary on board. Drinks from the licensed bar are extra, and the boats do not take wheelchairs, so check your needs before you book.

From $218 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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From Te Anau: Milford Sound Cruise & Track Walk by Coach

★★★★★ 4.9 (18 reviews · 11 hours)

Cruise and Milford Track walk1 Lakefront Drive, Te Anau

Walk part of a Great Walk on this 11-hour Fiordland day from Te Anau, after a nature cruise of up to two hours on Milford Sound. The coach meets you at 1 Lakefront Drive, and a water taxi from Deepwater Basin carries you to the start of the track. The self-guided walk is 11 km return to Giant Gates Falls, about four hours on foot. Lunch is not included, but a buffet or picnic can be added on the cruise, and the day does not suit wheelchairs.

From $219 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Best value

Lake Te Anau: 3-Hour Boat Cruise with Guided Walk

★★★★★ 5.0 (184 reviews · 3 hours)

Lake cruise and guided walkTe Anau historic wharfTea and drinks on board

Step aboard Faith, the 1935 motor yacht, at Te Anau's historic wharf behind the visitor centre, 10 minutes before a three-hour cruise on Lake Te Anau. The crew sails toward the lake's South Fiord and leads a walk of about 40 minutes to the Hidden Lakes. Morning or afternoon tea and drinks are served on board, with canapés on the sail back. It suits a rest day between the long fiord trips, and you are back in town in three hours.

From $94 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Fiordland Boat Tours

Fiordland boat tours start at the wharf, on the fiords or on the lakes. The boat tours Fiordland New Zealand offers run from a 90-minute evening sail to a night at anchor.

From Manapouri: Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise

★★★★★ 4.9 (182 reviews · 23 hours)

Overnight on Doubtful SoundPearl Harbour, ManapouriDinner and breakfast

Cross Lake Manapouri from Pearl Harbour and ride the coach over the pass to board the Wanderer for a night on Doubtful Sound. A nature guide is with you, and a kayak or tender-boat trip along the shore comes before a three-course buffet dinner. You sleep in a twin-share cabin with shared bathrooms, and a hot breakfast is served before the cruise back. The fare refunds in full up to 14 days before, not 24 hours, and alcoholic and soft drinks are extra.

From $428 per person

Full refund up to 14 days before.

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Evening Champagne Cruise on Historic 1935 Motor Yacht.

★★★★★ 4.9 (50 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)

Evening cruise on FaithTe Anau historic wharfChampagne and canapés

Sip unlimited champagne and wine on a 90-minute evening cruise aboard Faith, a motor yacht built in 1935, leaving from Te Anau's historic wharf behind the visitor centre. Canapés are served on deck while the yacht lies at anchor in a sheltered cove on Lake Te Anau. You can take a turn at the helm on the way out, and the yacht brings you back to the same wharf. Arrive 15 minutes before sailing, and note that tips and transport to the wharf are not included.

From $94 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Fiordland Scenic Flights

Fiordland scenic flights leave Queenstown in small planes and land at Milford Sound for the cruise. Weight limits apply, and weather can ground a flight on the day.

From Queenstown: Milford Sound Full-Day Trip by Plane & Boat

★★★★★ 4.9 (1,841 reviews · 5 hours)

Fly in, cruise, fly backQueenstown hotel pickupFlights both ways

Fly from Queenstown to Milford Sound over two national parks, cruise for two hours, then fly back by a different path, all within five hours. The cruise passes the waterfalls with tea, coffee, hot chocolate and water on board, and transfers from your accommodation are in the fare. You can drive to the base instead, where parking is free, and check in 45 minutes before. A flight cancelled for weather is rebooked or refunded in full, and food is not included.

From $428 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Top rated

From Queenstown: Milford Sound Flight and Nature Cruise

★★★★★ 5.0 (279 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes)

Fly in, cruise, fly backQueenstown hotel pickupFlights both waysMax 12 guests

Take off from Queenstown in a group of 12 at most, after a briefing on a map, for a 35-minute flight to Milford Sound with in-flight commentary. You land beneath the peak and board a small boat for a nature cruise of 1 hour 45 minutes. Morning tea, tea and coffee are included, and the pilot may walk you from the plane to the boat if time allows. The flight home takes a different route, the day runs to 4 hours 30 minutes, and lunch is not included.

From $482 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Fiordland Jet Boat Tours

Fiordland jet boat tours run the Waiau River from Te Anau down to Lake Manapouri. Each Fiordland jet boat tour adds a short guided walk in the forest.

Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau

★★★★★ 4.9 (109 reviews · 2 hours)

Jet boat and nature walkJet boat office, Te Anau

Race down the Waiau River by jet boat for 75 minutes, out onto Lake Manapouri, then step ashore for a 15-minute guided walk in beech forest. You check in at the jet boat office in central Te Anau, with free parking behind it, and a bus takes you to the launch at Queen's Reach. A local driver-guide gives live commentary in English, and spray jackets, life jackets and warm gear are supplied. The whole outing takes two hours, so it fits an afternoon after a morning cruise.

From $117 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Te Anau: River Jet Boat and Bike Ride Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★ 4.8 (22 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes)

Jet boat, walk and bikeJet boat office, Te Anau

Combine 75 minutes on a jet boat with an 11 km bike ride back into Te Anau on the Lake2Lake trail. The boat runs the Waiau River to Lake Manapouri with a local driver-guide, and a 15-minute guided walk ashore comes in the middle. Two hours of bike hire, standard or e-bike, with a helmet, is in the fare, and most riders take 1.5 to 2 hours on the trail. The ride is self-guided and food and drinks are extra, so carry your own water and a snack.

From $151 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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The park

About Fiordland

Fiordland National Park covers more than 1.2 million hectares of New Zealand's south-west corner, and it has been World Heritage since 1986, part of Te Wāhipounamu. Fourteen fiords cut up to 40 km inland, from Milford Sound in the north to Preservation Inlet in the south. Join us on the two you can visit in a day, Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, or on the lakes by Te Anau. We bring together the Fiordland National Park tours worth your day: cruises, coach days, scenic flights and jet boats.

Fees, Parking and the Levy

There is no entry fee for the park. What you pay is the fare, parking at Milford Sound at NZ$10 an hour (NZ$30 overnight), and, on most visas and NZeTAs, the NZ$100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. Dogs are not allowed in the park, even in a car, and drones need a permit.

Milford Sound, the Fiord with a Road

Milford Sound runs 16 km to the Tasman Sea and is 265 m deep in places, with Mitre Peak rising 1,692 m from the water. It is the one fiord you can drive to, 120 km from Te Anau, and DOC counts more than a million visitors a year, so the cruise you book sets your day.

Doubtful Sound, the Fiord Without One

Doubtful Sound is 40 km long and 421 m deep, the deepest of New Zealand's fiords, and no road reaches it. You cross Lake Manapouri by boat and Wilmot Pass by coach to Deep Cove. Cook named it Doubtful Harbour in 1770, and its Māori name, Patea, means place of silence.

Steep ridges falling to dark green water in a deep fiord

The arms of a long lake between forested ridges, seen from a hilltop

Three bottlenose dolphins leaping from choppy water

What you will see

Named Highlights of Fiordland

What a day in the park holds, from the peak over Milford Sound to the river below Te Anau.

A peak straight out of the seaMitre Peak rises 1,692 m straight from the water, and DOC calls it one of the most photographed peaks in the world.
Waterfalls into the fiordLady Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls drop straight into Milford Sound, and the small boats nose in close under them.
A tunnel through the rangeThe Homer Tunnel on the Milford Road runs 1.2 km through the rock at 945 m above sea level, with traffic lights and waits of up to 20 minutes at summer peaks.
A gravel pass to the quiet fiordWilmot Pass climbs to 671 m on a gravel road from West Arm, and the Doubtful Sound boats wait below it at Deep Cove.
A lake crossing to beginManapouri, 21 km from Te Anau, is where every Doubtful Sound day begins, with a boat across Lake Manapouri to West Arm and its power station.
A river from the filmsThe Waiau River stood in for the River Anduin in the Lord of the Rings films, and the jet boats run it down to Lake Manapouri.

Plan your visit

Everything You Need Before You Go

Getting thereWhat it costsWhen to goWeather

Te Anau is 179 km from Queenstown, about 2 hours 20 minutes by road, and Milford Sound is 120 km beyond it, about two hours without stops. Doubtful Sound has no road: every trip crosses Lake Manapouri by boat and the pass by coach. At Milford, allow 45 minutes for parking and the walk to the terminal.

Getting to Fiordland

There is no entry fee for Fiordland National Park. Fares here run from $94 for a lake cruise to $847 a person for a night on Milford Sound, and parking at Milford costs NZ$10 an hour. Most international visitors also pay the NZ$100 visitor levy with their visa or NZeTA.

Fees, parking and the levy

Winter, June to August, is the most settled season, often clear and still, while spring brings more wind and rain. The Milford Road is busiest from October to April, and in winter chains may be required. Summer light runs from about 5:30am to 9:30pm.

Best time to visit

Milford Sound Airport records about 6,545 mm of rain a year, on 185 days of 1 mm or more. Visit Fiordland calls both fiords particularly dramatic on rainy days, when the waterfalls are on full display. Scenic flights are the trips weather can stop, so fly early in your stay.

Month-by-month weather

Straight answer

Do You Need a Tour in Fiordland?

Not for the park itself. There are no Fiordland tickets and no entry fee, and at Milford Sound you can drive the 120 km from Te Anau yourself and book only a cruise at the terminal. It is an alpine road with no fuel or shops after Te Anau, parking costs NZ$10 an hour, and DOC says a guided tour or coach is a great way to reduce your footprint. Doubtful Sound has no road at all, so a tour is the practical way in.

The Fiordland ticket prices worth comparing are the fares themselves: from $94 for a lake cruise, $96 for a cruise from the Milford terminal and $205 for a Doubtful Sound day. Make your Fiordland booking for the day you want, and a Fiordland reservation on most tours refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead; the Doubtful Sound overnight needs 14 days, and the Milford Sound overnight is non-refundable. A day at the fiord on your own is set out in doing Milford Sound on your own.

See Top Tours Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound?

Book with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead on most tours, and a change of plan costs you nothing.

Which one is me

Choosing the Right Day for You

Start from where you are staying and how you want to reach the water; the right tour follows from those two.

From Queenstown, by road

The small-group day with lunch takes 15 guests at most and stops along the road before the cruise. More long days are on Fiordland tours from Queenstown.

From Queenstown, by air

The Fiordland scenic flights fly you in and out in about five hours, or take you in by road and fly you home.

Based in Te Anau

For Fiordland tours Te Anau is the closer base: the tours from Te Anau reach both fiords, the lake and the river, and save you 179 km each way from Queenstown.

Driving yourself

The boutique cruise starts at the Milford Sound terminal, so you park and board. The other Milford Sound tours add a coach or a plane.

The quiet fiord

The Doubtful Sound day from Manapouri is the shortest way onto the roadless fiord, at seven hours, and Fiordland boat tours include a night aboard.

A short trip on the water

The Fiordland jet boat tours take two hours, or three and a half with a bike ride, and the yacht on Lake Te Anau sails for 90 minutes or three hours.

Compare

Which Fiordland Tour Is Right for You?

Every Fiordland tour gathered here, most reviewed first. They differ most in where the day starts and how you reach the water, so read those columns before you choose on the price.

Tour	Rating	Where the day goes	Starts from	Fare	Best for
Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown	4.9 (3,674)	Road day and cruise	The Station or hotel pickup	From $215 per person	First-timers in Queenstown who want the road stops	Book
Cruise Milford NZ Small Boutique Cruise Experience	4.9 (3,208)	1h45 cruise	Milford Sound terminal	From $110 per person	Drivers who want an unhurried small-boat cruise	Book
Milford Sound: 2-Hour Small Boat Scenic Cruise	4.8 (3,093)	2-hour cruise	Milford Sound terminal	From $96 per person	Self-drivers who want the whole fiord to the sea	Book
From Queenstown: Milford Sound Full-Day Trip by Plane & Boat	4.9 (1,841)	Fly in, cruise, fly back	Queenstown hotel pickup	From $428 per person	Queenstown visitors short on time who want the flights	Book
From Manapouri: Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Trip	4.8 (1,804)	Lake, pass and 3-hour cruise	Pearl Harbour, Manapouri	From $205 per person	Travellers with a car who want the quiet fiord	Book
From Te Anau: Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walks	4.9 (919)	Coach, cruise and walks	Te Anau pickup	From $157 per person	Te Anau stayers who want short walks with a guide	Book
Queenstown: Milford Sound Small-Group Tour w Cruise & Lunch	4.9 (663)	Road day and cruise	Queenstown hotel pickup	From $210 per person	Queenstown visitors who want a shorter road day	Book
From Te Anau: Doubtful Sound Coach & Cruise	4.7 (450)	Lake, pass and 3-hour cruise	Lakefront Drive, Te Anau	From $218 per person	Te Anau guests who want Doubtful Sound without driving	Book
From Queenstown: Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Trip	4.7 (364)	Lake, pass and 3-hour cruise	Beach Street, Queenstown	From $273 per person	Queenstown visitors who want Doubtful Sound in a day	Book
From Queenstown: Milford Sound Flight and Nature Cruise	5.0 (279)	Fly in, cruise, fly back	Queenstown hotel pickup	From $482 per person	Small parties who want a small plane and boat	Book
Lake Te Anau: 3-Hour Boat Cruise with Guided Walk	5.0 (184)	Lake cruise and guided walk	Te Anau historic wharf	From $94 per person	Families who want a short, gentle lake day	Book
From Manapouri: Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise	4.9 (182)	Overnight on Doubtful Sound	Pearl Harbour, Manapouri	From $428 per person	Travellers who want a night on the quiet fiord	Book
Milford Sound Overnight Cruise Fiordland Jewel	4.8 (135)	Overnight on Milford Sound	Milford Sound terminal	From $847 per person, bookings of two	Couples who want a night on Milford Sound	Book
Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau	4.9 (109)	Jet boat and nature walk	Jet boat office, Te Anau	From $117 per person	Active travellers with two hours to spare	Book
Evening Champagne Cruise on Historic 1935 Motor Yacht.	4.9 (50)	Evening cruise on Faith	Te Anau historic wharf	From $94 per person	Couples who want a short evening on the lake	Book
From Queenstown: Milford Sound Day Trip with Cruise & Flight	4.9 (34)	Coach in, fly back	Queenstown hotel pickup	From $540 per person	Travellers who want the road in and the air out	Book
Te Anau: River Jet Boat and Bike Ride Tour with Local Guide	4.8 (22)	Jet boat, walk and bike	Jet boat office, Te Anau	From $151 per person	Riders who want a jet boat and a bike trail	Book
From Te Anau: Milford Sound Cruise & Track Walk by Coach	4.9 (18)	Cruise and Milford Track walk	1 Lakefront Drive, Te Anau	From $219 per person	Walkers who want a day on a Great Walk	Book

Peaceful and quiet, with good guides. For them a better day than Milford Sound.Martin · Fiordland day on Doubtful Sound

They had thought about driving themselves and were glad they had not: better with a guide.Joseph · Fiordland coach, cruise and walks

A clear day for the flight in, with snow on the peaks. The cruise was skipped because the forecast for the flight home had turned, and it was still a highlight.Sonya · Fiordland fly, cruise and fly

What to expect

How a Fiordland Tour Day Runs

Pick where the day goes

Coach and cruise, a flight, an overnight or the lake: the first chip on each card says which.

Check where it starts

Queenstown, Te Anau, Manapouri or the Milford terminal; the second chip gives the spot.

See what is in the fare

The later chips show a flight, lunch or tea on board, so you know what to pack.

Pack warm layers

Cold, wind and heavy rain can come in any month, so bring a warm layer and waterproofs for the deck.

Keep the evening free

The Queenstown coach days run 11 to 13 hours, so plan an easy dinner that night.

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Traveller reviews

Fiordland Tours Reviews

Travellers' own words about the cruises, the long days from Queenstown and the flights, with the stars each gave, four-star days included, because they help you choose.

★★★★★

Fiordland small-group day from Queenstown

Thirteen hours went quickly. The commentary left room to nap, and the packed lunch came with plenty of extras.

Charlie H. · Friends · September 2026

★★★★★

Fiordland small-group day with lunch

A comfortable minibus, an informative guide and a packed lunch that hit the spot, on a sunny day. The optional flight back was quick and smooth, with close views of the mountains and even glaciers.

Kathrine · Couples · Australia · August 2026

★★★★★

Fiordland two-hour small-boat cruise

The longer cruise goes further out, to Cape St Anne. The small boat rocked less than expected, and penguins and dolphins turned up on the way.

Motoki · Couples · Japan · September 2026

★★★★☆

Boutique cruise from the Milford terminal

The cruise and its waterfalls were wonderful. Driving back out of Milford in the dark was not.

Wendy B. · May 2026

★★★★★

Fiordland night on Doubtful Sound

Good weather made the kayaking and swimming off the boat a delight, and the hot showers were welcome afterwards. Waking to dolphins swimming past the boat was a highlight.

Madhurima · Friends · United States · January 2026

★★★★★

Doubtful Sound day from Queenstown

Better than Milford Sound if you prefer quiet to drama: vast, still, and theirs was the only boat for the whole three hours. Bus, boat and coach connected with very little waiting in between.

Yi · Solo · Australia · May 2026

★★★★★

Fiordland evening champagne cruise

Booked at the last minute. The yacht's history and the tour round it were the best part.

Shari · Family · New Zealand · February 2026

★★★★★

Fiordland lake cruise and guided walk

An unhurried walk from the jetty to a hidden lake, with the plants explained on the way, then afternoon tea aboard. On the way home they both got to steer the yacht.

Sharon · Couples · Australia · September 2026

★★★★☆

Fiordland jet boat and bike ride

An enjoyable afternoon but dear for what it was: only about 40 minutes on the e-bikes, on a fairly tough gravel track. The views from the boat and the bikes were pretty, though.

Eric · United States · December 2023

★★★★★

Fiordland coach in, flight back

The driver-guide made the drive in interesting, and they learned a lot. Heavy rain and some snow cancelled the flight back, but the fiord was beautiful even wet.

Leah · Family · United States · September 2025

★★★★★

Doubtful Sound day from Te Anau

After heavy rain there were hundreds of waterfalls, at the price of cloud and mist. A fine day brings far fewer.

Tom · Couples · Australia · June 2026

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Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an entry fee for Fiordland National Park?

No. Fiordland National Park has no gate and no entry fee. What you pay for is the cruise, coach seat or flight, plus parking at Milford Sound if you drive, and most international visitors pay New Zealand's NZ$100 visitor levy with their visa or NZeTA.

Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound: which should I choose?

Milford Sound is the one you can drive to, with a cruise of up to 2 hours on a 16 km fiord below Mitre Peak. Doubtful Sound has no road: you cross Lake Manapouri and Wilmot Pass first, then cruise a fiord 40 km long for 3 hours, with far fewer boats. Choose Milford for the famous view, Doubtful for the quiet and the time on the water.

Can I visit Milford Sound as a day trip from Queenstown?

Yes, but it is a long day. The road trip is about 600 km return and the coach days run 11 to 13 hours, leaving between 6:30 and 7:30 am. The fly-cruise-fly days cover the same ground in about 5 hours by flying 30 to 40 minutes each way.

How long is the drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound?

About 120 km, which DOC puts at 2 hours without stops. Most people take closer to 3 with the viewpoints and short walks. There is no fuel between Te Anau and Milford Sound, so fill up before you leave.

What happens if it rains in Fiordland?

Cruises run in the rain, and rain is when the waterfalls are at their biggest. Fiordland gets around 7 m of rain a year, so pack a rain jacket whatever the forecast says. Scenic flights are the exception: they are rebooked or refunded when the weather closes in.

What happens if my scenic flight is cancelled?

The flight operators rebook you or refund you in full when weather cancels a flight. On the drive-in, fly-out day you return to Queenstown by coach instead, and the flight part of the fare is partly refunded. Book a flight early in your stay so there is room to reschedule.

Can I cancel a Fiordland tour?

Most tours here refund in full up to 24 hours before. The overnight cruises are the exceptions: the Doubtful Sound overnight needs 14 days' notice, and the Fiordland Jewel on Milford Sound is non-refundable. Each card states its own policy.

How much does parking cost at Milford Sound?

The main car park costs NZ$10 an hour, paid by card at the machines, about 10 minutes' walk from the terminal. A free car park at Deepwater Basin is about 40 minutes' walk away. DOC advises allowing 45 minutes to park and walk in before your cruise.

Is food available on the Milford Sound cruises?

Not on the small day boats: Cruise Milford and Mitre Peak Cruises sell no food, though they serve tea and coffee and you can bring your own. The small-group coach days from Queenstown and the walks day from Te Anau include a picnic lunch. On Doubtful Sound, RealNZ's boats sell food and drinks, card only.

Can I drive to Doubtful Sound?

No. There is no road to Doubtful Sound: every visit crosses Lake Manapouri by boat to West Arm and then Wilmot Pass by coach to Deep Cove. The day trips from Manapouri, Te Anau and Queenstown include all of it.

Will I see dolphins, seals or penguins?

Often, but no tour can promise it. Fur seals bask on the rocks in Milford Sound, and Doubtful Sound has one of the southernmost populations of bottlenose dolphins. Fiordland crested penguins, tawaki, are seasonal.

Where is the best place to stay in Fiordland?

Te Anau. It is the largest town in Fiordland, 2 hours from Milford Sound and 20 minutes from Manapouri, and DOC recommends planning the Milford trip from there rather than from Queenstown. Queenstown works if you take a coach day or a flight.

What should I bring?

A rain jacket, warm layers and insect repellent, whatever the season: the sandflies are the reason almost every listing names repellent. Bring food on the small Milford boats. RealNZ's boats take cards only, so cash is no use there.

Are Fiordland tours suitable for children?

Most are. The jet boat rides take children from 4, the bike version from 2, and the premium small-group day from Queenstown supplies booster seats for children 7 and under. The 13-hour days from Queenstown are long for young children, and a Te Anau base shortens them.

How long is a Milford Sound cruise?

Between 1 hour 45 minutes and 2 hours on the day boats. The 2-hour boats run the full 16 km out past St Anne's Point into the Tasman Sea before turning back under Mitre Peak. The overnight boat stays about 17 hours.

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Photographs

Fiordland Gallery

A red-hulled cruise boat heading out below a sheer dark peak and bright cloud

A cruise boat beside a waterfall falling into the fiord, seen from above

A day boat crossing the fiord under a dark pointed peak

A white historic motor yacht under full sail on a lake

A yellow jet boat on a river below a swing bridge and beech forest

A fur seal resting on a lichen-covered rock

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Beyond the tour

Beyond the Tour

More ways to fill a longer stay in Te Anau, set out with the rest in things to do in Fiordland.

Glowworms in the dark

The Te Anau glowworm caves have been forming for 12,000 years, and the grotto is kept silent, with no photography allowed.

A day on a Great Walk

The Kepler Track's 60 km loop starts 5 km from Te Anau, and its first stretch to Brod Bay, 5.6 km and about 1 hour 30 minutes, makes a day walk.

A still lake by the road

Mirror Lakes, 56 km from Te Anau on the way to Milford, are a 400 m walk of 10 minutes, and the path takes wheelchairs.

Read before you go

Fiordland Travel Guides and Advice

Choosing

The Best Milford Sound Cruises in Fiordland, Compared

Small boats from the terminal, coach days, flights and the overnight boat. Which one suits your day, and what each leaves out.

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Planning

How to Visit Milford Sound in Fiordland: Parking, Cruises and Timing

No entry fee and no gate: what you do pay for, where to park, how early to reach the terminal, and which cruise length to pick.

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The road

Te Anau to Milford Sound, Stop by Stop: The Fiordland Drive

Every stop on the 120 km from the lakeside town to the fiord: the valleys, the short walks, the tunnel and its lights, and how long a coach day stays at each.

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Read all posts Planning guides

Where it is

Visitor Information for Fiordland

Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
The south-west corner of the South Island; Te Anau, on the lake of the same name, is the gateway town

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Name

Te Rua-o-te-moko / Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre, run by the Department of Conservation.

Address

Temporarily at 26 Town Centre, Te Anau 9600, until October 2026. Phone +64 3 249 7924.

Hours

Monday to Saturday, 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm; closed on Sundays. Those are centre hours, not tour times: each tour's start is set by its operator and shown when you book.

Getting there

Te Anau is 179 km from Queenstown and 150 km from Invercargill, with regular buses from both. Every meeting point is on the Fiordland map.

Book Your Fiordland Tour

Pick where you want to start, then choose your date. Lake cruises start at $94 a person, you complete your Fiordland booking at the fare shown on each card, and most tours refund in full up to 24 hours ahead.

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