Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau
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Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau

By Fiordland Tours
Recommended by 99% of travelers
99% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
In addition to a sightseeing cruise on Milford Sound, this full-day tour includes guided walks to the Chasm and Marian Cascade. Admire this continuous waterfall, which drains from a glacier-fed lake into the UNESCO-listed fiord. You also relax with morning tea, and hear commentary on plentiful wildlife such as dolphins, seals, keas, and the Fiordland crested penguin.
Free cancellation • Full refund if cancelled up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time).
Reserve now & pay later • Secure your spot while staying flexible.
Lowest price guarantee • Find a lower price online? Get the difference refunded!

Ages 0-99, max of 15 per group
Duration: 9h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights
  • Milford Sound combo: sightseeing cruise plus nature hikes
  • Walk at Mirror Lakes, Marian Cascade, and the Chasm
  • Morning tea: scones, biscuits, chocolates, and fruit juice
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off provided from Te Anau
Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best
2024

  • National Park fees
  • Coffee and/or Tea
  • Driver/guide
  • Live commentary on board
  • Local guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off from Te Anau
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Entry/Admission - Fiordland Tours
What's not included
  • Drinks
  • Hotel Pick up from Manapouri (available by special arrangement. Additional costs may apply)


Start:Traveler pickup offered.
  • 210 Milford Road, Te Anau 9600, New Zealand
    You may come to our address at 7:40 am on the morning of your tour. We are at 210 Milford Road, Te Anau. You will see a sign for Birchwood Cottages and then the NZ flag and a sign on the fence for “Fiordland tours/Milford Sound”. Come down the long drive and park on the grass on your left.
Pickup details
  • Departure Point: Your accommodation in Te Anau please contact supplier after booking to define your pickup location. Dates: Daily Return point: Your accommodation in Te Anau.
Additional pickup options
During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included pickup points.
  • 210 Milford Road, Te Anau 9600, New Zealand
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Infant seats available
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 41793P1

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Most travelers can participate
    • Children must be accompanied by an adult
    • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
    • A minimum of 4 people is required to operate the tour
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 41793P1

    From
    $140.07
    per adult
    Select date and travelers

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    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Fiordland Tours
      5.0 of 5 bubbles1,322
      Te Anau, New Zealand
      Joined in October 2010
    • MJLloyd50
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Lake Marion Guided Walk
      Just 2 of us on our guided walk with Sacha who was an exceptional guide. A perfect walk with a beatiful lake at the end. Our guide was friendly, infomative and encouraging throughout the day.
      Written February 10, 2025
    • NatureExplorerGal
      0 contributions
      2.0 of 5 bubbles
      Did Not Enjoy Tour
      I did the small group Milford Sound cruise which included transport from Te Anau. I was uncomfortable during the cruise because it was very cold and windy. While that can happen, I could not comfortably sit inside as there was a very loud group chatting constantly. We only saw a few inactive fur seals and others saw a couple of penquins. Lunch was nothing special tho there was variety, the chicken sandwich was flavorless and dry. The tour guide was a good driver, very informative and served delicious homemade carrot cake at our morning snack. However the guide made rude comments to me 3 times. The first was when she wanted me to sit up front since I was solo. I told her I did not want to sit up front as she would be talking. Instead of understanding that I did not want to sit next to a tour guide who would be talking loudly constantly, she told me that she would be talking as others paid for the tour. The other rude comments were similarly ridiculous. She is the only local who has been rude to me in the country.
      Written November 7, 2024
    • MikeAR
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A great day out.
      What a great day out, made even better by our guide and driver Sacha. She is a treasure trove of local knowledge and kept us informed and entertained all day. She knows all the best photo stops and gives you the time to enjoy them. We had considered self driving and so glad that we didn't as we would have missed so much
      Written November 2, 2024
    • X3059EUmarilynm
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A great tour made even better by the unexpected kea encounters!
      The full day tour from Te Anau was amazing! Our guide Tanya prioritized our safety on the slightly icy roads and clearly loved her job. She was knowledgeable, made sure we saw all that we could, and baked us scones! The Milford Sound cruise was perfect; we had to pinch ourselves to believe we were in such beautiful territory. The snowcapped mountain tops and permanent waterfalls were breathtaking. The unexpected meeting with the endemic keas was so fun! They have such beautiful colors underneath. The early cruise at 10:30 am meant we could make stops in the afternoon where we enjoyed the sunshine and took awesome photos to remember the day forever! We were back in Te Anau by 5 pm. My daughters and I enjoyed ourselves immensely.
      Written May 27, 2024
    • 116SarahP
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Excellent trip
      Excellent small group tour of Milford Sound. Our driver / guide, Tania was very friendly and informative. As well as experiencing Milford Sound we leant a lot about New Zealand.
      Written March 22, 2024
    • lisapK8331BZ
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      We had an A+ experience, even in the rain
      Sasha was the best guide ever. She is such an accomplished woman. She is experienced in so many avenues and has hiked seemingly all of the tracks. She made our trip. The jetboat was fun and we enjoyed John's humor too. Ray is an excellent tour operator
      Written February 25, 2024
    • alicemT3382MI
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Would thoroughly recommend
      Brilliant day. We did the Small Group Tour from Te Anau. Collected from our accommodation and driven to Milford via plenty of photo ops, including Keas and the unforgettable Mirror Lakes. The boat trip of the Sound was excellent. Our driver/guide Sacha was fun and very knowledgeable. Everything worked super efficiently. Altogether it was a magical day (and much less exhausting than driving yourself!)
      Written February 23, 2024
    • dianeaN3691XP
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Trip of a lifetime
      Fabulous tour only made better by our Driver/guide Karlyn. The photo opportunities, the lunch the cruise was all awesome
      Written February 10, 2024
    • jardeb2017
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Awesome
      Fantastic day! great tour starting and finishing in Te Anau means you have way more time to spend around Milford Sound and heaps more stops to enjoy this magical place! Karlyn our driver and guide was “sweet as bro” one of the best we have had, informative, passionate and funny. His amusing and awesome photos and quick photography lesson were an added bonus! Could not recommend this tour highly enough.
      Written February 4, 2024
    • Steves_Rickshaw
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Excellent day!
      We just did the Full Day Milford Sound from Te Anau. What fun! Our driver was fun and entertaining. Lots and lots of stops for pictures, some longer but plenty of short stops to keep the day moving and providing lots of great pictures and experiences.
      Written February 2, 2024
    • Harshil S
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great way to see Milford Sounds at peace!
      Excellent tour! Our driver Stephen was so knowledgeable and happy to answer lots of questions, very easy to talk to and be flexible with the itinerary. Milford Sounds is amazing and this tour gave the chance to see it in a relaxed way and not stuffed into a massive cruise filled with a boat at full capacity. The boat is sized at 50% capacity which gives lots of freedom to navigate and take photos. Defo recommend.
      Written January 26, 2024
    • chrispee1
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Milford Sound tour with Fiordland
      A wonderful day starting with the sun cracking the flags!! Collected on time by Carlin who proved to be the most fun guide you could hope to have . Lots of stops on the way and coming back with expert mobile phone camera advice from Carlin. We learnt so much from him and took some of the most unusual pictures . He's a real character with a host of stories to tell and looked after all of us on the bus so ,so well.
      Written January 15, 2024
    • Chinmay T
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great day exploring Fiordland
      If you only have one day to see Milford Sounds, I highly recommend doing the tour from Te Anau with Fiordland Tours when visiting Milford. We stopped along the way to the Sounds about 10-15 times and were able to see so much more of the National Park. Tania was the absolute best tour guide, very friendly, informative, and passionate about the Sounds.
      Written January 11, 2024
    • 182ruthg
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Stress and hassle free
      A small group, a very knowledgeable driver, being driven right to the boat and a yummy lunch, what is there not to like😊 We were picked up and dropped off from our accommodation. The best thing is that all three of us were able to enjoy the trip rather than having the responsibility of driving.
      Written January 6, 2024
    • Ari V
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing Scenery - Must Do as a Tour
      Tania, our tour guide, was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and told us so many interesting and funny stories. We made many stops and she would point out exactly what we should be looking for. Overall, it was an excellent day and I would highly recommend.
      Written January 3, 2024
    See all 1,322 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles974 reviews
    Excellent
    948
    Very good
    24
    Average
    0
    Poor
    1
    Terrible
    1

    Kiattichai R
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2025 • Family
    Not sure whether we were lucky or not that our trip to Milford Sound was on a sunny day. We heard that this place is much more beautiful when it rains. ! Nevertheless, the sunny Milford Sound provided great opportunity to walk around and take many beautiful photos with my family without rain coats :)

    On that day, our tour guide picked us up from right in front of our hotel at 8AM. She drove a mini-bus (which can load up to 12 people), made all the key scenic point stops, and still was able to manage the time very well. We went on to the cruise on time at 11:45AM and had a great 2 hour with more breathtaking view of the area.

    Also, starting this tour from Te Anua had an advantage as we would arrive at Milford Sound earlier than those coming from Queenstown. Although there were quite a number of people as it was during high season, it would be much more jam-packed in the later of the day. (We could feel that on our way back to the town.)

    Anyway, would love to come back here during other season and see how it would look like.
    Written January 2, 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Leonie G
    19 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2024 • Couples
    An amazing day trip. Our guide Sasha ( hope I spelt it right) was great, she has so much local knowledge of the area around TeAnau and Milford. She was super friendly and made us feel very welcome, being a small group it felt so personalised, we stopped at great spots on the way to Milford Sound and back. Comfort stops made available, lunch was very good with dietary needs catered for. We stopped for afternoon tea on the way back. The cruise on Milford Sound was breathtaking, truly magnificent, we were also lucky enough to see penguins and seals. I would highly recommend this tour for couples or families or sole travellers as everyone was made to feel welcome.
    Written October 4, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks for the fantastic review! We're so glad you enjoyed the day hosted by Sasha and had a memorable experience at Milford Sound - Thanks for the high recommendation and lovely words
    Written October 6, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Yasmin I
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2024 • Couples
    We greatly enjoyed our Milford Sound tour with Steve. It was raining on the day but that didn't detract from the experience at all - in fact it brought out a lot of temporary waterfalls which were incredible to see. Steve was a great tour guide - very knowledgable of the area (including flora and fauna) and told great stories.

    We enjoyed the boat trip - Milford Sound is beautiful and certainly not to be missed when visiting the South Island. Also a good number of stops along the way, we particularly liked the forest walk (?Lake Marian track). We were also lucky to see a number of kea outside of Homer tunnel.

    I'm glad we chose this small-group tour instead of a larger coach one, it was definitely worth the extra cost for a more personalised experience. We paid extra for the packed lunch, which was again worth the money (tasty and lots included).

    Overall an excellent time, would thoroughly recommend!
    Written February 15, 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Sara S
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Tania was the best bus driver and tour guide we could have asked for. Her extensive knowledge, combined with her fun and informative style, made the tour truly memorable. She timed everything perfectly, allowing us to enjoy stops with breathtaking views. The boat ride was fantastic, and we had a delightful picnic, along with tea, coffee, and desserts at another rest stop. We were thrilled to see Kea birds, which were incredibly cute, and Tania knew all of their names. Highly recommend this tour!
    Written February 2, 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Jon L
    Singapore18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2024 • Couples
    We were picked up from our motel in Te Anau for this tour. Our guide and driver, Jonathan, was warm, friendly and ridiculously funny. On top of that, his vast knowledge of the area and history provided us non-stop entertainment on the 2h bus ride to Milford Sound. We stopped at a few view points on the way in and a few more on the way out so you get to walk a bit as well. Jonathan also went the extra mile to stop at certain points to try and spot uncommon birds for us.
    The cruise was simply lovely, with a large, warm lounge area on the lower deck and an exposed viewing area on the upper deck. We went in mid-spring where the cruise was not crowded and there was plenty of room for everyone. From the majestic waterfalls and the steep rocky sides of the sound (although you'll come to know that it isn't a true sound, it's actually a fjord), to the dolphins and penguins, you are up close with nature in its unspoiled beauty.
    Written November 18, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed Jonathan’s humor and knowledge, as well as the stunning beauty of Milford Sound. It's great that you had such a memorable experience with us, from the scenic stops to the wildlife sightings.
    Written March 22, 2025
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Rob F
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2024 • Family
    Beautiful tours. The sights are jaw dropping at every turn bus was comfortable and on time. Lots of stops for photos
    The boat on Milford Sound (which isn’t a sound apparently) was magnificent even saw some dolphins
    Shout out to our guide Tanya she was excellent commentary virtually the whole journey
    10/10 definitely recommend going from Te Anau much shorter journey than Queenstown more stop opportunities
    Do the guided tour if it is in your budget. The last few miles are pretty tricky and parking is very challenging if you don’t get there very early. We were in the busiest holiday period though so it may be easier out of season
    Written January 12, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you for your review of the small group tour you did with us recently. Our timing on the road avoids the crowds and we know that we have awesome guides such as Tania to make your day enjoyable. Regards Ray
    Written March 11, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    taymel
    Denver, CO4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2025 • Couples
    Not much to add to the glowing reviews already here, except to say they’re all right about how cool this experience is. We were lucky enough to visit on a day with no rain and bright sunshine, and the Sound was just spectacular. There are several stops both to and from the Sound that are well worth getting out of the Sprinter to get a photo or two. Only one real hike of any length which was during the return trip.

    I also enjoyed the small group experience with Sacha our guide. There were 15 of us total on the trip and we got to chat with most of our fellow passengers at various stops. This was in contrast to the mega buses we saw that came after us from Queenstown. (We left from Te Anau which put us about two hours ahead of the Qtown folks.) I was grateful that we’d gotten to Milford before they all arrived and left before them as well. Once the buses arrived the place was packed with more than a dozen huge buses and their passengers.

    Finally I want to appreciate Sacha our guide. She grew up there and so knows a ton of history about who owns what ranch and the big storms that took out the road at times. It gave a more personal perspective to the whole trip that made the experience feel more intimate. Highly recommend this trip and Sacha.
    Written January 15, 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    beddausteve2016
    Rapid City, SD32 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2025 • Friends
    We had the 16 small bus tour to Milford Sound, whilst the boat trip (of approximately 2 hours) was excellent especially as we saw seals and dolphins, I really want to say how good the tour guide and driver, Tania, was.
    Very impressed with her selection of stops but mostly with her knowledge of geography, history and wildlife of the region and New Zealand. Fantastic!
    Written February 18, 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Adrian
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Apr 2024 • Couples
    I got to bring my wife for the first time to NZ this month, and I new immediately I had to book this tour again with Fiordland Tours. It is so nice to be on an intimate boutique tour where the number of travelers on the bus and ship were designed to be minimal that allowed us to move freely on the boat along with getting to know our our fellow passengers better as well. The times of the tour were also nicely designed to avoid all the peak times, and we got to see some very beautiful places for some photoshoots.

    We had a great tour guide named Tania who was not only knowledgeable about everything Milford and Te Anau, but she also ensured that our journey was tailored specifically for our group.

    We paid slightly more than your average price for this kind of tour, but I guarantee you it is worth every dollar for the service and experience you get in return!

    I'll look to come back again for this tour if I get another chance. Highly recommend doing this tour from Te Anau.
    Written April 29, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Martino
    17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Just did an organised tour of Milford sound . It involved being picked up in a comfortable small coach/minibus by a very knowledgeable local guide called Johnathan and then a boat trip covering beautiful scenery. There were lots of interesting stops along the way for walks and photo opportunities. There were coffee and muffins provided for a forest mid morning break and part of the price covered a good packed lunch that was delivered in cool bags to order. Would definitely recommend this small company to you and if you are lucky enough to have Jonathan as your guide you will have a considerate driver with lots of interesting commentary on a spontaneous rather than scripted basis!
    He also kindly delivered my wife’s hand bag back to the motel which she left in the bus-what service! Thank you Fiordland Co.

    Martino
    Written November 6, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi Martino, Thank you for those kind words! We constantly strive to give the best possible service to our guests on this tour and we are so glad to hear that you enjoyed the morning tea! The beauty of travelling in smaller groups - our guide can give you the individual attention you deserve and also easy for us to return any lost items! :)
    Written March 22, 2025
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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    Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau provided by Fiordland Tours

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