TripAdvisor Best of the Best award winners 2024! Placing this tour in the top 1% of experiences in the world.
Spectacular Milford Sound Day experience from Queenstown with an unmissable return scenic flight.
Get $20 off all tours for travel until the end of August — use code ICY20 at checkout.
Book Now Gift VoucherExperience Milford Sound with Altitude Tours on a top-rated small group day tour. Departing from Queenstown, explore the magic of Fiordland that encompasses the road, water, and the skies—all in a single bucket-list day.
Your Adventure Begins
Start your day by meeting our friendly local guide at or near your Queenstown accommodation. You’ll travel in style in a premium Mercedes van designed for touring with only 15 seats onboard. The first leg of our journey to Milford Sound transports you from Queenstown through the picturesque Southland farming country and the charming town of Te Anau, where we’ll make a brief stop by the lakeside for refreshments.
Welcome to the Fiordland National Park
From here, we welcome you to the Fiordland National Park and the renowned Milford Road. This corridor to the fjord unveils a different side of New Zealand, with its majestic mountains, winding rivers, and the cheeky Kea bird. Throughout the journey, your guide will make multiple stops for photo opportunities, and short walks, and will entertain you with fascinating local facts and stories.
Milford Sound Adventure & Cruise
Upon reaching Milford Sound, embark on an incredible nature cruise that takes you beneath the towering peaks of the fjord. This small boat cruise, accompanied by a knowledgeable onboard nature guide, allows you to explore the edges of the fjord, revealing its impressive waterfalls and unique wildlife, which may include dolphins, penguins, fur seals, and native birdlife.
A Flight to Remember
After your cruise, you will be introduced to your pilot, who will take you to the skies on a truly incredible scenic flight back to Queenstown. Traveling on a fixed-wing plane, this flight is approximately 45 minutes and offers aerial views of Milford Sound and Queenstown, along with the impressive snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and braided rivers in between.
Choose your departure from Queenstown:
TripAdvisor Best of the Best award winners 2024! Placing this tour in the top 1% of experiences in the world.
Spectacular Milford Sound Day experience from Queenstown with an unmissable return scenic flight.
Get $20 off all tours for travel until the end of August — use code ICY20 at checkout.
Spectacular Milford Sound day experience from Queenstown wth glass roof van upgrade
Our Mercedes vans are fully equipped with panoramic windows extended legroom, leather interiors, panoramic windows and USB charging ports.
Our 6:30am departure includes a Glass-Roof upgrade maximising your views on this incredible day tour.
Our Milford Sound Day Tours feature premium Mercedes Sprinter vans, carefully configured with only 15 seats to provide ample space and comfort. Enjoy extended legroom, a sleek modern interior, and expansive panoramic windows that offer the ideal vantage point for taking in the spectacular scenery.
Glass Roof Upgrade
For an elevated experience, opt for our 6:30 a.m. departure. These specially designed glass-roof vans deliver exceptional 360-degree views, giving you a front-row seat to every awe-inspiring moment of your journey.
Expect around 10 hours from Queenstown for the full-day experience. That gives us plenty of time for scenic stops along the way, a breathtaking 2-hour boat cruise (approximately) through majestic Milford Sound, and a spectacular scenic flight back to Queenstown—because the journey should be just as memorable as the destination.
If the weather has other plans and your flyback to Queenstown can’t go ahead, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. You’ll simply return with us in our comfortable van. We’ll pop on a movie, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a scenic ride home—no boarding pass required!
Our premium vehicles are designed for 16 passengers, but we limit bookings to just 15 guests to ensure a more personal and relaxed travel experience—no crowded buses here. It’s all about comfort and connection from the moment you hop on board.
At Milford Sound, you’ll join a small boat nature cruise, with capacity for 60 to 75 passengers depending on the weather. It’s the best of both worlds: a close-knit group on the road, and plenty of space to take in the breathtaking views on the water.
You can pre-book a delicious picnic lunch for an additional $36 NZD per person. It includes a fresh sandwich (chicken or vegetarian—plus vegan, gluten-free, and most other dietary needs can be catered for, just let us know when you book), seasonal fruit, a roast veggie salad, and a variety of snacks to keep you energised throughout the day.
Prefer to bring your own lunch? That’s totally fine—just be sure to come prepared. We’ll make a brief stop at a café in Te Anau, but food options there can vary, and there’s no food available for purchase in Milford Sound or on the boat. So whether you pack it or pre-book it, planning ahead is key!
We’ve partnered with two fantastic cruise operators in Milford Sound, both offering intimate small-boat experiences that get you closer to the action. Over the course of an approximately 2-hour cruise, you’ll glide past towering waterfalls, dramatic cliffs, and lush rainforest—complete with insightful commentary that brings this spectacular landscape to life.
To ensure a comfortable journey, we make several scheduled stops en route—including visits to a café and regular bathroom breaks. Once you arrive in Milford Sound, restroom facilities are available at the terminal and onboard the cruise vessel, so you can relax and enjoy the experience with ease.
We don’t want to spoil all the surprises—but here’s a little teaser! Before reaching the stunning landscapes of Fiordland, we’ll stop at a couple of local cafés to fuel up. As we wind our way along the Milford Road, your guide will make several scenic stops, handpicked on the day to showcase the best views and avoid the crowds.
Each day is a little different, and that’s all part of the magic.
The road to Milford Sound is in excellent condition, thanks to consistent maintenance throughout the year. Still, Mother Nature likes to keep things interesting—especially in winter—so you might see a dusting of snow in those sun-shy corners, adding a little extra magic to the already spectacular scenery.
That said, safety is always our priority. If the weather takes a turn and we decide the road isn’t safe for travel, we’ll cancel the tour. But don’t worry—we’ll get in touch ahead of time and do our best to reschedule you for another day, so you don’t miss out on the Milford experience!
This tour is one of our most popular, and to keep things fair for all guests, we operate on a first-come, first-served seating system. While we don’t offer reserved seating, if you do have a preferred spot, we’ll do our best to accommodate—though we can’t guarantee anything.
Got a favourite seat in mind? Give our friendly reservations team a call the day before your tour. They can let you know the first pick-up location and time, so you can meet the guide there and be among the first on board to claim your ideal seat.