Milford Sound Tour, Cruise & Helicopter
Spectacular Milford Sound day experience from Queenstown, including a cruise and scenic helicopter flight with an alpine landing.
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Experience Milford Sound by road, boat and helicopter!
Experience 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 a helicopter flight with alpine landing—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 a 1hr 45min 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 Helicopter 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. Travelling by helicopter, this flight is approximately 45 minutes, offering aerial views of Milford Sound and Queenstown, along with the impressive snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and braided rivers in between. During the flight, enjoy descending on top of one of the many peaks for a snow landing in the remote alpine wilderness.
Choose your departure from Queenstown:
- 6.30am, returning 4:30pm (Glass Roof Upgrade)
- 7.30am, returning 5:30pm
- 6.00am, returning 4:00pm (December – March only)
Please note that a minimum of 4 passengers is required to operate the helicopter. In the event of adverse weather conditions, helicopter operations may be affected. In both instances, we will make efforts to arrange a fly-back to Queenstown, should this be of interest to the guest. If fly-backs are not feasible, the journey back to Queenstown will be by road, and a partial refund will be provided for the helicopter portion of your tour.
Standard Departure
Spectacular Milford Sound day experience from Queenstown, including a cruise and scenic helicopter flight with an alpine landing.
Glass Roof Upgrade Departure
Spectacular Milford Sound day experience from Queenstown, including a cruise and scenic helicopter flight with an alpine landing. Glass roof van upgrade.
TRANSPORT
Travel in premium Gold-class.
Our Mercedes vans are fully equipped with panoramic windows extended legroom, leather interiors, and panoramic windows.
Our 6:30 and 6:00am departure includes a Glass-Roof upgrade maximising your views on this incredible day tour.
Milford Sound Tour FAQ's
Our Milford Sound Day Tours travel in premium Mercedes Sprinter vans, with just 15 seats to ensure plenty of legroom, modern interiors, and those all-important panoramic windows—because great views deserve a great seat.
Glass Roof Upgrade
For an unbeatable sightseeing experience, book our 6:30 a.m. departure. These custom-built glass-roof vans offer 360-degree views, so you won’t miss a single breathtaking angle. Early birds really do catch the best views!
Your full-day adventure from Queenstown lasts around 10 hours, giving us plenty of time to make scenic stops along the way. You’ll enjoy an approximate 2-hour cruise through the majestic Milford Sound, followed by a stunning helicopter flight back that offers a spectacular bird’s-eye view of this incredible landscape.
If weather conditions prevent your flyback to Queenstown, there’s no need to worry. You’ll travel back with us in our comfortable van, where we’ll play a movie for you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenic journey home—no boarding pass needed!
Our premium vehicles seat 16, but we cap bookings at 15 to provide a more intimate and comfortable travel experience. From the moment you board, it’s all about enjoying the journey in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
Once at Milford Sound, you’ll embark on a small boat nature cruise that accommodates 60 to 75 passengers, depending on the weather. It’s the perfect balance: a cozy group on the road, and spacious comfort while soaking in the stunning scenery on the water.
If you choose to take the helicopter flight, please note the aircraft typically seats 5 to 6 people, depending on weight.
You can pre-order a tasty picnic lunch for an additional $36 NZD per person. This includes a fresh sandwich (choose chicken or vegetarian), seasonal fruit, a roast vegetable salad, and a selection of snacks. We’re happy to accommodate vegan, gluten-free, and most other dietary requirements—just let us know when booking.
If you’d rather bring your own lunch, that’s perfectly fine!-We’ll stop briefly at a café in Te Anau, but we cannot guarantee their selection on the day, and there are no food options available for purchase in Milford Sound or on the boat. Whether you pack it or pre-order it, planning ahead ensures you stay fuelled for the day!
We’ve teamed up with two boutique cruise operators offering intimate small-boat experiences in Milford Sound. Enjoy an approximate 2-hour journey that brings you close to towering waterfalls, all while soaking up fascinating insights from your knowledgeable skipper.
To keep your journey comfortable, we plan multiple stops along the way, including a café visit and regular bathroom breaks. Upon arrival at Milford Sound, restroom facilities are available both at the terminal and on the cruise boat, allowing you to relax and fully enjoy your experience.
We won’t spoil all the surprises! You’ll enjoy a couple of café stops before reaching Fiordland, and along Milford Road, we’ll pause at several stunning viewpoints. Our expert guides pick the best spots each day—always aiming to keep you away from the crowds and closer to nature’s quiet masterpieces.
The road to Milford Sound is kept in tip-top shape year-round, thanks to diligent maintenance. But Mother Nature likes to keep us on our toes—especially in winter—so you might spot a sprinkle of snow hiding in those shady spots, adding a bit of extra charm to the stunning views.
Of course, safety always comes first. If conditions take a turn for the worse and the road isn’t safe to travel, we’ll cancel the tour. No worries though—we’ll reach out ahead of time and do our best to find you another day to experience the magic of Milford Sound.
This tour is one of our most popular, so to ensure fairness, seating is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. While we don’t offer reserved seats, if you have a preferred spot, we’ll do our best to accommodate you—though we can’t make any guarantees.
If you have a specific seat in mind, feel free to contact our friendly reservations team the day before your tour. They can provide the first pick-up location and time, allowing you to meet your guide early and have the best chance of securing your preferred seat.
HUMBLE BRAGS
Multi-award winning tour operator.
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