Milford Sound Tour From Queenstown
Overview
Take an unforgettable sightseeing day tour to Milford Sound and experience one of the true wonders of the world.
awesomeNZ sightseeing tours to Milford Sound depart daily from Queenstown and our experienced local guides will keep you entertained throughout the day. Passionate about this part of the world they call home, our guides will provide plenty of opportunities for photo stops and will ensure you have a truly awesome Milford Sound experience! Read our reviews above to see what others have said about this tour.
Departing Queenstown our glass roof touring coach follows in the footsteps of the ancient Maori who travelled overland to Milford Sound in search of the much prized pounamu (greenstone) more than 1,000 years ago.
We make a brief stop in Te Anau for morning tea before following the shores of Lake Te Anau and on through the Eglinton Valley where you'll see an ancient alpine beech forest, stunning waterfalls and the famous Mirror Lakes. We pause here for photo opportunities before our Milford Sound tour continues through the Upper Hollyford Valley and past the stunning Christie Falls.
As we exit the 1.2km long Homer Tunnel (drilled through the solid rock of a mountain) we enter the breathtaking Cleddau Valley and then descend into Milford Sound where you'll board a spectacular Southern Discoveries Scenic Cruise including a FREE delicious buffet lunch. See the sights of Milford Sound as the cruise passes the famous landmark of Mitre Peak and its glacier scarred rock walls that rise 1,200m vertically from the sea. The fiord is dotted with waterfalls that tumble from hanging valleys and crash into the sound far below, making Milford Sound spectacular rain or shine.
Following the cruise your guide will be waiting to drive you back to Queenstown, arriving in the evening.
The Best Bits
From 1st October this tour switches to the SUMMER tour option with the Encounter Cruise, a small boat experience capped at 75 passengers. This 2hr 15min 'ecotour' is perfect for up-close encounters with seals, birds and other wildlife including dolphins. Lunch options include a FREE Picnic Lunch, Obento Lunch, Thali Indian Lunch or a Gourmet Picnic Lunch. Select SUMMER option above for tours departing from 1st Oct 2013.
Details
Reporting Time
15 minutes prior to departure
| From | DEPART | RETURN |
| Queenstown | 7.05am* | 7.40pm |
| Te Anau | 9.30am* | 4.55pm |
*Departs 15min earlier during Oct 2012
Hotel Pick-Ups
Complimentary pick up and drop off service from local accommodation must be pre-booked.
Our Coaches
Luxury, air conditioned, full size coaches with purpose-built glass roof for optimal viewing.
Commentary
A full commentary is provided in English from your driver and guides. The Maori language is spoken at key points throughout the journey, with English interpretation provided.
Lunch Options
FREE Picnic Lunch with Encounter Cruise. Filled roll made with the freshest ingredients, cheese and crackers, wrapped biscuit, fresh fruit, fruit juice portion.
Obento Lunch - Hot rice, hot miso soup, prawn salad, grilled salmon, crumbed fish, chicken, maki sushi, pickles, soy sauce, seasonal fresh fruit, seasonal vegetables (blanched), green tea, coconut palmier pie, hot towel, chopsticks, flask of hot water.
Indian Thali Lunch - Curry samosa, hot rice, hot dhal, cucumber raita, roasted pumpkin, aloo gobi, steamed vegetables, marinated tandoori chicken, roasted potato, marinated mussels, sliced raw onion, mango chutney, naan bread and seasonal fresh fruit.
Hotel Pickups
Please contact us on 0800 744 487 to confirm hotel pick-up times.
| Hotel | Time |
|---|---|
| Alexis Motor Lodge (Pickup/Dropoff Copthorne Hotel Apt. Lakeview) | 7:35 am |
| Amity Lodge Motel (Pickup/Dropoff Millennium) | 7:30 am |
| Athol St in the middle of the car park | 7:20 am |
| Bella Vista Motel ZQN | 7:00 am |
| Black Sheep Backpackers (Pickup/Dropoff Copthorne ZQN Lakefront) | 7:30 am |
| Blue Peaks Lodge/Apartments - Cnr Stanley & Sydney Sts | 7:25 am |
| BreakFree The Waterfront (Pickup/Dropoff Crowne Plaza) | 7:15 am |
| Breakfree The Point Apartments | 7:00 am |
| Browns Boutique Hotel | 7:05 am |
| Bumbles Backpackers (Pickup/Dropoff Crowne Plaza) | 7:14 am |
| Bungi Backpackers (Pickup/Dropoff Blue Peaks) | 7:25 am |
| Bus Stop on Frankton Road Bottom of Goldfields Heights | 7:00 am |
| Central Ridge Boutique Hotel (Pickup/Dropoff Blue Peaks) | 7:25 am |
| Colonial Village Motel | 7:35 am |
| Copthorne Hotel Apartment Lakeview (formerly Kingsgate Terraces) | 7:35 am |
| Copthorne Lakefront ZQN | 7:30 am |
| Coronation Lodge (Pickup/Dropoff Blue Peaks) | 7:25 am |
| Creeksyde Top 10 Holiday Park | 7:00 am |
| Crowne Plaza ZQN | 7:15 am |
| Earnslaw Lodge - (Pickup/Dropoff Copthorne Hotel Apt. Lakeview) | 7:35 am |
| Four Seasons & Caples (Pickup/Dropoff Blue Peaks) | 7:25 am |
| Frankton Bus Shelter | 7:45 am |
| Garden Court (Pickup/Dropoff Millennium) | 7:30 am |
| Goldridge Resort | 7:00 am |
| Heartland Hotel & Scenic Suites ZQN | 7:00 am |
| Heritage Hotel ZQN | 7:05 am |
| Hilton Hotel ZQN - Kawarau Village | 7:25 am |
| Hurleys of Queenstown (Pickup/Dropoff Millennium) | 7:30 am |
| Kawarau Hotel ZQN - Kawarau Village | 7:25 am |
| Lakeside Motel ZQN (Pickup/Dropoff Crowne Plaza) | 7:15 am |
| Lomond Lodge Motel & Apartments | 7:05 am |
| Mantra Marina Apartments ZQN (Pickup Bus Stop opposite on Frankton Rd) | 7:37 am |
| Melbourne Lodge Comfort Inn | 7:00 am |
| Mercure Resort ZQN | 7:05 am |
| Millennium Hotel ZQN - Cnr Frankton Rd & Stanley St | 7:30 am |
| Novotel Queenstown Lakeside | 7:25 am |
| Nugget Point Boutique Hotel | 7:00 am |
| Oaks Club Resort ZQN | 7:00 am |
| Oaks Shores Apartments ZQN | 7:00 am |
| Peppers at the Beacon (Pickup/Dropoff at Rydges Hotel) | 7:10 am |
| Pinewood Lodge (Pickup/Dropoff at Bella Vista) | 7:00 am |
| Pounamu Apartments - (Pickup Bus Stop next to Colonial Villa) | 7:35 am |
| Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park | 7:05 am |
| Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel | 7:01 am |
| Rydges Hotel ZQN, 38-54 Lake Esplanade | 7:10 am |
| Sherwood Manor ZQN | 7:00 am |
| Shotover Top 10 Holiday Park Arthurs Point | 7:00 am |
| Sofitel ZQN | 7:03 am |
| Spinnaker Bay ZQN | 7:00 am |
| St Moritz Hotel ZQN | 7:10 am |
| Tanoa Aspen Hotel Fernhill | 7:00 am |
| The Dairy Private Luxury Hotel | 7:05 am |
| The Lofts Apartments | 7:15 am |
| The Rees Hotel ZQN (Pickup Bus Stop Opp Hotel on Frankton Rd) | 7:36 am |
| YHA Lakefront ZQN | 7:09 am |
Hotel Dropoffs
Please contact us on 0800 744 487 to confirm hotel drop-off times.
| Hotel | Time |
|---|---|
| Alexis Motor Lodge (Pickup/Dropoff Copthorne Hotel Apt. Lakeview) | 8:00 pm |
| Amity Lodge Motel (Pickup/Dropoff Millennium) | 8:00 pm |
| Athol St in the middle of the car park | 7:45 pm |
| Bella Vista Motel ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| Black Sheep Backpackers (Pickup/Dropoff Copthorne ZQN Lakefront) | 8:00 pm |
| Blue Peaks Lodge/Apartments - Cnr Stanley & Sydney Sts | 8:00 pm |
| BreakFree The Waterfront (Pickup/Dropoff Crowne Plaza) | 8:00 pm |
| Breakfree The Point Apartments | 8:00 pm |
| Browns Boutique Hotel | 8:00 pm |
| Bumbles Backpackers (Pickup/Dropoff Crowne Plaza) | 8:00 pm |
| Bungi Backpackers (Pickup/Dropoff Blue Peaks) | 8:00 pm |
| Bus Stop on Frankton Road Bottom of Goldfields Heights | 8:00 pm |
| Central Ridge Boutique Hotel (Pickup/Dropoff Blue Peaks) | 8:00 pm |
| Colonial Village Motel | 8:00 pm |
| Copthorne Hotel Apartment Lakeview (formerly Kingsgate Terraces) | 8:00 pm |
| Copthorne Lakefront ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| Coronation Lodge (Pickup/Dropoff Blue Peaks) | 8:00 pm |
| Creeksyde Top 10 Holiday Park | 8:00 pm |
| Crowne Plaza ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| Earnslaw Lodge - (Pickup/Dropoff Copthorne Hotel Apt. Lakeview) | 8:00 pm |
| Four Seasons & Caples (Pickup/Dropoff Blue Peaks) | 8:00 pm |
| Frankton Bus Shelter | 8:00 pm |
| Garden Court (Pickup/Dropoff Millennium) | 8:00 pm |
| Goldridge Resort | 8:00 pm |
| Heartland Hotel & Scenic Suites ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| Heritage Hotel ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| Hilton Hotel ZQN - Kawarau Village | 7:30 pm |
| Hurleys of Queenstown (Pickup/Dropoff Millennium) | 8:00 pm |
| Kawarau Hotel ZQN - Kawarau Village | 7:30 pm |
| Lakeside Motel ZQN (Pickup/Dropoff Crowne Plaza) | 8:00 pm |
| Lomond Lodge Motel & Apartments | 8:00 pm |
| Mantra Marina Apartments ZQN (Pickup Bus Stop opposite on Frankton Rd) | 8:00 pm |
| Melbourne Lodge Comfort Inn | 8:00 pm |
| Mercure Resort ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| Millennium Hotel ZQN - Cnr Frankton Rd & Stanley St | 8:00 pm |
| Novotel Queenstown Lakeside | 8:00 pm |
| Nugget Point Boutique Hotel | 8:00 pm |
| Oaks Club Resort ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| Oaks Shores Apartments ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| Peppers at the Beacon (Pickup/Dropoff at Rydges Hotel) | 8:00 pm |
| Pinewood Lodge (Pickup/Dropoff at Bella Vista) | 8:00 pm |
| Pounamu Apartments - (Pickup Bus Stop next to Colonial Villa) | 8:00 pm |
| Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park | 8:00 pm |
| Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel | 8:00 pm |
| Rydges Hotel ZQN, 38-54 Lake Esplanade | 8:00 pm |
| Sherwood Manor ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| Shotover Top 10 Holiday Park Arthurs Point | 8:00 pm |
| Sofitel ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| Spinnaker Bay ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| St Moritz Hotel ZQN | 8:00 pm |
| Tanoa Aspen Hotel Fernhill | 8:00 pm |
| The Dairy Private Luxury Hotel | 8:00 pm |
| The Lofts Apartments | 8:00 pm |
| The Rees Hotel ZQN (Pickup Bus Stop Opp Hotel on Frankton Rd) | 8:00 pm |
| YHA Lakefront ZQN | 8:00 pm |
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Reviews
Customer Reviews
- 11 reviews of awesomeNZ Milford Sound Day Tour in Queenstown