Milford Sound Small Group Tour from Queenstown with Scenic Flight
Description
Milford Sound is arguably the most scenic destination in New Zealand and a must-see for any traveller. Whether seen in sunshine or rain, the incredible views are guaranteed to leave you awestruck. This is a small group tour for travellers seeking a uniquely-kiwi trip to Milford Sound. We keep things personal using our fleet of modern Mercedes vans. Enjoy your journey with no more than 16 people in a vehicle with premium features such as leather seats, panoramic scenic windows, Wi-Fi & Spotify playlists. Let your Altitude Tours guide entertain you with their in-depth knowledge of the area. Enjoy many scenic photo stops at both famous locations, as well as our guide's favourite off-the-beaten-track spots. Enjoy a 1-hour 45-minute small uncrowded cruise while taking in the incredible beauty that Milford Sound has to offer! You can also add on a picnic lunch to enjoy. After your cruise, take in the views from above, on an incredible flight back to Queenstown over the Southern Alps.
Tour Options
Itinerary
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 16 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.
Lake Te Anau is in the southwestern corner of the South Island of New Zealand. The lake covers an area of 344 km², making it the second-largest lake by surface area in New Zealand and the largest in the South Island. It is the largest lake in Australasia by fresh water volume.
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.
Within the Eglinton Valley you’ll also find the famous Mirror Lakes and Knobs Flat.
Enjoy a beautiful short nature walk and view the famous Mirror Lakes
The Homer Tunnel is a 1.2 km long road tunnel in the Fiordland region of the South Island of New Zealand, opened in 1953. New Zealand State Highway 94 passes through the tunnel, linking Milford Sound to Te Anau and Queenstown, by piercing the Darran Mountain range at the Homer Saddle
Upon reaching Milford Sound, embark on a 2 hour 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.
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 on a fixed-wing plane, this flight is approximately 45 minutes and offers aerial views of Milford Sound and Queenstown, alongwith the impressive snow-capped mountains, glaciers and braided rivers in between.
Arrive back in Queenstown and be transferred back to your meeting point by the flight company
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please note that your selected pickup location may not be exact; we will pick up either at or near your requested location. After you book, our team will contact you to provide your exact pickup location details. If you are unsure of the best pickup point, please inform the activity provider of your accommodation, and we will advise the most suitable pickup location. The departure time applies to the central Queenstown pick-up, however, times can vary, depending on your location.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark
- Please bring walking shoes, warm clothes and a rain jacket.
- The flight back is weather dependant and in the case where flights are cancelled due to weather, you will return to Queenstown by van and be refunded your flight portion of your ticket.
- A packed picnic lunch is included. The default choice is chicken, however you can request a vegetarian lunch until 5pm the day prior.
- Please bring a reusable waterbottle on tour with us. There are multiple locations to refill during the day.
Reviews(365)
Excellent place to visit, can’t express in words how the view is. Tour bus was uncomfortable for a 13 yr tour.
Kia ora, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're so pleased you found Milford Sound such an incredible place to visit—it really is difficult to put the scenery into words! We're sorry to hear the journey wasn't as comfortable as you had hoped. We appreciate your feedback and will take it on board as we continually look for ways to improve our guests' experience. We hope to welcome you back to New Zealand again in the future.
Amazing trip. We were really initially sorry it was raining, however we learned that this is one of the most amazing ways to see the Sound. The waterfalls were out of this world amazing. Our guide, Stu (Flying Dutchman) was super helpful and could not have been more entertaining. We learned a lot about New Zealand and the plant and animal life that makes it so amazing. Overall a great experience. Don't let the rain bum you out on this one.
Thanks so much for the wonderful review! 😊 We're thrilled you discovered the magic of Milford Sound in the rain—the waterfalls really are something special. Stu "The Flying Dutchman" will love the shoutout! Thanks for travelling with us, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon. 🌧️🏔️✨
I had Stuart as a guide and he was the friendliest guide. He was from The Netherlands. He pointed out great spots along the drive. He was a good driver. Milford was so nice. I am glad I took this trip. Milford reminded me of Alaska but it’s much prettier. And flying home was the coolest experience. Definitely the way to travel back to queenstown. The tour company is top notch. I had gotten sick and they for another day at no cost. Which they didn’t have to do that
We're so pleased you had a great day with Stuart. We'll be sure to pass on your kind words, his friendly personality and local knowledge make him a fantastic guide. It's wonderful to hear you loved Milford Sound and enjoyed the scenic flight back to Queenstown. We agree, it's an incredible way to experience the region! We're also glad we could help by moving your booking so you didn't miss out. Thanks again for your recommendation, and we hope to see you again on another adventure soon.
The whole day was absolutely fantastic from the moment we were picked up the guide was prompt. He stopped off at some very scenic spots along the route to break up the long journey to Milford sound, he also gave us the history of the area and was very friendly, offering to take pics of me and my wife at every location. Then the cruise oh my days I have never experienced anything like it before, it is a magnificent place, the pictures do not serve it justice. We took the fly back option which again was incredible the pilot was great flying us back to Queens town letting us soak up the scenery from the air. All in all it was a fantastic day and I would highly recommend it!
We're delighted to hear that you had such a fantastic day from start to finish. It's great to know your guide helped make the journey to Milford Sound enjoyable, sharing local history, stopping at scenic locations, and capturing special photos along the way. Milford Sound truly is one of those places that has to be seen to be believed, and we're so pleased it exceeded your expectations. The flyback option is an incredible way to experience the region, and we're glad you enjoyed the spectacular aerial views and had a great pilot to make the experience even more memorable. Thank you for choosing to travel with us and for taking the time to share your experience. We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the future!
The van ride was beautiful. Katie, our bus driver, was friendly and knowledgeable. The cruise was spectacular! Due to weather, our flight was cancelled.
Thanks so much for the lovely review! We’re glad you still had a fantastic day despite the flight cancellation 😊 Katy will love hearing that you enjoyed her knowledge and company along the journey. Milford really is spectacular in any weather! Hope to see you back again someday.
推薦給想去的旅客，小團隊時間更能控制，導遊Senchan很好，準備小故事，笑話，歷史讓你了解紐西蘭，絕不悶場
Thank you for your wonderful recommendation! We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed the smaller group experience and found the journey both smooth and engaging. Sinchan will be delighted to hear your kind words, his stories, humor, and passion for New Zealand always make the day extra special. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the future!
What an incredible day! Milford Sound absolutely lived up to the hype. It’s a long tour, but our driver/guide, Sinchan, made the journey enjoyable from start to finish. His friendly personality and thoughtful commentary really made the experience feel personal and special. It was a rainy day and we weren’t sure what to expect thinking the rain would dampen the experience but we were wrong! We had absolutely stunning views of the towering mountains all around us and countless waterfalls pouring down the cliffs at every turn! Such an amazing experience and one of our favorite memories from the trip. Highly recommend this tour — and if you get Sinchan as your guide, you’re in great hands!
Thanks so much for the wonderful review, Vicki! We’re thrilled Milford Sound lived up to the hype and became one of your favourite memories 😊 Rainy days in Milford really can be magical with all the extra waterfalls, and we’re so glad Sinchan made the journey fun and personal along the way. He’ll really appreciate the kind words! Thanks again for the recommendation, and we’d love to have you back again someday.
Our trip with James was simply fantastic! He was a knowledgeable and engaging guide that made the long trip from Queenstown to Milford feel like a breeze! We then had a wonderful cruise of Milford Sound, which is honestly breathtaking and not to be missed. The day was a bit cloudy, so our flight was unfortunately cancelled, but James helped us by trying to rebook us on a helicopter ride (which, unfortunately, was also cancelled). You can't help the weather sometimes! But we had a great, scenic drive with James back to Queenstown, and he answered all our questions and provided great local recommendations. Overall, would really really recommend this tour to anyone going to Milford Sound!!
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a fantastic day with James, he’ll be especially pleased to know he made the journey to Milford feel effortless and engaging. Milford Sound really is a special place, even when the weather doesn’t fully cooperate. We appreciate your understanding about the flight cancellations, conditions can change quickly in this part of the world, but it’s great to hear James did everything he could to find alternatives and still ensure you had a memorable experience. Thank you again for the recommendation, it truly means a lot to us! Safe travels, and we hope to welcome you back again someday.
Our tour guide, WILL, absolutely made the ride to and from the Milford Sound a delight. He had us all introduce ourselves, threw out trivia for points, was knowledgeable about the trip, and completely funny and engaging. He was also a very good driver. He shared stories about his life and family that added real flavor to our understanding of New Zealanders. It was a cloudy day, and we did have rain, but the waterfalls at Milford Sound were even better because of the rain! Our flight back got cancelled but we enjoyed the sunset and views from the bus on the way back and we only stopped once for a bathroom break which made the trip back 3 hours driving verses 5.5 on the way out with bathroom/food/scenic stops. We were hesitant about going with the rain forecasted and length of trip out, but we are so happy we went and much of that goes to our guide, WILL!! Thank you, Will! Sue, Susan, and Carolyn.
Thanks so much for the fantastic review, Sue, Susan & Carolyn! We’re thrilled you had such a great day, even with the weather—Milford really does shine in the rain 😊 Will will absolutely love the shoutout! His energy, stories, and ability to keep everyone engaged (and laughing!) make all the difference. Glad he turned the change of plans into a memorable journey back too. Thanks again for trusting us with your day—we’d love to have you back again soon!
We had an excellent Milford Sound trip, and Will was a fantastic guide. He kept the day fun and informative, sharing great insights while adapting plans to make sure we saw as much as possible despite changing weather. His strong working relationships with other guides clearly paid off—we benefited from timely stops and great viewpoints. Knowledgeable, upbeat, and genuinely focused on the experience. Highly recommend!
Thanks so much for the great review! We’re glad you still had an excellent day despite the weather—Will will love the shoutout 😊 His ability to adapt and make the most of the conditions really makes a difference. Thanks for the recommendation, and we’d love to have you back again soon!
