Booking a Milford Sound trip
A day trip to Milford Sound from Queenstown or Te Anau is a “must-do” when you’re visiting New Zealand. For starters, Milford is known by many as the 8th Wonder of the World so who wouldn’t want to see its dramatic landscape! But secondly, it’s a fun and easy day trip that’s enjoyable for every age and type of traveller!
There are so many ways to explore Milford Sound, but taking a Coach & Cruise day trip is the top option if you want to sit back, relax and have the best overall experience. Here’s why you need to book a Milford Sound day trip this summer!
- You don’t have to drive
Let’s face it, the road to Milford Sound isn’t the easiest to drive. The road is narrow in places, winding, and climbs up to 930 metres before quickly descending to sea level after passing through the Homer Tunnel. It isn’t the shortest drive either, taking about four to five hours from Queenstown and two to three hours from Te Anau.
Joining one of our day trips means a professional takes over the driving for you. No need to worry about directions, getting lost, the road conditions or snow (yes, there is often snow along the road to Milford!).
- Learn from a knowledgeable guide
Our guides are experienced locals who know everything there is to know about Milford Sound and Fiordland National Park. Our coach drivers provide a live commentary in English to help you understand what you’re looking at and to learn all about this magnificent place! From the unique wildlife that call Milford Sound home to the area’s fascinating history, your guides will tell you about it all! We’ve also got headset commentary in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese so you don’t miss out on any of the interesting facts along the way.
- Glass roof coaches
We’re proud to offer coaches with glass roofs on our day trips! This means that as you’re driving past towering mountain peaks and waterfalls, you won’t miss a thing! With our glass roof coaches, you can really take in all the views that make the road to Milford Sound almost as famous as Milford itself.
- Enjoy the best stops along the Milford Road
One of the best parts of going to Milford Sound is stopping at all of the amazing places along the way. On our coaches, we stop frequently so you can enjoy the views! Some of the best places along the road to Milford Sound that we may visit include:
Eglinton Valley – This glacier-carved valley is nothing short of dramatic. It is one of the most popular places for taking photos along Milford Road.
Mirror Lakes – These lakes are often so calm that they create a mirror image of the mountains behind them. It’s gorgeous!
Monkey Creek – Here you can drink some of the purest water in the world straight from the source!
The Chasm – This beast of a waterfall is so powerful it has carved the rocks around it. The unique rock formations and power of the flowing water is a sight to behold!
- Connects seamlessly with our boat cruises
Our Coach & Cruise day trips to Milford Sound are timed perfectly to connect up with a variety of our cruises so you can get out on the water and see Milford Sound the best way possible. We’re proud to offer four different options to suit every type of traveller.
Want an adventure? Our Milford Sound Coach, Cruise & Kayak option is the one for you! You’ll cruise the length of the fiord before getting dropped at the Milford Sound Underwater Observatory for one hour of relaxed kayaking around Harrison Cove.
Travelling with kids? Book our Milford Sound Coach, Cruise & Underwater Observatory and stop at New Zealand’s only floating underwater observatory, the kids will love it!
Want to relax on our stable and spacious boat? Jump on our Coach & Scenic Cruise which is on our largest and most recently refurbished vessel. It offers a fully licenced bar, amazing viewing inside and out and an international buffet for lunch.
Want to see wildlife? Be sure to book our Coach & Nature Cruise, which includes an onboard nature guide on the cruise who will help you to spot animals in the wild and teach you all about them.
- No planning or stress
When you book a Milford Sound Coach & Cruise day trip all you have to do is turn up we take care of everything else. We will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel, provide guides to assist you throughout the day, offer a packed or buffet lunch, and of course, take care of the entire day’s itinerary from photostops on the road to getting you on to your cruise in time!
- Great value and save on car parking!
With prices starting from $235 per adult from Queenstown for a premium tour including lunch, our Milford Sound Coach & Cruise day trips are some of the best value day tours you can do in the area! Plus, by travelling by coach to Milford Sound instead of car, you’ll save up to $10 per hour on parking.
- It’s a more sustainable way to travel
By travelling with us to Milford Sound from Queenstown in one of our new low-emission coaches, your carbon footprint will reduce by around 75% compared with if you drove there in an average-sized rental car.
- Make it the ultimate day trip and take a return flight home
If you want the absolute best day trip ever to Milford Sound, then be sure to book a return scenic flight back to Queenstown. That’s right, you can ride in the coach on the way to Milford Sound, stopping at all of the best sights along the road, enjoy a boat cruise, and then take a scenic flight home!
This means you’ll not only get to experience Milford Sound from the ground, water and sky, but you’ll also cut down on driving time on the way back meaning you’ll be back by late afternoon!
Book your trip of a lifetime in Milford Sound with Southern Discoveries. You won’t be disappointed!
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