Milford Sound Tours

About Milford Sound

Milford Sound (Piopiotahi in Maori) is the most-photographed natural attraction in New Zealand. It's a fjord on the west coast of the South Island, surrounded by 1,200-meter cliffs and accessed by either a 4-hour bus from Queenstown, a 2-hour scenic flight, or a multi-day Routeburn/Milford track hike. Most travelers do the bus-or-fly day trip, which includes a 2-hour cruise on the fjord.

The two most-recommended cruise operators are Real NZ (formerly Real Journeys) and Mitre Peak Cruises. Real NZ has the larger boats and the smoothest ride; Mitre Peak runs smaller boats with a slightly closer view of the cliffs and waterfalls. Both stop at the underwater observatory in Harrison Cove (8 m below the surface, looking out at black coral that grows here at sea level because of the freshwater layer on top). Weather is unpredictable: 200+ rainy days a year is the norm. Cruises run in heavy rain and the waterfalls are at their most dramatic then.