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Milford Sound Full Day Coach and Nature Cruise from Queenstown
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Milford Sound Full Day Coach and Nature Cruise from Queenstown

Full-height cruise windows, big coach legroom and a local driver doing the commentary.

A 12.5 hour Milford Sound day by coach and nature cruise, with waterfalls and wildlife up close from a modern vessel and free tea and coffee on board.

📍 New Zealand ⏱ 12 Hours, 30 Minutes 👥 Small group 🔥 Active

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$249 AUD

per person

Booked with Wanderlust, an Australian travel business based in Byron Bay (ABN 34 636 612 523). We handle your booking ourselves, before and after you travel.

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Overview

The straightforward way to see Milford Sound: a glass-roof coach out of Queenstown, a nature cruise to the Tasman Sea and back, and a driver who has been telling this road's story for years. It is one of the cheaper ways to get there, and it is the full loop, from the Eglinton Valley to Stirling Falls, in a single day.

The coach leaves the visitor centre at St Omer Wharf on Beach Street at 7:00am; check in 15 minutes earlier. The route runs past Lake Wakatipu to Te Anau for a cafe break, then up the Milford Road with photo stops and short walks at places like the Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Knobs Flat and Monkey Creek before the Homer Tunnel and the drop into the fiord. The cruise is up to two hours on a modern vessel with full-height windows and an open top deck. The skipper takes you out to the Tasman Sea and back, in under the 155 metre Stirling Falls, past seal colonies and, with luck, dolphins and penguins. Tea and coffee are free on board and there is a licensed bar. Then the same road home, back in Queenstown around 7:30pm.

It is about 12.5 hours all up, so it suits anyone who wants Milford without the cost of a flight and is happy to watch Fiordland go past a very large window. The coach has reclining seats, Wi-Fi and plenty of legroom. Lunch is an optional add-on or bring your own. Pack a waterproof jacket and warm layers whatever the forecast. If the Milford Road closes, the operator contacts you with a new date or a full refund.

Why you'll love it

  1. 1

    Glass-roof coach with reclining seats and Wi-Fi

  2. 2

    7:00am departure, back in Queenstown around 7:30pm

  3. 3

    Photo stops: Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Monkey Creek

  4. 4

    Up to 2 hour nature cruise to the Tasman Sea

  5. 5

    Under the 155 metre Stirling Falls

  6. 6

    Seals, dolphins and penguins possible

  7. 7

    Free tea and coffee, licensed bar on board

Itinerary at a glance

1 6:45am · Check in at St Omer Wharf, Queenstown

Check in at the visitor centre at 110 Beach Street 15 minutes before the 7:00am departure. There is parking within 200 metres if you have a van.

1 Morning · Queenstown to Te Anau

Along Lake Wakatipu, through the Southland farmland and into Te Anau for a cafe and toilet break on the lakefront.

1 Late morning · The Milford Road

The driver aims to stop at the Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Knobs Flat and Monkey Creek for photos and short walks, then through the Homer Tunnel and down the Cleddau Valley. Stops vary with traffic and road conditions.

1 On the water · Milford Sound nature cruise

Up to two hours on a modern vessel with full-height windows, out to the Tasman Sea and back. The skipper noses in under Stirling Falls and past the seal rocks, with commentary and free tea and coffee.

1 Around 7:30pm · Back to Queenstown

The same road home with a comfort stop in Te Anau, arriving at St Omer Wharf about 7:30pm.

What's included

✓ What's included

  • Return coach from Queenstown on a glass-roof coach
  • Driver commentary in English
  • Photo stops and short walks on the Milford Road
  • Cafe break in Te Anau each way
  • Nature cruise of up to 2 hours on Milford Sound
  • Free tea and coffee on board the cruise
  • On-board coach Wi-Fi

✕ Not included

  • ✕Lunch (picnic or buffet available as an optional add-on)
  • ✕Drinks from the licensed bar
  • ✕Food at the Te Anau cafe stop
  • ✕Ponchos for the Stirling Falls bow deck, sold on board
  • ✕Travel insurance

Common questions about this trip

  • Where does it leave from and how early should I be there?
    From the visitor centre at St Omer Wharf, 110 Beach Street, in central Queenstown. Check in 15 minutes before the 7:00am departure. If you are driving a van, there are parking options within 200 metres.

  • How long is the day and when do I get back?
    About 12.5 hours. You leave at 7:00am and return to Queenstown around 7:30pm, with a cafe break in Te Anau each way. The cruise itself is up to two hours.

  • Is lunch included?
    No. A picnic lunch or a buffet on the boat can be added when you book, or bring your own food. Tea and coffee on the cruise are free and the boat has a licensed bar. The Te Anau stop has cafes.

  • What should I bring?
    A waterproof jacket, warm layers, comfortable walking shoes for the short walks and a camera. Fiordland weather changes quickly. Ponchos are sold on board if you want to stand on the bow under Stirling Falls.

  • Is there a toilet on the coach?
    Not guaranteed. Comfort stops are built into the drive, including the Te Anau break, and the boat has toilets.

  • What happens if the Milford Road is closed?
    The road closes for avalanche risk or weather. If that happens the operator contacts you as soon as possible and you can move to another date or take a full refund. Rain in the fiord itself is normal and the cruise runs; it is when the waterfalls are at their best.

  • Does it suit someone on a budget who has seen the road already?
    It is one of the cheaper ways to do Milford from Queenstown, with the same cruise the pricier packages use. If you have your own van, the cruise-only version from Milford is the better buy; this one is for people without wheels or who would rather not drive the Homer Tunnel themselves.

  • What's the cancellation policy?
    Cancellation terms for this trip are set by the operator and confirmed on your booking voucher. Refunds mirror the operator's policy, if they can refund, so can we. Wanderlust handles the refund for you, refunds mirror the operator's terms 1:1 (including if the operator cancels) and we chase it on your behalf. Message us for the exact day-by-day terms before you book.

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What travellers say

Reviews from real travellers

Public reviews of the operator who runs this tour on the ground.

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"We had a gorgeous day. Saw 2 Kea parrots at a scenic stop on the way over, saw penguins and fur seals on the cruise, with spectacular waterfalls and scenery!"
K

Kimberly G

Tripadvisor review

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"Unbelievable experience, local guide with outstanding knowledge. This was our first tour as a family and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Well worth the early start."
A

Alexandra R

Tripadvisor review

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"This was a really fun tour- we went while it was raining but there were so many waterfalls because of it!"
H

Hayley B

Tripadvisor review

Traveller reviews, source shown on each · shown as excerpts.

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