Milford Sound Small Group Day Tour from Queenstown, 7:30am

Why you'll love it

1. 1

   Small group, maximum 15 passengers

2. 2

   Mercedes Sprinter with panoramic windows and Wi-Fi

3. 3

   Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Pops View, Homer Tunnel

4. 4

   Two-hour small boat nature cruise on the fiord

5. 5

   Kea, fur seals, dolphins and penguins to look for

6. 6

   Daily 7:30am departure from Queenstown

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Itinerary at a glance

What's included

Common questions about this trip

• Where and when do I get picked up?

  The tour departs Queenstown at 7:30am. Pickup is from select Queenstown hotels and the main bus stop routes in the town centre and along Frankton Road; tell us where you are staying when you book and we will confirm your closest stop. Airbnbs and private houses are not collected from, so a nearby stop is used instead.

• How long is the day and how much of it is driving?

  Allow 12 to 13 hours. The drive is roughly four hours each way, broken up with a coffee stop in Te Anau and several scenic stops along the Milford Road, plus the two-hour cruise in the middle. The van has reclining leather seats, air conditioning and Wi-Fi, and movies on the way home.

• Is lunch included?

  Lunch is not listed among the inclusions for this departure, so plan on buying food at the Te Anau stop or bringing your own. There is no food for sale at Milford Sound or on the cruise. Toilets are available at every stop, at the Milford terminal and on the boat.

• What should I bring?

  Come prepared for any weather, even in summer: warm layers, a rain jacket, sunscreen, insect repellent (the sandflies at Milford are famous) and comfortable shoes. Bring a reusable water bottle, as single-use bottles are not provided and there are refill points all day. A camera with a strap helps on the open deck.

• How fit do I need to be?

  Not very. The walks along the Milford Road are short and optional, and once you are on the boat there is plenty of seating. Guides can offer a steady arm getting in and out of the van but cannot lift or physically assist passengers.

• Can children come?

  Yes, there is no minimum age, but every passenger, including infants, needs their own purchased seat. Car seats are provided free if you ask when booking. Keep in mind it is around ten hours in a van across the day.

• What happens if the weather turns?

  Milford Sound is one of the wettest places on earth and the cruise runs in rain, which is when the waterfalls are at their best. If snow or conditions make the Milford Road unsafe, the operator cancels the tour and you are offered another date.

• What costs extra?

  Drinks and snacks at the cafe stops, and the optional scenic flight back from Milford Sound to Queenstown if you want to skip the return drive. Travel insurance is your own.

• What's the cancellation policy?

  For standard daily tours, cancellations made more than 48 hours before departure get a full refund, and cancellations within 48 hours are non-refundable. Requests to change or cancel must be made by phone or email. The operator also sells optional Change and Cancellation Protection at booking, which lets you move your booking to another date up to 6:00pm the day before departure or claim a 75% refund. If the operator cancels for weather or safety and cannot offer a suitable alternative date or product, it refunds the affected portion of the booking. 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.

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