Milford Sound Boutique Small-Boat Cruise

Explore Milford Sound
on a boutique small boat

Check in at the Cruise Milford counter in the Milford Sound Visitor Terminal and board the small boat. The cruise lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, and with limited passenger numbers you can relax in a spacious setting on lounge-style sofas.

Throughout the tour, nature guides share local anecdotes and information about the flora and fauna you pass, and can help with photos on request. Complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits are served, and you are welcome to bring your own snacks or drinks.

See Mitre Peak and Sinbad Gully

The cruise begins with views of Mitre Peak, the most photographed mountain in New Zealand, and Sinbad Gully. Sinbad Gully is home to the kakapo, a flightless bird once thought extinct and rediscovered in 1948.

From here, pass seal colonies and cruise between mountains that rise straight out of the sea. Around November, you may even spot the rare Fiordland penguin.

Pass beneath waterfalls and head to the Tasman Sea

Feel the spray as you pass right under Fairy Falls, and when you reach the Tasman Sea, see the hidden entrance to Milford Sound that Captain Cook missed twice on his voyages. On the way back, pass beneath the larger Stirling Falls, where you can try a famous "glacier facial" if you wish.

※ Wildlife such as seals and penguins lives in the wild, so sightings cannot be guaranteed.