Queenstown · BOAT TOURS IN FIORDLAND

The 15 Best Boat Tours in Fiordland

56 tours  ·  from $83 a head

Good boat tours in Fiordland fill up weeks ahead down here and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.

Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown - Eglinton Valley and the Mirror Lakes
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Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

1.Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,001 reviews · from $216Our pick

Travel from Queenstown to Milford Sound in a small guided van, with scenic stops, picnic lunch, and a two-hour fiord cruise.

“The day started early and it's quite a long drive there and back but we did get to stop along the way to grab a quick bite. Our guide/driver was Jess and she was awesome! She provided lots of information and history about New Zealand and tried to keep us interested during our long journey. Once we arrived, we did the Milford Sound cruise (which includes lunch on the boat). It was an amazing experience and the views are incredible. This tour provides an easy way to see Milford Sound although if you're prone to car sickness, I would recommend taking something for that as as times it is quite…”

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Cruise Milford NZ Small Boutique Cruise Experience - The cabin, decks, and onboard comfort
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Cruise Milford NZ Small Boutique Cruise Experience

2.Cruise Milford NZ Small Boutique Cruise Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,930 reviews · from $111

Review of Cruise Milford’s small boat tour, with close waterfall and wildlife views, live commentary, hot drinks, pricing, parking, and practical tips.

“Great cruise of Milford Sounds. The staff were helpful. As promised a small boutique cruise. An informative cruise and easy to check in. Very punctual so be on time and allow time to get parking. Would recommend highly”

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Milford Sound: 2-Hour Small Boat Scenic Cruise - From Milford Sound Wharf to Mitre Peak
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Milford Sound: 2-Hour Small Boat Scenic Cruise

3.2-Hour Small Boat Scenic Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 2,561 reviews · 2 hours · from $101

Review of Mitre Peak Cruises’ two-hour Milford Sound trip, with small boats, waterfall spray, wildlife, practical tips, and honest value advice.

“Fun cruise! We enjoyed the trip on the smaller Mitre Peaks boat. Commentary was engaging. Quinn's energy was EXCELLENT. Beautiful views”

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2-Hour Milford Sound Scenic Cruise - Bowen Falls, Sinbad Gully, and Mt. Pembroke
2-Hour Experiences, Boat Tours in Fiordland, Cruises & Boat Tours, Fiordland Tours, Milford Sound Day Trips, Tour Reviews

2-Hour Milford Sound Scenic Cruise

4.2-Hour Milford Sound Scenic Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,520 reviews · from $104

Review of Mitre Peak Cruises’ 2-hour Milford Sound trip, with waterfalls, wildlife, smaller boats, practical tips, price, and honest drawbacks.

“My family enjoyed this tour. I booked with this company as it's advertised as less people on the boat than some of the bigger boats. The tour was fully booked as it was over the holidays, but it was still pleasant. We found a seat on the top Read more”

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Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau - Mirror Lakes and the first taste of Fiordland
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Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau

5.Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,198 reviews · from $185

Review of the Te Anau to Milford Sound day tour, with small-group transport, scenic stops, morning tea, wildlife, and a two-hour cruise.

“Tanya, our expert guide was so knowlegeable, very entertaining and highly professional. We had a brilliant day. Cant recommend it highly enough. On top of that the lunch provided was delicious. We also welcomed her recommendations for places to eat and shop. Captain Chris also entertaining, and gave us an interesting experience, including a Glacial Facial, for those needing it or wanting it!”

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Milford Sound: Nature Cruise on a Modern Catamaran - Finding Pure Milford at the terminal
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Milford Sound: Nature Cruise on a Modern Catamaran

6.Nature Cruise on a Modern Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,006 reviews · 1h 45m · from $92Best value

Review of Pure Milford’s 105-minute catamaran cruise, with waterfall views, wildlife, live commentary, practical tips, and value advice.

“The Skippers excellent, witty and fun narrative, with so many interesting facts. The stability of the craft, friendly nature of the crew.”

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From Te Anau: Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise - Photo stops that make the coach ride worthwhile
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From Te Anau: Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise

7.Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 868 reviews · 8 hours · from $110

Review of the Te Anau to Milford Sound coach and cruise, with scenic stops, local guides, picnic lunch, value, and practical tips.

“Brian the coach driver was excellent and so was the boat skipper (I think his name was Jim). Both very knowledgeable and gave really good commentaries. A very enjoyable day all round. Excellent!!!”

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From Te Anau: Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walks - A comfortable van and a guide who earns the microphone
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From Te Anau: Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walks

8.Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walks

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 845 reviews · 1 day · from $164

Explore Milford Sound from Te Anau by small van, short forest walks, picnic lunch, and a two-hour cruise with local Fiordland guides.

“The whole trip was great well organised and a very knowledgeable guide . As for Milford sound it didn’t disappoint.”

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Premium Milford Sound Tour, Cruise & Lunch from Te Anau - Eglinton Valley and the first Fiordland views
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Premium Milford Sound Tour, Cruise & Lunch from Te Anau

9.Premium Milford Sound Tour, Cruise & Lunch from Te Anau

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 755 reviews · from $185

Travel from Te Anau to Milford Sound with a small group, picnic lunch, scenic stops, and a close-up cruise through Fiordland.

“This tour was next level - every part of the day was so well planned and executed, it was an absolute pleasure from start to finish. Our guide for the day Jeremy was lovely and incredibly knowledgeable. We stopped at different places along the way and got great knowledge about the history of Milford Sound and the Fiordlands national park. The cruise itself was excellent and awe inspiring (also the packed lunch provided was very hearty, and they catered to my dietary requirements so well). Highly recommend!”

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Milford Sound: Nature Cruise - Grand Views & Optional Lunch - From the visitor centre to Mitre Peak
Boat Tours in Fiordland, Cruises & Boat Tours, Fiordland Tours, Lunch Experiences, Milford Sound Day Trips, Tour Reviews

Milford Sound: Nature Cruise – Grand Views & Optional Lunch

10.Nature Cruise – Grand Views & Optional Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 723 reviews · 90 - 135 minutes · from $98

Cruise Milford Sound on a spacious catamaran for waterfalls, wildlife, peak views, live commentary, and optional lunch.

“One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen! Worth every penny! We went on the 11.15am boat and it was amazing as it wasn't full. We were super lucky with the weather (no rain) and the views are absolutely stunning. Wish there was a bit more info by the speaker but recommend it 100%, def worth it ❤️”

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From Te Anau: Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip - Eglinton Valley: the first proper photo stop
1-Day Tours, Boat Tours in Fiordland, Cruises & Boat Tours, Fiordland Tours, Milford Sound Day Trips, Te Anau Tours, Tour Reviews

From Te Anau: Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Trip

Full-Day Milford Sound Tour with Cruise and Walks from Te Anau - Eglinton Valley and Lake Gunn
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Full-Day Milford Sound Tour with Cruise and Walks from Te Anau

12.Full-Day Milford Sound Tour with Cruise and Walks from Te Anau

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 712 reviews · from $192

Explore Milford Sound from Te Anau by minivan, small boat, and short forest walks, with a local guide, picnic lunch, and hotel pickup.

“Amazing day. Wonderful guide. No need to worry about the driving and having the chance to explore quite a few interesting short walking trails to add extra fun to the trip. Smaller boat can take you closer to the waterfalls.”

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Jet Boat Journey through Fiordland National Park - Pure Wilderness - Reaching Lake Manapouri and the quiet side of the trip
Boat Tours in Fiordland, Cruises & Boat Tours, Fiordland Tours, National Parks, Queenstown Jet Boat Rides, Tour Reviews

Jet Boat Journey through Fiordland National Park – Pure Wilderness

13.Jet Boat Journey through Fiordland National Park – Pure Wilderness

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 678 reviews · from $127

Race the Upper Waiau River from Te Anau to Lake Manapouri, with Fiordland scenery, Lord of the Rings sites, spins, and a forest walk.

“It was a AWESOME experience Very knowledgeable driver The session was a lot longer then we expected it also included stops with the history of the area The hard turns of the Jet boat was Fantastic we all had a great time I would highly recommend this company for anyone they were AWESOME”

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Milford Sound Premium Coach & Cruise from Queenstown with Lunch - Queenstown to Te Anau: the day begins
Boat Tours in Fiordland, Cruises & Boat Tours, Fiordland Tours, Lunch Experiences, Milford Sound Day Trips, Tour Reviews

Milford Sound Premium Coach & Cruise from Queenstown with Lunch

14.Milford Sound Premium Coach & Cruise from Queenstown with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 581 reviews · from $214

Review the 12.5-hour Queenstown to Milford Sound coach and cruise, with glass-roof views, scenic stops, lunch, and practical booking tips.

“It is a long day but worth it to see Milford Sound. It would not be a day trip we would drive ourselves; it’s a long and tiring drive. Props to our driver Fly, who kept us informed throughout the whole journey and drove so safely and comfortably. What a gem! The cruise was just the right length and we appreciated the buffet lunch on board.”

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Milford Sound Day Tour with Scenic Cruise from Queenstown - Mirror Lakes gives you an early photo stop
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Milford Sound Day Tour with Scenic Cruise from Queenstown

15.Milford Sound Day Tour with Scenic Cruise from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 547 reviews · from $197

Travel from Queenstown to Milford Sound by glass-roof coach, stopping at Mirror Lakes and Monkey Creek before a scenic cruise and picnic lunch.

“Our driver Matt was absolutely incredible. He was fun and cheeky while educating us with his broad knowledge of Queenstown and Milford Sound. Definitely recommend this tour. We had a wonderful day.”

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New in Boat Tours in Fiordland

★ 5.0Milford Sound Nature Cruise and Self-Guided Scenic Track WalkFrom $1484 reviews
★ 5.0Queenstown to Te Anau via Milford Sound inc Cruise & LunchFrom $2084 reviews
★ 5.0Manapouri: Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise (2 Nights)From $5974 reviews
★ 5.0Milford Sound Extended Cruise with Southern DiscoveriesFrom $1239 reviews
★ 5.0Guided Private Milford Sound Day Tour from Te Anau(Cruise InFrom $2099 reviews
★ 5.0Milford Sound Cruise & Track Walk by CoachFrom $22910 reviews
★ 5.0Milford Sound Luxury Lunch Cruise onboard The Fiordland JewelFrom $21612 reviews
★ 5.0River Jet Boat and Bike Ride Tour with Local GuideFrom $14321 reviews
★ 4.6Discover More on Our Longest CruiseFrom $11821 reviews
★ 4.9Premium Small Group Cruise with Canape LunchFrom $23226 reviews
Fiordland Jet Boat and Biking Combo from Te AnauFrom $158133 reviews
★ 4.5Premium Milford Sound Cruise Including LunchFrom $18532 reviews
★ 4.5Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Tour from Te AnauFrom $12764 reviews
★ 4.5Milford Sound Premium Coach and Cruise with Lunch from Te AnauFrom $18341 reviews
★ 4.5Milford Sound Coach, Cruise and Flight Sightseeing Tour from Queenstown65 reviews

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