What to Expect on a Milford Sound Boat Tour (Best Cruise Options + Tips)
Is a Milford Sound boat tour on your New Zealand bucket list? I’ll share with you the best cruise option, what to bring, what to expect during your tour, and more.
🇳🇿 This post is a part of my New Zealand Travel Guide.
Before booking your Milford Sound boat tour, let’s go over what is Milford Sound? Milford Sound is not a sound at all but a fiord (fjord is the Norwegian spelling). Fiords are carved from receding glaciers, and sounds are formed when the ocean floods a river valley.
The towering rock cliffs in Milford Sound feature hundreds of temporary waterfalls that come alive with bouts of rainfall. And it’s the only one of 14 fiords in New Zealand that’s accessible by road.
I knew I wanted to book a Milford Sound boat tour before I even set foot in New Zealand. After conducting online research, I booked a tour several months in advance.
➡️ Skip hours of research and follow my 21-day New Zealand South Island itinerary instead. It includes campsites, hiking trails, and a road map with driving times.
It happened mostly by luck that I picked an amazing tour company and ended up with an incredible experience. If I had booked a different tour at another time of day, I’m not sure I’d be saying the same.
I’ll share everything I learned so you too can have an extraordinary time in Milford Sound — no luck required!
A Milford Sound boat tour typically lasts 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours and takes you through one of New Zealand’s most dramatic fiords, featuring waterfalls, wildlife like seals and dolphins, and towering cliffs. This guide covers the best tour options, what to bring, and how to avoid crowds for the best experience.
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Best Milford Sound Boat Tour Options
You’ll see several options online for boat tours at Milford Sound. Some cruises are 1 hour and 45 minutes, some are 2 hours. Different companies offer a shuttle bus from Queenstown or Te Anau, making it a full-day trip.
Mitre Peak Cruises — 2 hours, small boat (the cruise I booked)
Cruise Milford — 1 hour 45 minutes, small boat
Pure Milford — 1 hour 45 minutes, medium boat
RealNZ Milford Sound Cruises — 2 hours, large boat
Southern Discoveries — 1 hour 45 minutes, medium boat
Book a 2 Hour Boat Tour
When I was booking my boat tour, I figured a longer tour is better, right? So, I booked a 2-hour cruise with Mitre Peak Cruises. Later, while I was on the boat, I realized what the extra 15 minutes were for.
If you book the 1-hour and 45-minute Milford Sound boat tour, the watercraft turns around at the mouth of the fiord and doesn’t sail out into the open ocean.
On a 2-hour cruise, that extra 15 minutes is time on the open ocean. While the boat was out there, we saw bottlenose dolphins. Our skipper, Olivia, told us that no dolphins live within the fiord, but there is a pod that frequents the area around it.
She also said that she sees them about once every two weeks, and that we were lucky the dolphins were out that day.
I felt bad for the people on the boat behind us who turned around at the mouth. They missed out on seeing the dolphins!
Choose the Cruise Only Option
Another thing I realized: we booked the earliest tour option that departed at 8:50 am. If you choose the shuttle bus option from Te Anau or Queenstown, the earliest you can book is 10:50 am.
There were no buses full of people arriving when we got there. Our tour was significantly less crowded than the bus option tours.
It was totally worth camping closer to Milford Sound and driving there ourselves. We paid to park and then walked to the Visitor Center to check in.
Since the cruise was 2 hours and they requested you show up 30 minutes early, we paid for 3 hours of parking. That gave us enough time to grab a scone and muffin at the Milford Sound Café after the tour.
Why Mitre Peak Cruises
Mitre Peak Cruises offered the best of both worlds. The cruise was 2 hours, and the boat was small (fewer people fighting for photo angles). The skipper was funny and knowledgeable, and we took advantage of the free hot cocoa.
I’d be afraid that on a larger boat, it would get crowded, and I wouldn’t feel as immersed in the landscape. The smaller boat can also get closer to the waterfalls!
What Can I Expect on a Milford Sound Boat Tour?
Keep in mind that the waterfall flow is totally dependent on rain. There are only two permanent waterfalls in the whole fiord and hundreds of temporary falls.
We booked our Milford Sound boat tour on March 3, in late summer. It had just rained the entire night before the cruise and sprinkled a little bit that morning. The skipper said the waterfalls were the most powerful she had seen all summer.
Don’t worry, though, Milford Sound receives rain 182 days a year. Chances are, it will rain before or during your cruise to make the waterfalls come alive.
Fun fact: The Amazon Rainforest receives about 3 meters of rain per year, and Milford Sound gets over 6 meters. It’s one of the wettest places on Earth.
Can you spot the seals on the rocks?
Wildlife on a Milford Sound Boat Tour
As I mentioned before, we saw bottlenose dolphins while we were cruising around the open ocean. The pod jumped alongside the boat, and it was truly magical.
There were also seals (including two little pups!) playing around on Seal Rock. The boat stopped in front of Seal Rock for a few minutes to give everyone time to watch and take pictures.
Approaching the Waterfalls
Since we were in a small boat, we got very close to the waterfalls, particularly Waimanu Falls (Sterling Falls), the second-highest permanent waterfall.
The skipper said that if we got sprayed from Waimanu Falls, then we would receive a blessing that would make us look five years younger. Be warned, though, I got a little soaked sitting at the back of the boat.
What to Bring on a Milford Sound Boat Tour (Packing List)
Don’t let the rain ruin your Milford Sound boat tour. Stay warm and dry with the right gear. I’ll include a list of what to bring for the best experience:
- Raincoat
- Water-resistant pants
- Rain pants
- Warm layer
- Camera and/or phone camera
- Lens wipe for your phone and camera
- Water-resistant camera bag
- Comfortable shoes for standing (waterproof hiking boots are great for standing in the rain)
- Sunglasses and a hat if it’s sunny
- Optional: snacks to eat while you’re waiting at the Visitor Center
Find more recommended gear for any adventure on my favorites page.
Where to Stay Before the Cruise
We stayed at the Cascade Creek campsite (a DOC site) in our campervan, about a 45-minute drive from Milford Sound. Cascade Creek had lots of space and restrooms. It can accommodate larger campers as well.
If you want to make stops along the drive, build that into your schedule so you’re not late for your boat tour. We were glad we left plenty early and took our time.
The Upper Englington campsite is significantly smaller (maybe room for four vehicles) and is about 50 minutes away from the Sound. We stayed there the night after our cruise just to check it out, but Cascade Creek is what I’d recommend.
If you want to stay closer to the Sound, the Milford Sound Lodge does offer powered campervan sites. They are pricey, and you must book far in advance (at least 3 months). For us, it wasn’t worth the price, and we didn’t mind the drive.
Renting a campervan was the absolute best way to see New Zealand. We were able to book DOC sites and save significant money on accommodations.
View from the top of Gertrude Saddle.
More to Do Around Milford Sound
There is much more to do around Milford Sound than just the boat tour. Because we were camping nearby, we got to explore more of Fiordland National Park. If you take the shuttle bus and do a day trip, you miss out on the hiking.
We had enough time to hike the Lake Marian Track after our cruise. Then the next day, we hiked the Gertrude Saddle Route. Both of these tracks are well worth the effort, and the views from Gertrude Saddle are particularly impressive.
See my post about what to pack for a day hike if you’re not sure what to bring on your trek.
If we had more days in the area I would have also hiked to Key Summit for views of Lake Marian. One day, I’d love to score a permit to hike the Milford Track. One of New Zealand’s Great Walks.
Milford Sound Kayak Tours
We didn’t do a kayak tour during our time in Milford Sound, but on a sunny day I’m confident it would be an amazing experience. Again, there are several companies offering tours, so do your research.
I’m not sure if a kayak tour would be the most fun in the rain, but to each their own. There are also options to book a kayak tour and cruise for one price.
The boat in this image gives a greater sense of scale.
Is a Milford Sound Boat Tour Worth the Hype?
A Milford Sound boat tour is definitely one of the more “touristy” things to do in New Zealand. Sometimes doing something touristy is worth it and sometimes you feel scammed.
I can assure you that it was worth the hype and I would 100% do it again. Book with Mitre Peak Cruises and enjoy the more intimate experience.
Pictures cannot make you comprehend the sheer size of the cliffs and the power of the waterfalls. It’s just something you have to feel while you’re there.
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Milford Sound Boat Tour FAQs
How long is a Milford Sound boat tour?
Most tours last 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the operator. A 2-hour cruise often includes a trip into the open ocean for a chance to see dolphins.
Is a Milford Sound cruise worth it in the rain?
Yes! Rain enhances the scenery with hundreds of waterfalls coming to life. Milford Sound receives rain nearly half the year.
What’s the best time of day for a Milford Sound boat tour?
Early morning tours are quieter and ideal for wildlife spotting. Late afternoon cruises are peaceful and offer soft lighting for photography.
What should I bring on a Milford Sound boat tour?
Bring a raincoat, warm layers, waterproof shoes, and a camera. Optional: lens wipes, snacks, and a hat for sun protection.
