Thursday, April 25, 2024

From Queenstown & Te Anau, NZ

milford sound overnight cruise

Both the Milford Mariner and the Fiordland Jewel offer the opportunity to spot New Zealand wildlife such as dolphins, seals and the rare Fiordland crested penguin. In addition to this, free parking can be found in the Deep Water Basin Car Park. If parking here please allow at least 30 minutes to park your vehicle and make your way to the terminal. You are able to drop off passengers and luggage at the terminal. Driving conditions during winter (May to September) can be difficult. Extreme care is needed as freezing temperatures mean the road can ice over in shaded places.

Milford Sound in the rain

Incredible experience sailing around Milford Sound in the late afternoon and early morning with no other vessels around. Select your preferred start date and preferences, and send us an enquiry. We will check availability and get back to you with a personalised quote. The crew and captain were super helpful, kind, and interesting. Try turning off private browsing or incognito mode to continue. A fiord is a glaciated valley - typically narrow and steep-sided - that has been flooded by the sea after the glacier’s retreat.

Opening times

This overnight cruise through the heart of Fiordland provides astonishing views and the ultimate Milford Sound adventure. Overnight cruises are the ultimate way to escape, recharge, and explore the beautiful wilderness Fiordland National Park has to offer. There are tons of communal facilities and the park is kept very clean.

Rakiura Stewart Island

Continental or cooked breakfasts and a 3-course dinner are provided. Experience the breathtaking beauty of Milford Sound with a daylight cruise. The daylight cruise on Milford Sound is a great way to explore the fiord and its wildlife, including seals and penguins. The cruise offers stunning views of the towering peaks and waterfalls, and the inky blackness of the water creates a serene atmosphere. Cruises depart throughout the day with the average cruise time of 1hr 45min. You can easily incorporate day cruises into your travel plans, and they are included in most Milford Sound day tours.

milford sound overnight cruise

Even rain transforms the landscape, creating a breathtaking display of hundreds of waterfalls cascading around the fiord. Whether it's the warmth of the sun or the drama of rainfall, Milford Sound captivates visitors with its timeless scenery throughout the entire year. Cruise out onto the fiord and explore its stunning scenery including waterfalls, the lush rainforest, soaring mountain peaks and glacier-carved cliffs. After dinner, watch the stars overhead or relax in the lounge, before heading to your cabin for a restful sleep.

However, most cruises depart in the middle of the day or the afternoon, allowing time to travel from Queenstown or Te Anau. The shortest cruises (scenic cruises) are 1.5 hours long and the longer cruises (nature cruises) are well over 2 hours. I have stayed at the lodge and it gave me an entire day to drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound. I stopped at places like the Lake Marian Track, Mirror Lakes, and the Key Summit and still had time for a cruise the next day! This is my top choice when it comes to experiencing Milford Sound in an adventurous way but also on a budget.

Milford Sound Scenic Flyover Tour from Queenstown

We found parking without any problems, there was no traffic on the roads, and our boat cruise wasn’t packed full of people. First, select what kind of experience you want, choose from our day cruises, a premium cruise, or an overnight cruise. Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound are both fiords in Fiordland National Park.

A Photographer's Guide to Milford Sound

We can also organise helicopter flight connections if preferred. Milford Sound is the most well-known and most accessible of all the fiords in New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park, a World Heritage Area. Its 16 kilometre (14 nautical miles) length is lined by sheer rock faces that soar 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) or more from the water. At 1692 metres, the iconic Mitre Peak is a spectacular sight and New Zealand’s most photographed mountain.

From Te Anau: Milford Track, Cruise & Return Transfers

If you have a particular date in mind for your Milford Sound adventure, it's crucial to plan. We strongly advise booking your tours, accommodations, and cruises in advance to secure your preferred dates and avoid any potential disappointment. For those with flexible travel dates, there may be some flexibility in booking closer to your desired time. Keep in mind that Milford Sound’s peak season is summer, so the sooner you book, the better. Firstly, its incredible beauty sets it apart as a mountainous haven, often regarded as an unofficial wonder of the world.

5 Best Ways To Travel To Milford Sound - TravelAwaits

5 Best Ways To Travel To Milford Sound.

Posted: Fri, 14 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Many say you have not seen Fiordland unless you have seen it in the rain. When it rains in Fiordland the landscape is dramatic - rock faces stream with waterfalls, mist hangs around the tops of the mountains and rivers and streams rage. From a dry comfortable vantage point on the bus or boat, this landscape is spectacular for sightseeing. From here you can join the guide and explore in the vessel’s tender craft (small boat) or kayaks. If you prefer, you can simply relax on deck and soak in the beauty of this amazing place. If you’re feeling brave there’s always the option of a refreshing swim too.

Relax, unwind, view the stars and take in the stillness of staying overnight on a luxury vessel anchored in a sheltered bay. The booking process is not supported when in private browsing or incognito mode. Visitors with enough time choose to visit both fiords as they have different characters. Your travel agent or the outlet where you purchased your Milford Sound trip will refund the flight component of your ticket. If you are travelling from Queenstown it will take around 5 hours to reach Milford. This timing allows for toilet and photo stops along the way.

Choose to explore Milford Sound by kayak or tender boat (weather dependant).

Without a doubt, a Milford Sound cruise is the best way to explore Milford Sound. Of course, there are lots of other amazing things to do in Milford Sound but a boat cruise is accessible to everyone, affordable, and you get the see a lot of Milford Sound. The rock formations, waterfalls, cliff faces, and beautiful turquoise water are why Milford Sound is so spectacular and therefore so popular.

Leisurely activity and a nature-styled overnight cruise on awe-inspiring Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park. This can be a great way to experience the fiord at its most peaceful. Your cruise will start in the late afternoon, when many other tour groups and cruises have left for the day. For information on driving safely in New Zealand please visit DriveSafe.org.nz to learn about our road rules and conditions.

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