Milford Sound Coach & Cruise ex Te Anau Stunning Views with Lunch

Overview

Embark on a stress-free Milford Sound adventure from Te Anau. We'll do the driving as you relax in our premium coaches, designed for unbeatable views of the Milford Road. Your friendly driver shares stories of the area's history and unique ecology, with well-timed stops to snap photos of the views. At Milford Sound, step onto a purpose-built catamaran for a Nature Cruise. Enjoy free tea and coffee and pre-order a picnic lunch or try our buffet. Download our free app to hear the commentary in eight languages. Get close to waterfalls and towering cliffs and watch for wildlife like fur seals, dolphins and the Fiordland crested penguin. An easy round-trip transfer from Te Anau and the perfect way to experience the majesty of Milford Sound.

Itinerary

1. Southern Discoveries Te Anau

   This is the location of where the Southern Discoveries check in is located, for your special day trip into Milford Sound with the original Milford Sound operators!

   · 10 min

2. Te Anau

   Te Anau is a beautiful town on the South Island of New Zealand. It’s known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is home to endangered, flightless takahē birds and abundant trout in Lake Te Anau. Your day trip will depart from here.

   · 30 min

3. Eglinton Valley

   This beautiful valley is glaciated with steep sides and a flat floor. It's between half a kilometre to two kilometres wide and has a shingle riverbed floor, which is constantly being changed by the Eglinton River. This is an incredible stop you will make as apart of your journey to Milford Sound with Southern Discoveries.

   · 10 min

4. Mirror Lakes Walk

   Enjoy a stroll among small lakes with stunning reflections of the Earl Mountains, should weather be permissive on the day. This is an easy, short walk off the Milford Road.

   · 15 min

5. Lake Gunn

   Lake Gunn is a strikingly beautiful lake in the South Island of New Zealand.

   · Non-stop passage

6. Monkey Creek

   Take in great views of the upper Hollyford Valley while you fill up your water bottle from this glacier fed spring. Friendly Keas (a New Zealand alpine parrot) love this area so it's a great stop for some kea spotting.

   · 15 min

7. Homer Tunnel

   At an altitude of 945 metres above sea level and 1.2 kilometres in length, the unlined road tunnel allows access through sheer rock to Milford Sound with a gradient of 1 in 10. Completed in 1953, traffic lights control the traffic flow through the tunnel. An incredible part of your journey along the Milford Road.

   · Non-stop passage

8. The Cleddau River is a beautiful river of New Zealand. It flows into the head of Milford Sound. You'll see many parts of this river as you journey along the Milford Sound road.

   · Non-stop passage

9. Milford Sound

   Milford Sound is a fiord in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s known for towering Mitre Peak, plus rainforests and waterfalls like Stirling and Bowen falls, which plummet down its sheer sides. The fiord is home to fur seal colonies, penguins and dolphins. Milford Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory offers views of rare black coral and other marine life. Boat tours are a popular way to explore.

   · 2 h 20 min

10. Mitre Peak is a beautifully dramatic mountain in the South Island of New Zealand, located on the shore of Milford Sound. It is one of the most photographed mountain peaks in the entire country.

    · Non-stop passage

11. Bowen Falls

    The stunning Lady Bowen Falls is Milford’s highest waterfall. It plunges 162m from a hanging valley into the head of Milford Sound and provides electricity for the Milford Sound township by feeding a small hydroelectric scheme, as well as being the water source for the settlement.

    · Non-stop passage

12. Nestled behind the world famous Mitre Peak, the Sinbad Gully is characterised by extremely steep glacially carved walls punctuated by near vertical granite cliffs. These walls slowed pest invasion into the gully and as a result a number of unique native species remain in the Sinbad. Southern Discoveries is passionate about preserving Milford Sound’s beauty for future generations which is why it’s a key partner in a major conservation project – the Sinbad Sanctuary Project. The aim is to see the valley of New Zealand’s most photographed mountain (Sinbad Gully is at the base of Mitre Peak) become a sanctuary for native species.

    · Non-stop passage

13. Stirling Falls

    Milford’s second-highest waterfall is the Stirling Falls, a staggering 151m in height – three times the height of Niagara Falls, but the 1,300m mountain behind displaces this incredible height. This is the famous waterfall that Hugh Jackman ‘jumped off’ in the movie Wolverine. The sheer drop of the Stirling Falls allows boats to get right underneath – it’s an incredible feeling to have the power of 151m worth of glacial water falling so close to you.

    · Non-stop passage

14. Fiordland National Park

    Let us show you around the amazing Fiordland National Park

    · 1 h

15. Freshwater Basin, Milford Sound.

    · 10 min

How to use your ticket

Ticket to be presented at the departure point

* Appropriate child restraints are NOT provided by the operator. These must be provided by the parent or caregiver - without this you may be turned away and unable to travel - please be prepared. *Please make sure you are at your required pickup location at least 15mins prior to departure. *If you booked before 24th November 2022 you will receive a picnic lunch not buffet. You do however have the option to upgrade to buffet lunch at an additional cost on check in *A smaller vehicle which does not feature a glass roof may be used with smaller groups for a more personalised experience.

Meeting point

What to know before you go

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Please advise of your country of origin at the time of booking
• Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
• Sunscreen and insect repellent advisable
• Appropriate child restraints are NOT provided by the operator. These must be provided by the parent or caregiver - without this you may be turned away and unable to travel - please be prepared.

Travelers

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

• From 1 days before : 100% refunded
• From 0 days before : 0% refunded

This activity can be canceled in case of bad weather.

Reviews

Product code: 3960P17

Activity offered by Southern Discoveries via Viator.