Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: Southern Discoveries - Queenstown Visitor Centre, St Omer Wharf 110 Beach Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
7.00am Coach pick-up from Southern Discoveries Visitor Centre
• Travel on a premium glass-roof coach, equipped with reclining seats, extra legroom, air-conditioning
•USB charging ports and onboard toilet
• Experienced, local coach drivers provide engaging and informative commentary, and show you the best short walks and photo stops along the Milford Road
• Coach connects with our Milford Sound Cruise
• FREE tea and coffee
Stop At: Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Queenstown, New Zealand, sits on the shores of the South Island’s Lake Wakatipu. It's from here you will set off on a day trip with Milford Sound's original Cruise operator, Southern Discoveries, from Queenstown into Milford Sound to enjoy a beautiful experience of Milford Sound on a premium, low-emission coach with a delicious & freshly cooked international style buffet onboard your cruise. Discover the native wildlife, towering waterfalls and majestic mountains of the fiords in Milford Sound.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Te Anau, Te Anau, Fiordland National Park, Southland Region, South Island
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. Enjoy a short break here on your way to Milford Sound, in order to break up the journey, grab a coffee, and stretch your legs.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Eglinton Valley, Milford Sound New Zealand
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 possibly make as apart of your journey to Milford Sound with Southern Discoveries.
Duration: 15 minutes
Pass By: Lake Gunn, State Highway 94, Fiordland National Park New Zealand
Lake Gunn is a strikingly beautiful lake in the South Island of New Zealand.
Stop At: Mirror Lakes Walk, Milford Road,, Fiordland National Park New Zealand
Possible photo stop - 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.
Duration: 10 minutes
Pass By: Cleddau River, Southland 9679, New Zealand
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.
Stop At: Monkey Creek, Milford Sound New Zealand
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.
Duration: 10 minutes
Pass By: Homer Tunnel, 94 S.h., Milford Sound New Zealand
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.
Stop At: The Chasm Walk, Southland 9679, New Zealand
Should weather and time permit, enjoy a short walk here as a part of your Milford Sound day trip with Southern Discoveries. Dramatic views of a rock chasm and waterfalls formed by the rushing waters of the Cleddau River. This is an easy walk along a well maintained trail and is approximately 20 minutes in length.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Milford Sound, Milford Sound, Southland Region, South Island
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. Southern Discoveries cruises are the best way to explore.
Duration: 3 hours
Pass By: Mitre Peak, Fiordland National Park New Zealand
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.
Pass By: Bowen Falls, Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound 9679 New Zealand
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.
Pass By: Sinbad Gully, Southland 9679, New Zealand
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.
Stop At: Southern Discoveries - Milford Sound Underwater Observatory, Milford Wharf Harrison Cove, Milford Sound New Zealand
The adventure continues at the Milford Sound Underwater Observatory where you can experience the amazing world beneath the surface. Descend 64 steps (10 metres) underwater into a large viewing area where windows open your eyes to this underwater haven.
Duration: 45 minutes
Pass By: Stirling Falls, Milford Sound New Zealand
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.