Queenstown Milford Sound 1-day tour | Panoramic bus + cruise + optional lunch

▲ Your journey begins in the charming town of Queenstown, where you'll board a glass-roofed bus for an unforgettable trip deep into the heart of New Zealand's famous Milford Sound. Throughout the journey, your driver will provide an engaging guide, offering insights into New Zealand's natural wonders and cultural heritage as you travel in comfort.

▲ Board a glass-roofed sightseeing bus with comfortable and spacious seating, equipped with Wi-Fi onboard. These buses are designed to offer passengers panoramic views of New Zealand's beautiful countryside. The road to Milford Sound is renowned as one of the most scenic routes in the world, so be sure to bring your camera to capture the breathtaking mountain and lake views surrounding you. Please note that due to bus scheduling, glass-roof buses may not always be available.

▲ Being in an unfamiliar city can sometimes feel disorienting. Fortunately, our driver will pick you up from your hotel at the start of the journey. If our tour bus cannot directly reach your hotel, we may pick you up at a nearby bus stop. Please select your hotel from the list as the pick-up & drop-off point during the booking process.

▲ Departing from Queenstown, we meandered along Lake Wakatipu, admiring the magnificent views of the Remarkables mountain range and the lake. Passing through southern farmlands and alpine valleys, the road trip itself was a cinematic feast for the eyes.

▲ We arrived in Te Anau, home to New Zealand's second largest lake, Lake Te Anau. In this idyllic town, we'll take a short break and might even encounter some local animals or wildlife. After a brief rest with morning tea (at your own expense), we'll continue along the lake towards Fiordland National Park.

▲ Leaving Te Anau, you'll enter the picturesque Eglinton Valley, home to ancient alpine forests and rushing waterfalls, one of the few glacial valleys in New Zealand accessible by road. Along the Milford Road, you can fully capture the stunning scenery, such as the breathtaking Mirror Lakes where on calm days the surrounding mountains are perfectly reflected on the still water surface; and the Knobs Flat, where glaciers have left deep imprints on the landscape.

▲ Continue traversing the main divide of the Southern Alps, marveling at the breathtaking skyline surrounded by majestic mountains. Make a stop at Monkey Creek to taste some of the world's purest spring water (but watch out for the mischievous kea—the local alpine parrot!). Then, pass through the Homer Tunnel, a 1.2-kilometer-long passage carved through solid rock, crossing the mountain range before finally arriving at Milford Sound, with pristine forests along the way.

▲ At Milford Sound, board the "Pride of Milford" cruise for a 1-hour 45-minute sightseeing journey to explore the magnificent scenery described by Rudyard Kipling as the "Eighth Wonder of the World." The cruise sails along the fjord to the Tasman Sea, where you'll admire glacier-carved cliffs and cascading waterfalls plunging into the ocean.

▲ Lush primeval rainforests nestle against steep cliffs, while wildlife such as seals, penguins, and dolphins frequently visit these icy waters. The fjord is surrounded by towering mountains, with the striking Mitre Peak rising dramatically from its depths to a height of 1,692 meters.

▲ Your cruise journey will take place on a multi-level catamaran featuring spacious outdoor decks, allowing you to get close to nature. The cabin is equipped with comfortable seating, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows, you can enjoy unobstructed breathtaking views without missing any spectacular moments. During the voyage, the captain will provide an engaging and informative guide.

▲ You can choose to enjoy a freshly packed picnic lunch or a hot and cold buffet (both are optional). The availability of the hot and cold buffet is subject to the cruise's provisions.

▲ Unfortunately, after the cruise journey ended, we had to start heading back to Queenstown, but your day wasn't over yet. We took you on a fully guided return trip with many stops and rest breaks along the way.