Overview
Milford Sound Tour from Te Anau, this small group, fully-guided day trip combines the amazing return journey to Milford Sound with a boutique Milford Sound Cruise aboard the No.1 Trip Advisor rated cruise company, Cruise Milford. Led by our passionate tour guides, thye will bring your journey to life by sharing their stories and rich background knowledge. Tour highlights include Milford Sound Cruise with Cruise Milford, Fiordland National Park, Lake Te Anau, Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, Hollyford River, Homer Tunnel & Mitre Peak, and Wildlife Spotting.

Kodama Tested
Key target species

New Zealand fur seal
Least Concern

Kea
Endangered
What you will be doing
Your tour starts in stunning idyllic town of Te Anau, after maybe meeting some of the local animals or wildlife we continue along the lake. Stopping at Te Anau Downs, the starting point for the Milford Track, you will be able to hear the stories and admire the views.
Leaving Te Anau and entering Fiordland National Park we stop in Eglinton Valley. With views worthy of Lord of the Rings, this valley follows the path of an ancient glacier through Fiordland, one of the first major attractions as you enter the park. It really sets the scene for a journey that only get more impressive the deeper you get.
Our next stop on this epic adventure is Mirror Lakes for a short stroll to see the famous reflections of the Earl Mountains. Get the right day, take a good picture and no one will be able to tell which way is the right way up for the photo.
Continuing along the Milford Road we come across Lake Gunn. Named after a famous explorer and popular for fishing, often we will stop at Lake Gunn for some photos and to enjoy the peace.
A short drive away we start passing the Hollyford River, a gorgeous and powerful river full of large boulders and rapids. Feeding into the river at Falls Creek is the first of our extremely impressive waterfalls of the area, one of many to come.
Climbing in altitude we go deeper into the Darran Mountains and these views require another stop to admire and take photos. We are also entering the area where Kea (the world's largest alpine parrot) likes to live. Start keeping an eye out for these large, cheeky and colourful birds that never fail to thrill and entertain when found.
To make our way back down towards the sea we enter the mind-blowing, hand-built Homer Tunnel, hearing the incredible history and stories. Emerging from the tunnel, the valley descends sharply towards Milford Sound and on a rainy-day hundreds of waterfalls can be seen cascading down the mountain side.
Following the valleys to the sea we arrive at Milford Sound where you will board your cruise with Cruise Milford (the No. 1 Cruise operator in Milford Sound on TripAdvisor). The Cruise Milford experience offers a boutique cruise on a smaller boat which is less crowded and a crew that offers a much more informative and personal tourof Milford Sound. The smaller boat means you get closer to the wildlife and nature (including the New Zealand fur seals basking on the rocks), massive rock faces rising for hundreds of metres out of the sea and the waterfalls cascading from the ancient rainforest high in the mountains. This cruise is unbeatable.
While on the boat cruise you will be able to marvel at the awe-inspiring Mitre Peak, the iconic Milford Sound mountain, with its steep triangular peak rising high up above the reflective waters of the Milford Sound.
After your cruise, do not fear the adventure is not over, there is the return journey with many more amazing stops. One of the stops during this journey (weather and timing dependent) is The Chasm. A spectacular bush walk and dramatic views of powerful waterfalls and water sculpted shapes in the rocks.
Pop's View Lookout - Next we pull over to admire the elevated amazing views of the divide in the Southern Alps, close to the start of the Routeburn Track. While here the guide will tell you the stories of ancient Maori explorers.
Sadly we must start to head back to Te Anau but your day is not over with a fully guided return trip and many stops and breaks along the way.
Where we'll meet
🧭 Meeting/pick-up point: Te Anau, New Zealand
🗺️ Instructions: We will pick you up from Queenstown.
Things to know
Accessibility:
Children friendly
Fitness requirement
Any fitness level
Tour Language
English
License requirement
None
Additional information:
Children under the age of 7 must be in a child safety seat, as it is a legal requirement in New Zealand. If you need a safety seat or booster seat these can be added during the booking process.
Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements
Inclusion ✅
Tour guide
Water
Snack
Tour transport
Pick up and drop off transport
Exclusion ❌
Gratuities
About your host
Cheeky Kiwi TravelWe are all about giving you a real Kiwi Adventure. Our tours and day trips have a maximum of 16 guests! We believe it's the small extra things we do, combined with being flexible, that make all the difference to your experience and give you an amazing trip. Our trips have been described as fun and informative, with, of course, a little bit of cheekiness. From the outset, our mission has been to nurture both our communities and the environment, aligning with and advocating for The Tiaki Promise. We've reduced our carbon emissions by adopting fuel-efficient vehicles and closely monitoring fuel usage. Our drivers are incentivised to follow eco-friendly practices, ensuring your journey is as environmentally responsible as possible. We pride ourselves on being a fully paperless office, and we prioritise responsible waste management during our operations. We encourage our guests to travel responsibly with Wild Kiwi and to commit to The Tiaki Promise to care for New Zealand, for now, and for future generations.
Qualmark Gold: Qualmark works with Tourism New Zealand to help the tourism industry deliver high-quality experiences and maintain a high level of visitor satisfaction. Only businesses that deliver a quality sustainable experience, ones that have undergone an independent evaluation, and showcase true New Zealand hospitality, are recognised through a Qualmark accreditation. It has three levels: Gold, Silver and Bronze.
For every trip booked, Kodama Travel donates £1 to Just One Tree to restore our forests and the ocean.






