Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Air Milford, 3 Tex Smith Lane Queenstown Airport, Queenstown 9300 New Zealand
Each tour begins with a complimentary pick-up from your centrally located Queenstown accommodation. After check-in completion, your pilot will give a thorough pre-flight briefing on the route and scenic highlights likely to be encountered, before embarking on your Scenic Flight to Milford Sound. The flight time to Milford Sound is 35 minuets.
Duration: 15 minutes
Pass By: Coronet Peak Ski Resort, Queenstown New Zealand
After takeoff, view Coronet Peak, one of New Zealand's premiere ski fields.
Pass By: Skippers Canyon, Skippers Road, Queenstown 9371, New Zealand
Fly over the Shotover river and Skippers canyon, this is where gold was discovered in the 1860's. This river became the world's 2nd highest gold bearing river in the world, next to the Klondike in Alaska.
Pass By: Glenorchy-Queenstown Road, Mount Creighton New Zealand
Fly over the small settlement of Glenorchy, located at the head of Lake Wakatipu. Here you enjoy wonderful views of two braided river mouths joining the lake. The two rivers are the Dart and the Rees, both glacial fed, display wonderful colors as they mix with the lake.
Pass By: Routeburn Track, Routeburn Road, Fiordland National Park New Zealand
Fly over the dense beech forest of the Routeburn and Hollyford. valleys. One of new Zealand 'great walks' traverses the Routeburn valley, its a 3-day hike through the valley and over an alpine pass into Fiordland National Park.
Pass By: Fiordland National Park (Te Wahipounamu), Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre, Te Anau, Fiordland National Park New Zealand
Fly over the main divide of the Southern Alps and into Fiordland National park. One of the first sights you will encounter on arrival in Fiordland National Park is Mt Tutoko, at over 8,900ft / 2,700meters it is Fiordland's highest peak. There are two main glaciers to view here, the Donne and the Age.
Pass By: Milford Sound, Te Anau, Fiordland National Park 9679 New Zealand
Fly the full length of the fiord, right out to the Tasman sea where you will turn and descend, before coming into land. This part of the flight really makes you appreciate the sheer size of the towering cliffs of the fiord, which rise over a mile high in some parts!
Pass By: Mitre Peak, Fiordland National Park New Zealand
View the highest peak in Milford Sound, Mitre Peak. It impressively rises directly out of the water of the fiord, to it's summit at 5,560ft / 1,690 meters, which is just over a mile of vertical gain!
Stop At: Milford Sound, Milford Sound, Southland Region, South Island
Fly from Queenstown to magnificent Milford Sound
Stop At: Milford Sound Airport, Milford Sound 9679, New Zealand
After landing in Milford Sound, your pilot will escort you to the boat docks to board your Milford Sound Nature Cruise.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Bowen Falls, Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound 9679 New Zealand
During your cruise, view the Bowen Falls, it is one of Milford Sound's two permanent waterfalls and at 530ft / 162 meter is it's highest. After rainfall, there are hundreds of waterfalls to be viewed in the fiord!
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Milford Sound Airport, Milford Sound 9679, New Zealand
When your cruise returns, your pilot will meet you and escort you back to the airport. If time allows, the pilot will take you on a short bush walk through the native beech forest. The flight time back to Queenstown is 35 minuets.
Duration: 5 minutes
Pass By: Sutherland Falls, Southland 9679, New Zealand
After taking off in Milford Sound the flight path first takes in another view of the fiord, before tracing south, down the Arthur valley. At the head of this valley, the Sutherland Falls can be viewed, this is New Zealand's highest waterfall, falling impressively 1,900ft / 580 meters to the valley floor below.
Stop At: Cruise Milford, 1 Milford Sound Highway, Milford Sound 9679, New Zealand
On your cruise, numbers are capped at 150 passengers and on this intimate experience, nature guides offer a personal commentary. The boat explores nooks and crannies along the edge of the fiord, nudging into sheer rock faces to examine flora and fauna in detail. The boat traverses the full length of the fiord, right out to the Tasman Sea, allowing guests to relax and take in the stunning scenery. when the boat returns your pilot will meet you for your return flight.
Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
Pass By: Greenstone and Caples Tracks, Greenstone Station Road, Greenstone and Caples Conservation Area, Queenstown New Zealand
After once again crossing the main divide of the Southern Alps, taking in stunning views of small alpine lakes and jagged snow capped mountains, the route then traverses the densely forested Greenstone and Caples valleys.
Pass By: Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown New Zealand
After emerging from the Greenstone valley, fly over Lake Wakatipu. Lake Wakatipu is New Zealand's longest lake at 46 miles / 75 kms, it is also incredibly deep, up to 1,250ft / 380 meters at some points!
Queenstown is nestled on the lake's shores, so some great views of the town are enjoyed before landing.
Pass By: Walter Peak Station Wharf, Beach Bay, Walter Peak 9793, New Zealand
View the Walter Peak high country station, which is one of New Zealand's largest merino sheep farms.
Stop At: Air Milford, 3 Tex Smith Lane, Frankton, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
View the Remarkable mountain range and Queenstown, before landing back at the Air Milford base for your drop-off back to your accommodation.
Duration: 15 minutes
Pass By: Lake Te Anau, Te Anau, Fiordland National Park New Zealand
The flight path then begins to track east over the Southern Alps and back towards Queenstown. New Zealand's second largest lake, lake Te Anau can be viewed stretching out to the south.
See Availability.
3 Tex Smith Lane, Frankton, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Traveler pickup is offered
We provide a pick-up/drop-off service from all centrally located Queenstown accommodation, please update us with your details. If your accommodation is not centrally located, please let us know and we will send through parking directions.
5 hours(approx.)
Returns to original departure point
Subject to favorable weather conditions. If cancelled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
Do not forget to bring a jacket and your camera
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Infant rates apply for 0 - 1 years of age, when the infant is sat on a parents lap, with an infant lap belt
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers
Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Posted By : johnpH1430YN
Air Milford were brilliant and perfectly organised with their team so very good at base, in the air and on the Sound. Couldn’t have wished for a better experience. Thanks to everyone
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-03-05
Posted By : U7251RDjenniferc
What a safe and professional. Tour. The pilot Anthony was a both brilliant and the most professional tour guide pilot The scenery was breathtaking The cruise in Milford Sound was astonishing and the sites absolutely beautiful. Totally recommend this tour. 5 stars and a must do
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Posted On : 2024-03-02
Posted By : Relax19769185980
This is THE BEST tour / flight I have ever done, fantastic scenery, extremely nice people involved in all elements of Milford Sound Cruise and especially the flight back to Queenstown. Awesome experience, the Pilot "Ants" was fantastic, smooth safe flight, extremely knowledgeable on surrounding land marks and history of the area. I am so impressed with all the people involved in New Zealand tours "Southern Discovery" and the flights with Air Milford. So lucky to experience the wonder of the Glacial Lakes, Waterfalls, Valleys and Mountains that we flew over on our way to Queenstown. I would highly recommend this to ALL AUSTRALIANS and other visitor to New Zealand.
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Posted On : 2024-02-21
Posted By : TexasHomey
This is a MUST SEE. The views from the plane are beyond words. It was so majestic and beautiful. Our pilot, Alex, was very professional. I felt very safe even though it is a smaller plane. This is not a good tour for babies- we had one on our flight and she did not enjoy it...The cruise around the sound was spectacular. Waterfalls EVERYWHERE- they do a great job and the passengers from Air Milford get special seating and some food. Well worth the time and money.
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Posted On : 2024-02-05
Posted By : poroger
Absolutely amazing way to see the Milford Sound. It was about time efficiency for us rather than a 10 hour round trip. But flying there also meant we got to see the breathtaking views of the mountain tops and lakes. It was a once in lifetime for us and worth every penny. The whole day was brilliantly organised with very friendly staff. Thank you so much.
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Posted On : 2024-01-17
Posted By : Expedition42281
Antony and Emma were excellent! Very confident and professional. Explained all aspects of the flight. We had a fabulous live time experience. Would highly recommended them.
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Posted On : 2023-12-02
Posted By : DavisonWanderers
Our pilot, Antony Sproull is part of this family run business and his love of the area and flying shone through. It’s hard to describe the amazing experience of flying so close to the alps and cruising Milford Sound. We saw seals and a penguin on this gorgeous day.
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Posted On : 2023-11-25
Posted By : 685ameer
Incredible day out. You get two different flying routes going there and coming back and the commentary as you take those adds a lot. The cruise is spectacular. Really informative and amazing experience. Couldn't recommend it more.
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Posted On : 2023-08-27
Posted By : shellsmoments
Top-class experience with a wonderfully run operation - purchased this experience for my father's 89th birthday. He absolutely loved it. The flight was incredible, the plane was fantastic and the cruise was awesome. Can't recommend this experience enough and I would only go with Air Milford!
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Posted On : 2023-06-14
Posted By : HLW55
We were very lucky to have brilliant weather and the whole day was fabulous. On arrival at the small airport we were given a very friendly welcome and a briefing about the trip (what to look out for etc). We then headed to the plane (I think there were 12 of us) and took to the skies. The views were sensational and the pilot gave us a commentary as we flew. We landed at the tiny airstrip and boarded the boat and had an amazing trip across the Sound. We were lucky enough to see a pod of bottlenose dolphins playing at the front of the boat and some seals basking on the rocks. The scenery - towering cliffs and beautiufl waterfalls - is breath-taking. We then flew back. An awesome day. Would thoroughy recommend this company, they were extremely professional, friendly and made us feel very relaxed.
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Posted On : 2023-05-14
