Milford Sound Scenic Cruises

The views were definitely gobsmacking, with a likely chance of seeing seals and waterfalls, however we had to drive five hours to Milford Sound, with the trip being expensive and sadly not covering food, which unsurprisingly was also expensive.

Overall, the trip was below expectations. The round trip drive took nearly nine hours, but the fjords we saw were far worse than the hype online. Even in the rain, the space was quite ordinary. The seating was just enough; if everyone was inside, there definitely wouldn't be enough. We didn't see many animals, and there weren't many waterfalls. The scenery was average, and parking was incredibly expensive.

Milford Sound - famous for its towering snow-capped mountains, spectacular glaciers, lush rainforests, and cascading waterfalls, is known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World" and is the only landform not found in China.

The Milford Sound sightseeing cruise departs from the cruise terminal and returns to the mouth of the Tasman Sea. The entire journey is 32 kilometers and takes about 2 hours. Known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World", Milford Sound has undulating peaks, rugged cliffs, dense rainforests, waterfalls, waves crashing on the shore, and the sea and sky are one color, presenting the classic fjord landscape of nature's magic. Along the way, sometimes stroll on the deck to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the breeze and clear water; sometimes stop in front of the seal rock to say hello to the seals basking in the sun lazily; sometimes rush under the waterfall and get your hair wet by the waterfall water that "can make people 10 years younger"... It's pleasing to the eye and comfortable.

Don't look at the map directly. Milford Sound is very close to Queenstown in a straight line, but if you take a car, you have to go through Te Anau and cross mountains for about 4 hours. However, the scenery along the way is very beautiful, and you can also choose to take a helicopter to arrive quickly. Therefore, for a normal one-day tour, you will participate in a cruise project with lunch in the fjord, which lasts about 2 hours. The pier is still quite large, with two operators, the red boat and the blue boat. I took the blue boat (real journeys), which is also divided into large and small hulls, but their structures are mostly similar. After boarding the ship, go to the negative first floor to get the buffet, and then return to the first and second floors where the seats have been arranged. If there are not many tourists, you can sit at will. The cabin environment is clean and comfortable, with bright windows and clean tables. You can enjoy the good scenery while sitting, and you can also go to the top deck of the boat to take pictures with the wind. Of course, you must pay attention to sun protection. Since the ship's voyage is to go to the mouth of the fjord and then return by the same route, you can eat first and don't rush. On the return trip, you can see the big rocks where seals gather, a group of waterfalls, and towering mountains on both sides. Even in summer, you can see the snow on the top of the mountain. The scenery is beautiful and unique.

To visit Milford Sound, taking a sightseeing cruise is the best choice. There are different companies operating cruise business and different types of ships, but the voyage and service are similar, and the viewing and comfort of the tour are all wonderful experiences. Let's talk about the "ship" first. The hull is blue and white (or red and white), novel and atmospheric. The first thing to do on the cruise ship that departs at noon is the buffet. After picking up the food in the restaurant on the first floor, go to the 1st to 2nd floors to choose a seat for dinner. The food has both New Zealand-style and Asian-style rice and dishes, which are fragrant and delicious. In the indoor lounge with panoramic sightseeing windows on the 1st to 2nd floors and the sightseeing deck on the top floor, you can watch the lake and mountains and marine animals up close. During the voyage, rich commentaries were played all the time, and when a Chinese team boarded the ship, Chinese commentaries were also played. Let's talk about the "scenery". Starting from the cruise ship terminal and returning to the mouth of the Tasman Sea, the whole journey is 32 kilometers and takes about 110 minutes. Along the way, there are rugged cliffs, undulating peaks, dense rainforests, waterfalls, waves crashing on the shore, and the sea and sky blending into one, which fully demonstrates the unparalleled fjord landscape of nature, making people dazzled and beautiful. Tips: The trail from the cruise terminal parking lot to the pier is the best location to view the iconic landscape of Milford Sound - Mitre Peak. During the 15-minute walk on the trail, you must not miss the majestic appearance of Mitre Peak while ensuring that you board the ship.

You need to have a good plan for taking a cruise in the fjord. The reason why we chose to stay in Lake Te Anau instead of Queenstown is that most people who come to Milford Sound for a cruise take a bus from Queenstown, which takes more than five hours. Generally, a large number of people arrive after 12 noon. If you want to avoid queuing for ticket exchange and buffet in the fjord, and have plenty of space on the sightseeing cruise, there is no need to elaborate on the beauty of the fjord scenery.

Here's a cruise trip to Milford Sound today --The group of seals basking in the sun in picture 4 are disfavored seals --Picture 5 shows blue ducks strolling in the parking lot (they are considered wild, not captive) --Picture 9 shows the topography of this fjord, which is only found in Norway and New Zealand. I think it looks like a brain circuit, winding, so the boat also twisted and turned in it, and finally went out to explore the sea (Picture 8) and then came back.