The Luxury Travel Guide to Milford Sound [2023]

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Luxury Adventure Activities

Experience some of the most pristine wilderness landscapes in the world with the help of expert guides, lavish helicopters and gorgeous fiord cruises.

All-Inclusive Hiking and Cruise Tours

One of the adventures you could be experiencing include hiking and sightseeing tours on the Milford Road. Join Trips & Tramps (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor) for one of their small-group or private tours with a local guide who shares Maori legends, history and fascinating facts about Fiordland’s unique flora and fauna. On this unique tour to Milford Sound, you’ll see the highlights beyond what the average tourist sees, with opportunities to do hikes that are not featured on the common Milford Road tour. What’s more, a small-ship cruise of Milford Sound is included. See how this tour compares with the 10 Best Milford Sound Tours from Queenstown & Te Anau.

Guided Hikes on the Milford Track

If a longer excursion is more of what you’re after, take on the world-class multi-day hike of the Milford Track. Ultimate Hikes is the way to go for a luxury experience of this iconic New Zealand Great Walk, offering all-inclusive guided walks through the heart of the Fiordland National Park. Stay in private lodges along the track and in Milford Sound, exclusively for Ultimate Hikes’ guests, and dine on contemporary New Zealand cuisine.

Alternatively, if you don’t have five days to spare for the full Milford Track, Trips & Tramps (see Viator and Tripadvisor for more info) offers one-day guided experiences of the famous trail including a boat ride across Lake Te Anau taking you to see waterfalls, mountains and lakes along the first section of the trail.

Scenic Helicopter Flights

For a less strenuous way to experience the astonishing glacier-carved scenery of the New Zealand fiords, scenic flights are a truly special activity in Milford Sound. If you have made your own way to Milford Sound, Milford Sound Helicopters (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor) will take you up to the skies alongside the highest peak in Milford Sound, Mitre Peak, as well as Sutherland Falls and the Tutuko Glacier on their longer flights.

Alternatively, there’s a wide array of scenic flights to Milford Sound from Te Anau, Queenstown, Wanaka and Haast. Find out more about your options in the 5 Best Scenic Flights to Milford Sound from Queenstown and the 7 Luxury Activities in Haast.

For more luxury activities in Milford Sound, like scuba diving among the black coral, check out the 5 Best Luxury Experiences in Milford Sound.

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Luxury All-Weather Activities

We’ve only just scratched the surface about the iconic cruises that Milford Sound is famous for. Indeed, you have many options for cruising the waters of this majestic fiord with dolphin and seal sightings, dipping under waterfalls and much more. We also argue that cruises are something to enjoy whatever the weather, as Milford Sound undertakes a dramatic transformation under the rain with mountains streaming with temporary waterfalls. Compare cruises in the 6 Best Cruises in Milford Sound.

Luxury Milford Sound Cruise

Alternatively, experience Milford Sound in absolute luxury with Fiordland Discovery. Their multi-day cruises is a small-group experience where you’ll stay on the lavish Fiordland Jewel with its climate-controlled ensuite cabins. Your stay includes various multi-day cruises of Milford Sound and/or some of the other fiords of the Fiordland National Park, as well as three-course dinners and continental and cooked breakfasts, kayaking and tender boat trips. You can also soak in the topdeck outdoor spa pool. The boat also has a helicopter landing pad, giving you options for cruise and flight combos.

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Fine Dining in Milford Sound

Even in the remote reaches of the Fiordland National Park, you’ll find barista coffee, New Zealand wines and fine-dining plates. Just expect more people to be in their hiking gear than in their best dress…

Anyone seeking gastronomical comforts can call in at the Pio Pio Cafe of the Milford Sound Lodge. With seasonal menus, the cafe serves up New Zealand and Fiordland cuisine, such as Fiordland venison, New Zealand-farmed salmon and even superfood salads.

As mentioned in the above sections, Ultimate Hikes and Fiordland Discovery offer their own fine dining experiences as part of their tours. Ultimate Hikes‘ lodges boast gorgeously-presented plates of contemporary New Zealand cuisine, found along the Milford Track. Fiordland Discovery offers three-course fine dining on their multi-day cruises.