After sailing for two days from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, we first arrived in New Zealand to…read moreenjoy its UNESCO World Heritage Park, Fiordland National Park, located on the southwest coast of the South Island. Milford Sound/Piopiotahi was our first New Zealand destination, after which we cruised by the other Fiordland parks, the Doubtful Sound/Patea and Dusky Sound/Tamatea, for another full day before reaching the lovely and historic town of Dunedin. Because our arrival at the Fiordlands Constituency's Milford Sound was scheduled for early morning before sunrise, the captain of our cruise ship scheduled a 7:00 am passenger call to enjoy the approach from the bow of the ship. When we got to the bow, only four other couples were standing outside in the very brisk, cold sea air under the still-dark skies, where we also managed to stargaze until I felt like my eyelids were frozen to my eyes. Several other fellow passengers came out with cups of hot coffee, but huddled together with blankets from their cabins because they hadn't brought cold-weather gear other than light sweaters. We stood at the bow for over twenty minutes, enjoyed the sunrise, and watched a small boat come out from Milford Sound to guide our ship in. We returned to our cabin, then seated ourselves for breakfast onboard while our cruise ship made its way into Milford Sound, soaking in the gorgeous scenery. Along the way in and out, our ship's guest lecturer provided us with facts about the formation, Maori and Scottish discovery, and the inhabitation of Milford Sound. The highlights of the scenery were Mitre Peak, Stirling Falls, Lady Bowen Falls, and the remote village of Milford Sound at the head of Milford Sound. Milford Sound, the village, is noted for its hydroelectric power plant, which the Bowen River and Lady Bowen Falls feed. After finishing breakfast, we rushed out to our cabin's veranda to see if we could spot dolphins, penguins, or New Zealand fur seals, but unfortunately, no one saw any. Still, we managed to view and enjoy the awesome scenery, landmark waterfalls, and low-hanging, almost ethereal clouds over the Milford Sound during our cruise ship's entrance and exit. We were told that we had come into Milford Sound on a "sunnier" day, so we missed seeing hundreds of waterfalls along the sheer cliffs that appear after the frequent rainstorms. We'd love to return and sign up for a guided 5-day/4-night, 33-mile hiking tour of the Milford Track during the Southern Hemisphere's Summer or Fall season. But that'll be in a couple of years from now, after I get my other knee replaced.

Coming here was a bucket list experience for me and seeing IS believing!! The fjords are beyond…read moregorgeous in person IF you are lucky and have good weather when you visit. I would suggest staying in the Queenstown or Te Anau region for 2 consecutive days if you are able to just to maximize your chances for having a day of beautiful weather. Getting here + trip planning suggestions: Whew, okay so you will likely start initially in Queenstown and then take a tour bus or do what we did and use your rental car to drive down. What we did which is what I recommend bc you will simply be physically and mentally exhausted trying to go to see the Fjords from Queenstown and come back in one day is this: - Drive down from Queenstown with snacks + breakfast packed away in the afternoon and arrive to Te Anau at a hotel overnight. - the next morning, EARLY around ~5:30 am, wake up and drive to the Fjords to arrive ~7-7:30 am - take either the cruise to explore (I did not do this) OR what I recommend is: Go to Roscoe's Kayaks and make a tandem kayak reservation in advance to go on the open water and kayak at the fjords. You will feel close to the water as opposed to being up on a boat, bring sunscreen and possibly sandfly repellent, warm clothes and layer up!! But it is a magical experience I cannot recommend enough. The Fjords themselves are gorgeous and deserve the ability to be experienced up close.

Both the Milford Track (hike) and Milford Sound trips were absolutely great. A must do. Everything…read morewent well and as planned. Guides "Rew" and Katie were energetic, fun, and informative. Highly recommended.

We just returned from the Coach, Cruise, and Hike trip. It was great. Our guide, Douglas, was…read moreknowledgeable and friendly, and narrated just the right amount. He gave us great tips for the cruise to get excellent photos and avoid the rain. He also was great as a hiking guide. I'd book again!

We stopped in this small town on our tour to Milford Sounds. I immediately ran to this lake to…read morecheck out its beauty. They appear to offer daily boat and helicopter rides around the lake and immediate areas. Around the area of the lake are a few hotels, restaurants and plenty of tour shops to accommodate your travel needs. There were a few benches for you to sit and enjoy the beauty of this lake. This is definitely a place I wish I had more time to enjoy and would return.

The town of Te Anau is a great place to stay and enjoy this BEAUTIFUL Lake with all its activities…read more Lake Te Anau is the largest of the southern glacial lakes. Most of the the Lake is within the boundaries of the Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. This is a pristine wilderness area that should not be missed. It is also a great place to stay if you are planning to visit Milford or Doubtful Sounds or do walk/hikes in the Fiordland National Park. There are plenty of restaurants, stores and a great other activities from this location. I would also recommend checking out the Fiordland Cinema and Bar - worth seeing "Ata Whenua - Shadowlands" which is a short film of the Fiordland Wilderness - definitely worth seeing.

The trail is beautiful and left me an unforgettable experience. I got the trail information from…read morethe tourist office at downtown, I was told the trail was pretty flat and no hiking shoes and trekking poles needed. So we went. It was a steep uphill approaching the trailhead. The trail is very wonderful and well maintained, I left my contribution at Fairy Meeting Place:), the overlook from the top was unbelievable, at brief moment a beam of sunlight shooting through clouds shines on Queenstown, it's like a dream. Later it started raining when we reached the top, and unfortunately my wife broke her ankle just 100 ft before back to trailhead. Queenstown's firefighters were super nice, they were right behind us, and helped us all the way to the hospital. The lesson: put on your hiking shoes or boots and bring your trekking poles if you can, be careful on rainy days. The rain makes the sand and gravel trail more slippery.

I think the most beautiful view of my life was on top of this hill…read more The vista is spectacular. There was even a FLIPPING RAINBOW in the distance. You might have to blink a couple times as you decide if you're already in heaven yet. It's a fantastic hike. It took us about two hours to get to the top. There was a basket-looking chair at the top that about four friends can load in and enjoy the view. Such a fun perk. It's a steep hike, so bring water. It's definitely doable for anyone though - the trail is very clear and obvious.

Beautiful lake. Beautiful blue, clear water…read more While we did not do a boat tour around the lake, we did walk around and really enjoyed the serenity of this lake. Beautiful mountains sit flush to the mountain and you really feel like you're living in a postcard.

Lake Wakatipu (try saying that 5 times fast) is a beautiful lake where Queenstown and other…read moresettlements sit. It's a glacial lake and the water is in pristine condition. New Zealand is the only place that I have ever seen water so clear you can see straight to the bottom. I highly recommend a visit to see it for yourself!

The weather was unfortunately not in our favor but Ray made the tour so fun that we enjoyed every…read moreminute of it ! On our way to Milford Sound, we stopped at various places with unbelievable beautiful scenary/ backdrop of the Fiordland National Park. Despite of the gloomy day (as the storm was coming), my camera was in for a treat. What I love most about this tour is: - Small group (no more than 15!) that it almost felt like a private tour - Ray partnered with a small business owner who made delicious scones and lunches and that is a personal touch for me :) - Lovely stop-over for morning tea - Ray explained a lot about the town Te Anau, history of Fiordland/ Milford Sound - Ray never really rushed us , though some of us took a bit longer as we were busy clicking our cameras away I would highly recommend anyone to join Ray on his Milford Sound tour :)

From the owner: Exceptional Milford Sound Tours & Guided Hikes from Te Anau…read more Discover the best of Fiordland National Park with Fiordland Tours. We offer daily, award-winning sightseeing tours to Milford Sound, along with guided walks on the famous Routeburn, Kepler, and Lake Marian tracks. For something extra special, try one of our adventure combos, including jetboat & hike or heli-hike experiences. With small groups of no more than 16, you’ll enjoy a personalised experience led by expert local guides. Our tours are designed at a relaxed pace so you can fully immerse yourself in Fiordland’s natural beauty.

There is only so much beer and meat pies one can devour…read more.. So check out this charming Gardens. Really pretty area to just hang. Cool unique indigenous plants, trees, etc... They even have a redwood type of tree....thought that was only in Calif.

Queenstown Gardens is a must visit. You probably can't miss it if you're staying in a hotel along…read moreFrankton Road. There's also a very well kept walking/bike trail along Lake Wakatipu if you walk down from the main road, which does take you all the way to the gardens. You might feel like you're just by yourself, but no worries! You'll find a decent amount of people exercising--even in the rain. The botanic gardens is free to go in. Everything is well maintained, and very family friendly and wheelchair accessible. Pathways are wide. There are many beautiful, tall tress, and flowers. Love the fact you can enjoy the greenery while also enjoying the lake. Overall, it's definitely a must visit. You can easily walk through here to get to the Queenstown Mall, and other activities in that area.

My husband and I were wandering along the shoreline since bad weather canceled our Fiordland trip…read morefor the day. We stumbled upon this trail, which immediately makes you feel miles and miles away from the city. There is a little history lesson when you reach the Power House. We kept going up the trail and saw where Ben Lomond picks up ( we were not really prepared to hike and it was closed due to fallen trees). We walked up until and wooden bridge, and then it started sleeting out of nowhere. We decided to turn around because of the weather and because we weren't dressed or prepared to hike. We came out another trail head into a neighborhood and navigated the streets back to town. That was fun. You can take your kids up the the Power House, but any further, be prepared for some steep hiking (oh! and watch out for the wild mountain bikers all over the trails going super fast- scary!). Wish we were dressed to hike and had water to explore more.

This organisation is excellent. I did the Milford Track hike (tramp) with them recently and found…read moretheir service and guidance to be outstanding. As a person new to NZ tramping, I was reliant on them to help me prepare then experience the walk. At every stage, they provided helpful and sensible advice. The booking and preparation information was good, with useful checklists and background. The pre-tour briefing was great - presented by an obviously well experienced tramper, with access to a pack, raincoat and walking poles to borrow or hire if required. During the tramp itself the Guides were marvellous - approachable, friendly, helpful and sensible - without judgement - which for me, as a novice multi-day tramper, was very important to my level of comfort and my experience. I admit to some apprehension prior to the walk, being unsure that I had prepared well enough, but the guides put me at ease often. The Lodges are all good, with clean facilities, secure accommodation and nice food. I can't fault the way Ultimate Hikes present themselves and provide their services, everything was great. I wouldn't hesitate to go on another of their hikes. Thanks to everyone involved.

My wife and I planned our entire honeymoon around our time on the Milford Track with Ultimate…read moreHikes. It's a bit of a family tradition (my grandparents and uncle all did the Track on their respective honeymoons). Ultimate Hikes did NOT disappoint. It was everything it was cracked up to be and more! The beauty of the hike aside (because of course it was amazing), the staff in Queenstown, the staff at the huts, and our guides were all phenomenal. Everyone on the trip felt comfortable going at their speed, and the guides were all knowledgeable.

Kia Ora Had a great time touring on the South Island Kiwi Classic with New Zealand Trails. The…read morechoice of activities, lodging & dining made this trip truly memorable. Tour guides Jodi & Libby made everything fun and enjoyable for us. We especially enjoyed the boat trip out Milford Sound to the Tasman Sea and the kayak trip on Okarito Lagoon. It was our first trip to New Zealand and now we can't wait to go back!