Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Cruise - RealNZ

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Doubtful Sound Boat Cruise

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Highlights

2nd largest fiord in Fiordland National Park
Cruise across Lake Manapouri
Bus transfers across Wilmot Pass
3 hour wilderness cruise in Doubtful Sound

Description

Doubtful Sound is a mind blowing fiord located in a World Heritage area. The isolated fiordland of Doubtful shows nature in its rawest and most overwhelming form imaginable. Known for its rich abundance of flora and fauna it is the second largest fiord of the 14 within the Fiordland National Park, standing at three times the length of Milford Sound and ten times larger!

To access the isolated Fiordland your adventure begins with a boat cruise across Lake Manapouri, followed by a coach ride over the Wilmot Pass where you can absorb the breathtaking sight which stands in front of you before descending into Deep Water Cove and boarding the catamaran for your three hour cruise.

The cruise provides you with dramatic views of Doubtfuls awe-inspiring scenery along with detailed commentary from the friendly and knowledgeable skippers who will highlight key viewing points to ensure that you don't miss a thing. As well as the scenery you will be treated to sightings of fur seals basking on the rocks, bottlenose dolphins frolicking alongside the ship and even the rare Fiordland Crested Penguin.

Trip Includes

45 min boat cruise across Lake Manapouri (and return)
45 min coach trip over the Wilmot Pass (and return)
3 hour luxury boat cruise on Doubtful Sound
Optional transport from Queenstown

Duration

8 hrs from Manapouri
13 hrs from Queenstown

Departures

from Manapouri: 7:30am & 10:30am in summer & 10:00am only in winter
from Te Anau: 6:45am & 9:45am in summer & 9:15am in winter
from Queenstown: 7:40am in summer & 6:55am in winter

Other Information

You can self drive to Manapouri or get the coach from Queenstown (2.5hrs)
Child rates apply (5-15yrs)
Infant rates apply if transfers ex Queenstown or Te Anau are selected
Dress warmly for the cruise boat & don't forget your camera
Free tea & coffee are available on the cruise boat. We recommend bringing a packed lunch with you
Doubtful Sound overnight cruises are available (Oct-May only). These are very popular and we recommend booking several months in advance

Normal Retail Prices

Departs from Manapouri:
- adult NZD$379.00
- child (5-15yrs) NZD$189.00
Depart from Te Anau:
- adult NZD$399.00
- child (5-15yrs) NZD$209.00
- infant (0-4yrs) NZD$10.00
Depart from Queenstown:
- adult NZD$479.00
- child (5-15yrs) NZD$289.00
- infant (0-4yrs) NZD$50.00

All prices shown in NZD$.

Genuine Customer Reviews powered by

Service rating:

Friendly knowledgeable staff well run trip to beautiful scenery
Seals and a trip on the Tasman a bonus on a great day. Comfortable travel on boats and bus.
Altogether a great day out

Product rating:

Great trip loved everything boats and bus trip awesome views the whole way.

Reviewed 13-Apr-2023

Service rating:

Outbound service was wonderful, inbound was atrocious

Product rating:

This would have been 5 stars but the return leg after coming back to the boat and waiting for almost an hour without communication was chaotic.

Reviewed 04-Apr-2023

Service rating:

So very disappointed that booking for our overnight on Doubtful Sound was mishandled and accidentally canceled on us at the last minute and we didn’t get to go. Was to be highlight of our trip. They were apologetic but nothing they could do to help us.

Product rating:

Be sure to double check your reservation in advance to ensure it is still good.

Reviewed 18-Mar-2023

Service rating:

Staff friendly and courteous. Everything was done to schedule

Product rating:

It was a great experience

Reviewed 10-Feb-2023

Service rating:

Lady at counter was grumpy, boarding was delayed ( lined up and waiting for staff / crew to arrive for 15 mins)
Bus trip and sailings were awesum
$20/person picnic absolute rip off (take you own food) all bins choka with thrown away picnic parcels and the 10 minutes of silence ( no talking, no photos, no moving around) was 8 mins too ****** long
The crew were great and the scenery is truly magical

Product rating:

Lady at counter was grumpy
Picnic absolutel rip off
Forced silence was too long (10 mins)
Crew and scenery awesome

Reviewed 26-Jun-2021

Reply from Everything Travel Group

Thank you so much for your review, we really appreciate it. We have passed your feedback on to the operator. The Sound of Silence is actually one of the things customers enjoy most. Feel free to get in touch regarding any future holiday plans, we would be more than happy to assist you & offer you a repeat customer discount. All the best! :) Everything Travel Group

Posted 13-Oct-2021

Service rating:

Booked by phone as internet booking would not work ,took me right through to the end , even asked for Credit card details and then when I selected submit, nothing happened and it took me back to the first page, very frustrating as didn't know if it accepted by booking or not. No e-mail sent so phone 2 hrs later to find that my booking hadn't gone through.
. Phone staff were excellent and tours booked in minutes. Thank you.

Product rating:

Awesome experience. Service was exceptional and tour guides fantastic.

Reviewed 10-Sep-2020

Reply from Everything Travel Group

Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your great experience. We hope you had a great time in Milford Sound! All the best & stay safe!

Posted 21-Oct-2020

Service rating:

Simple and easy to follow processes, good follow through with communication

Product rating:

Stunning a hidden gem that is valued by those who use it, the staff where knowledgeable with great humour

Reviewed 09-Sep-2020

Reply from Everything Travel Group

Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your great experience. We hope you had a great time in Queenstown and Doubtful Sound! All the best & stay safe!

Posted 21-Oct-2020

Service rating:

Eve was just the bestest at getting us to and from Doubtful Sound. Once over there The day was a beauty and the scenery was magical

Product rating:

Great value for money. Thank you

Reviewed 25-Aug-2020

Reply from Everything Travel Group

Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your great experience. We hope you had a great time in Doubtful Sound! All the best & stay safe!

Posted 21-Oct-2020

Hi, we want to book the tour. There is no field for our 2 year old. Is she allowed to come? We would like to book the tour for Friday

Comments

Hi!

Yes, an infant can go on the Doubtful Sound Day Cruise, you just need to add them to the additional comments section and provide us with their ages

Comment by: Everything Travel Group on 25th Jul 23 at 14:27

1 comment - Post a Comment

Hello,

I was looking to book a doubtful sound cruise for this Thursday morning. The 7:00am slot appears available and could work for us, but does that have to a Queenstown departure? It wasn’t clear to me. We would be staying in Te Anau ideally and would prefer to start from there. Is the 7:00am option only for those in Queenstown?. If we needed to be in Queenstown we might be able to arrange that. But ideally there is a 7:00am option from Te Anau (or 10:00 but appears booked up)

Comments

I hope you're well. Thanks so much for your enquiry in regards to the Doubtful Sounds Wilderness Day Cruise. Unfortunately with the 7.00 am sailing we are unable to provide transport from Te Anau for this sailing, you would need to self-drive down to the check-in point in Manapouri.

Comment by: Karma on 21st Feb 23 at 14:36

1 comment - Post a Comment

Hi - myself and my 3 kids will be in Queenstown between Feb 19-26. We are looking to do this but I could not find how to add the coach ride to/from Queenstown?

Thanks!

0 comments - Post a Comment

With the departure from Queenstown option, does that include hotel pick-up and drop-off? Thanks.

Comments

Thank you for your question about the Doubtful Sound wilderness day cruise. For the Queenstown departure, the coach offer pick ups from accessible locations which will be as close as possible to your hotel.

Comment by: ETG on 5th Jun 21 at 15:45

1 comment - Post a Comment

Hi! Just want to ask how much is Doubtful Sound Day Cruise from Queenstown?

Comments

At the moment we have a special for $175 for the Doubtful Sound Cruise departing from Queenstown.

Comment by: Everything New Zealand on 15th Sep 20 at 19:00

1 comment - Post a Comment

If this deal include a coach pick up from Queenstown on Thursday 23rd? We don't have a car so would appreciate a pick and return drop off after the cruise.

Comments

Currently, this tour is not running coaches from Queenstown, the coaches will be operating again from the 29th of August. Tours are running from Manapouri only for the time being.

Comment by: ETG on 22nd Jul 20 at 17:01

1 comment - Post a Comment

Le repas est-il compris dans le prix ?

0 comments - Post a Comment

My partner and I are looking to do this cruise on Monday. We want to depart from Te Anau. The link for this on the page is not working. I’m just wondering how we go about being picked up from Te Anau?

Comments

I notice you have specials right up the 11th October and Monday 12th is back to high price, is there any discount you can provide for 9 people on Tuesday the 13th of October.

Comment by: Ann Mcgreal on 13th Jul 20 at 15:40

This winter season the Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Tour only departs from Manapouri, only 40 minutes from Te Anau. I will contact you regarding your enquiry for the 13th of October.

Comment by: Everything New Zealand on 13th Jul 20 at 17:39

2 comments - Post a Comment

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