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Visiting New Zealand’s iconic Fijordland National Park is a bucket list item for so many travelers! The area is incredibly picturesque with it’s steep fijordland walls and majestic waterfalls. Fijordland, and specifically Milford Sound, serves as a poster child for New Zealand tourism.
When I was planning my first south island roadtrip back in 2022 I knew I had to visit Milford Sound!
But I had no idea that there was a second “sound” I could explore… If Milford Sound is the star of fijordland, Doubtful Sound is the sneaky, quiet sibling with its own fanbase. Thus lots of people debate: Milford VS Doubtful Sound – which is the better tour?
Since my first trip to Milford Sound, I have since toured Milford a second time and Doubtful Sound for a first!
Touring Milford VS Doubtful is a very different experience. Milford Sound is easier to access (from Te Anau) and has more tour operators, but because of this it boasts some pretty big crowds. Doubtful Sound on the other hand only has 1 day trip boat and 1 overnight cruise. It’s more remote (your experience will be an all day one) but significantly less crowded.
I’ll be honest, even though the essence of the two tours are the same (a boat ride in a beautiful fjord), the experience between the two is actually very, very different. I’ve taken 3 trips to the Sounds and I took notes so you can decide which experience is best for you!
My Quick Pick
Don’t have time to read my full review? Here’s a quick overview of why I recommend Milford Sound to most people:
I loved the total package of Doubtful Sound (the ride across the lake, the bus tour and the cruise in Doubtful Sound itself) but I am actually going to recommend Milford Sound for most people! I think this Milford Sound tour fits as a better choice for most travelers because the day is shorter and it’s a more affordable tour.
👉 Check out this REAL NZ tour of Milford Sound, with full cancelation up to 1 day before👈
If you have a more relaxed travel schedule then keep reading to see why Doubtful Sound may be the better option for you!
About Milford Sound
A little geology talk first – Milford Sound is actually a fjord because it was glacially carved!
Milford is about 10 miles long and relatively narrow. Milford Sound also receives about 200 days of rain per year! All that rainfall means the fjord walls are constantly spewing waterfalls and water cascades. What is a water cascade you ask? It’s a non-permanent water feature where the water runs down the side of the rockface. It never actually “falls” off the rock, thus it’s a cascade.
Milford Sound is also home to one of the most iconic mountains in New Zealand, Mitre Peak. Mitre Peak has a very distinct and pointed peak, your tour guide on the tour will definitely point it out to you!
Milford is accessible by car and is about a 2 hour drive from the town of Te Anau. I really like the fact that you can drive yourself here because it means you can stop and see some beautiful viewpoints and hikes along the way!
However, the road does not always remain open in the winter. So if you are taking a tour June-Sept make sure to check in at the Fijordland National Park visitors center before you start the drive!
If you’re not keen to drive to Milford, there are tours with bus services from Te Anau. Because Milford is popular and easy to access, there are multiple companies operating tours in the fjord. It’s worth mentioning that there are multiple tour options! Not only can you take a boat tour, you can also kayak in the sound for a slower experience.
Pros and Cons of a Milford Sound Boat Tour
| Pros of Taking a Boat Tour in Milford | Cons of Taking a Boat Tour in Milford |
| Easy to access via car or tour bus | Very busy/crowded experience as it’s one of the most popular destinations in New Zealand |
| Suited to independent travel. You can drive yourself there and are free to stop and hike/explore before or after your tour | Lots of other boat traffic, which may detract from the “magic” |
| Tour experience is 2 hrs | If you choose to hang around before/after the tour, prepare for sandflies ! |
| Milford is a beautiful and narrow fjord with lots of waterfalls | Due to it’s popularity, you need to book your tour well in advance |
| Cost of tour is about half the cost of Doubtful Sound (about $155 NZD) | The road is sometimes closed in the winter and you may not be able to travel there on the day of your tour |
| There’s infrastructure at the tour depot (cafe, souvenirs, hotel) |
About Doubtful Sound
Now a bit about the lesser known Doubtful Sound.
Doubtful Sound (also technically a fijord and not a sound) is significantly more remote than Milford and receives much less tourism. There is no way to travel to Doubtful Sound independently, you must journey there with a tour company. Which is honestly a bonus because all the logistics are taken care of for you!
The tour starts from Lake Manapouri (unless you book the Te Anau pick up, in which case you’ll have a 20 minute bus ride to Lake Manapouri). You’ll board a boat on the lake and have a quick (and beautiful) 1 hr ride across the lake. Then you board a coach bus and journey up and over the mountain pass. Pro tip if you get queasy in cars or boats this is a great day to take some anti-naseau medication!
I loved the bus ride because the driver was super engaged and gave a great tour as we journeyed to Doubtful Sound. They really worked hard to make sure every leg of the journey felt like part of the tour experience. My favorite part was learning about the nearby Lord of the Rings filming location!
The big reveal of finally arriving in Doubtful Sound makes the whole journey feel extra special! I think my jaw actually dropped when I saw the view.
Doubtful Sound is a 25 mile long fjord that has a wide waterway with lots of additional smaller fjords branching off of it. In fact one of my favorite parts of the tour was when we went into one of the side fjords and the captain turned off the boat – we were in total silence and pristine wilderness.
There are 3 ways to experience Doubtful Sound: the day boat tour, the overnight cruise and the kayak tour. There’s only ever 1 day boat tour cruising the sound at a time, so the overall experience is very peaceful and quiet. Milford Sound has multiple operators with multiple tours, hence the critique that it’s become over commercialized. You won’t feel that at all in Doubtful!
Pros and Cons of a Doubtful Sound Boat Tour
| Pros of a Boat Tour in Doubtful Sound | Cons of a Boat Tour in Doubtful Sound |
| The journey to get there is incredibly unique (a ride across the lake, a bus and then voila) | This is an 8+ hour tour from start to finish |
| Remote and largely untouched wilderness | The bus ride is non negotiable, not great for motion sick prone travelers |
| Minimal tourism or recreational traffic | The cost of the tour is greater than Milford ($349 NZD) |
| Deeply peaceful experience | Due to the length, you need to be prepared with meals/snacks ect |
| Longer fjord, so the journey to the Tasman Sea takes longer | You cannot travel there independently, so you are on a set tour schedule |
| Accessible all year long as the road is cleared of snow in the winter | |
Best Tours in Milford and Doubtful Sound
Truly the good news here is that you really can’t go wrong. I took my partner’s family to Milford Sound and they loved it, and I took my family to Doubtful Sound and they loved that. You probably won’t be feeling like you chose wrong when you’re having an epic day cruising in the fjord!
There are also scenic flights throughout fijordland national park, but I’m a boat girl so this tour review is specific to the boat tours available.
I recommend staying in Te Anau and driving yourself to Milford Sound. Once you’re there, you’ll have the opportunity to independently explore trails and see the sights after your boat tour. If you’re going to Doubtful Sound, I recommend staying in Te Anau and driving yourself to Lake Manapouri.
Milford Sound Tours
The 2hr scenic cruise from Milford Sound (this is what I recommend!)
Milford Sound tour departing from Te Anau
Milford Sound tour departing from Queenstown
Milford Sound overnight cruise
Doubtful Sound
The 8 hr scenic cruise from Lake Manapouri (this is what I recommend!)
What Weather to Expect in Milford/Doubtful Sound
A quick note about the weather….
I’ve seen a few reviews and comments out there about Milford Sound technically having more rainy days than Doubtful Sound and thus it’s more of a “weather gamble” to go to Milford.
My personal opinion is that the weather will do what the weather is going to do, and you really can’t control that. Especially not when you’re booking a tour months in advance.
Will you maybe have a greater chance of sunshine if you book a Doubtful Sound cruise? Maybe. I think weather should be a minor consideration when booking your tour, and instead you should focus on your mindset for the tour, regardless of rain or shine.
In my experience rainforests are really at their best when it’s raining! So rather than focus on the weather, I try to focus on being excited for any weather. And you should be prepared for many weather conditions. You’d be remise to travel to fijordland without a rain jacket!
Which Tour is Best for You to Book?
Ultimately I think which fjord to visit really depends on the specificities of your trip.
If you only have 1 day in fijordland, I would definitely choose visiting Milford Sound. Why? Because it’s more accessible (i.e. you can drive there) and it’s ultimately a shorter day. If you’re staying in Te Anau (which I recommend) you can drive yourself to the tour, take the 2 hour boat tour and then have the rest of the day to explore Milford on your own. You can even hike and hang out right at the base of the sound and take in amazing views of Mitre peak.
Doubtful Sound unfortunately is only accessible whilst you’re on the tour, so your experience is capped at the end of the tour. If you only have 1 day in fijordland, the Doubtful Sound tour will take up the entire day. So you need to decide if that’s what you want or not.
If you have multiple days in Te Anau and thus multiple day in the fijordland area, I would recommend Doubtful Sound! Because not only will you have an epic full day tour of Doubtful, but you’ll have other days to see the surrounding area.
I hope this honest review has helped you decide which scenic boat tour to take in Milford or Doubtful Sound!
Ahoy! I’m Bree and I’ve started this blog to help you plan your next great outdoor adventure. With a background in marine science, I’ve got an aptitude for all things ocean, but you’ll find land based adventures here too! Everything you see here is based on my own travel experience and paid for myself. I hope you stick around!