Unforgettable Doubtful Sound: Deep Fiordland Wilderness Cruise

We were blessed with a perfect day...blue sky , sun ., it was just magic. The trip from start to finish was great, a friendly and informative crew, well organised in terms of transfers.. I liked the few minutes of silence!.. so powerful to hear the stillness... New Zealand is an awe inspiring place and doubtful sound with steep mts risng from the water, waterfalls at every turn, dolphins seals...it was truly a wonderful experience

Overall this was an awesome experience. There are two ~40min bus rides, so if you get car sick, pack some Dramamine! The boats were comfortable and had a lot of different viewing spaces which allowed it to feel spacious even with a large group. It can get cold out on the water, so definitely pack layers. The food and drinks on board are good, although the wait can get long around lunchtime. The scenery is incredible and definitely worth the trip!

The experience was amazing. Doubtful sound is a dream location. We enjoyed the experience and took some great snaps for memories.

Great stuff. Very friendly. Great commentary. Clean boats and buses. Nice options for food. Just a pity on the bad weather.

Unreal! Doubtful sound is much bigger and less crowded than Milford sound (which was also an incredible experience). I was blessed with a blue-sky day and we saw dancing dolphins and plenty of seals. The towering vastness of the mountains and the calm waters of the sound made for a surreal and peaceful experience.

An amazing trip! Worth every penny! A travellers MUST DO! trip. Great experience in our own backyard of wildlife and scenery which is epic inthe winter with the snow capped mountains in the back drop. Super variety of food available and great over night accomodation. Staff very accomodating and with zest and great attitudes!

Our departure from Manapouri was in warm sunshine which unfortunately gradually disappeared as we neared the mountains. The driver on the bus ride over the Wilmott Pass kept us well informed of the history of the construction of the hydro dam. We stopped a couple of times for waterfall appreciation and photos but cloud was too low to get a distant view of Doubtful Sound itself. The cruise on the Sound was excellent, again with good commentary. There were occasional showers, but the clouds cleared now and then. The boat was very comfortable. We were taken to where the Sound opens to the Tasman Ocean. There was a definite swell there but not too bad. We saw the seals lazing on rocks before we turned around to head back. Three minutes of silence was experienced which was beautiful - no engines, no talking - just the sound of water and patter of rain. The whole day was very well organised and ran smoothly. Highly recommended.

It's a hidden gem, expensive yet worth taking this trip but as good as Milford Sound, where I have been many times but Doubtful Sound could also be an activity which can be explored during Queenstown trip.

Although it is a long day it's worth it! The views from the first boat trip were lovely, the bus trip to the next boat was informative and very scenic and the driver had good humor! Once in doubtful sound it was a whole other level! The dolphins put on a great show and the lovely boat team had some great advice on were to watch them! The added touch of "the sound of silence" was a perfect way to soak up the surroundings!

Absolutely sensational. Great bus driver, spectacular scenery. Would do again! We did both sounds and they are vastly different and so worth the money. Great guide.. good and drink available on board. Very pretty