5 Queenstown Bus Tours Worth the Fare

1.Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 2,592 reviews · from $144Our pick

Ride from Queenstown through Te Anau and Fiordland National Park, stopping for photos before a Milford Sound cruise. Expect live commentary, three viewing decks, lunch, free tea, and close views of Stirling Falls. Guides such as Brendan, Brian, and Sebastian have earned strong praise for their care and local stories.

“The best thing was our guide Ian. Awesome person and full of knowledge and very much adjustable.”

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2.Milford Sound Cruise and Coach Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,681 reviews · 12 hours · from $162

Travel from Queenstown to Milford Sound by glass-roof coach with local guides such as Paulie, Levi, Craig, or Brian. Stop at Te Anau, Mirror Lakes, Monkey Creek, and the Eglinton Valley, then take a two-hour cruise past waterfalls, cliffs, seals, dolphins, and penguins.

“I would highly recommend this trip, our driver Paulie was great. His commentary was informative and fun with some good stories added into the mix. The road to Milford Sound is windy at points but the bus handles it well. The cruise around the Sound was great and the journey there and back is worth it!”

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3.Milford Sound Day Trip on Premium Coach

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 976 reviews · 750 minutes - 14 hours · from $170

Ride from Queenstown to Milford Sound in a glass-roof coach with live commentary, stops at Te Anau, Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes, and Monkey Creek, then cruise beneath waterfalls. Guides such as Stan, Keith, Shale, and Greg are often praised for keeping the long day informative and friendly.

“I paid full rate including lunch however was denied.”

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4.Milford Sound Coach and Cruise tour from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 789 reviews · from $152

Spend about 12 hours traveling from Queenstown to Milford Sound by air-conditioned coach, with stops in Te Anau and Fiordland National Park. Guides such as Carl, Hamish, Sebastian, Brian, Graeme, and Ian have been praised for lively commentary. The catamaran cruise reaches toward the Tasman Sea, with lunch and refreshments included.

“Hamish ( our driver & guide) was the BEST! He was so funny that he had us laughing throughout our excursion. His knowledge of the area really helped us understand the region & make this full day excursion so enjoyable. The inclusions are really good as well. I highly recommend this excursion.”

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5.Hop on Hop off Wine Tours Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 350 reviews

Build your own Queenstown wine day with air-conditioned transport, buses about every 45 minutes, and stops at Arrowtown, Gibbston wineries, breweries, pubs, and adventure sites. Drivers such as George, Keri, Pete, and Liana provide route help and commentary, but you need to plan carefully because the route runs one way.

“The hop on hop off wine bus was the best way to experience New Zealand’s beautiful wine country, without the hassle of a potential DUI! We did a little bit of research beforehand and went to Amisfield (best wine), Gibbston Valley Winery and Brennans (beautiful orange wine!). The stop in Arrowtown for an explore was also a great way to ease into a day of wine drinking. Hot tip: we saw a newly opened winery across from Brennans called Waitiri Creek and what a surprise it was! It wasn’t on the list, but had the best views of the whole day and brilliant staff. The Chardonnay and Pinot noir is…”

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