Fiordland Cruises
Fiordland Cruises
5
Multi-day ToursBoat ToursEco ToursDolphin & Whale WatchingPhotography Tours
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Full view
About
Cruise the fiords of Doubtful Sound aboard the Southern Secret, sightseeing and exploring the history and splendor, pause at features for photographs and to observe marine mammals, cast a line for fishing, check the crayfish traps and savor the spectacular scenery and wildlife. Highlights of our Doubtful Sound / Patea Overnight Cruise with a maximum of just 10 - 12 guests include: Wildlife such as dolphins, penguins and seals may be seen. Spectacular and untouched scenery, Kayaking, Fishing, And the opportunity to enjoy the fish you catch. Checking and resetting of crayfish traps. Plus a Private Double or Twin Cabin with own toilet and shower, meals provided include luncheon, evening meal and breakfast prepared on-board.
Te Anau, New Zealand
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2023
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5.0
90 reviews
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Tony W
Cambridge, UK454 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Cannot praise this enough.
Tour started with a 20 min bus ride from Te Anau to Lake Mannapouri. Short wait at the cafe there, and off on the catamaran across the lake to the hydro power station. There is a small visitor centre explains things about the surroundings - quite interesting. Then picked up by our host in a mini-bus for the bumpy ride along about 20km of unsealed road to the boat for the cruise proper. We stopped a few times to look at the scenery - which we all thought was impressive. But then it got better !!
The 8 tourists boarded the small boat with two crew, and off we went. The boat has capacity for 12, so there was plenty of room. The weather was kind to us, so there was the option of sitting inside or outside. Our hosts gave an interesting commentary, explaining the scenery, geology, wildlife & history of the place.
We caught fish & Lobster that were promptly prepared for dinner, and also took out kayaks for a closer look at the shore. During the cruise a group of dolphins appeared & swam under boat - seemingly almost with touching distance.
Food was plentiful & delicious, freshly cooked on the boat. Cold & hot drinks always available.Soon after dinner the boat anchored in an isolated sound, and everything was shutdown. The silence & darkness was something I cannot remember experiencing.
Our cabin was compact, but had a small ensuite, with a functioning shower. Beds were comfy & warm.
The trip continued the next morning, with views of reflections in the unbelievably calm water, and a look at some distant penguins on the shore.
During the entire 24 hour trip around the sounds the only encounter with other people was a short & distant view of another tour boat about 2 km away. So it's all pretty peaceful & isolated.
Return was a reverse of the journey out. We were lucky with weather - no rain, only a gentle breeze and warm temperatures. But I suspect that bad weather would not spoil the experience.
Not a cheap trip, but highly recommended as a "once in a lifetime"experience.
Tour started with a 20 min bus ride from Te Anau to Lake Mannapouri. Short wait at the cafe there, and off on the catamaran across the lake to the hydro power station. There is a small visitor centre explains things about the surroundings - quite interesting. Then picked up by our host in a mini-bus for the bumpy ride along about 20km of unsealed road to the boat for the cruise proper. We stopped a few times to look at the scenery - which we all thought was impressive. But then it got better !!
The 8 tourists boarded the small boat with two crew, and off we went. The boat has capacity for 12, so there was plenty of room. The weather was kind to us, so there was the option of sitting inside or outside. Our hosts gave an interesting commentary, explaining the scenery, geology, wildlife & history of the place.
We caught fish & Lobster that were promptly prepared for dinner, and also took out kayaks for a closer look at the shore. During the cruise a group of dolphins appeared & swam under boat - seemingly almost with touching distance.
Food was plentiful & delicious, freshly cooked on the boat. Cold & hot drinks always available.Soon after dinner the boat anchored in an isolated sound, and everything was shutdown. The silence & darkness was something I cannot remember experiencing.
Our cabin was compact, but had a small ensuite, with a functioning shower. Beds were comfy & warm.
The trip continued the next morning, with views of reflections in the unbelievably calm water, and a look at some distant penguins on the shore.
During the entire 24 hour trip around the sounds the only encounter with other people was a short & distant view of another tour boat about 2 km away. So it's all pretty peaceful & isolated.
Return was a reverse of the journey out. We were lucky with weather - no rain, only a gentle breeze and warm temperatures. But I suspect that bad weather would not spoil the experience.
Not a cheap trip, but highly recommended as a "once in a lifetime"experience.
Written 30 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bianca M
18 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Once in a lifetime experience! We initially booked a kayak tour but this got canceled last minute, in exchange we got offered a spot on the overnight cruise, which was extremely nice of them. The boat is small and cozy, the rooms are clean, private bathroom, bed is very comfortable. The crew was helpful and gave us plenty of opportunities for kayaking and fishing. In the evening and the morning we spotted a pod of dolphins, it was incredible. Also saw penguins and seals. The food was very good: crayfish lunch and in the evening meat and the fish we had caught that day. Before bed we laid under the stars and admired the sky. Would definitely recommend this company: the boat is way smaller than other cruises and that really makes the experience better
Written 17 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amber Z
Houston80 contributions
MV Southern Secret is a fine choice for an overnight on the less visited, more serene Doubtful Sound
Mar 2023 • Couples
The views of Doubtful Sound fjord from this vessel are worthy of being remembered for a lifetime. The waterfalls streaming off of every precipice were stunning.
This overnight trip was a very worthwhile experience. The quarters were cramped, but that was expected. The activities were enjoyed by everyone. We spent a long time kayaking, even when it began to rain, and everyone enjoyed catching fish. The food was excellent - lunch was New Zealand crayfish (which are like New England lobsters except without claws) and dinner was the fish we caught. The captain and mate were extremely friendly and competent.
We even saw a penguin swimming!
This overnight trip was a very worthwhile experience. The quarters were cramped, but that was expected. The activities were enjoyed by everyone. We spent a long time kayaking, even when it began to rain, and everyone enjoyed catching fish. The food was excellent - lunch was New Zealand crayfish (which are like New England lobsters except without claws) and dinner was the fish we caught. The captain and mate were extremely friendly and competent.
We even saw a penguin swimming!
Written 20 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diana
4 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
CAUTION if booking on Cindy Hardy - yes great fishing and food, grumpy skipper Nigel a total fun sponge, noise curfew at 7, completely unreasonable
Written 2 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard Ralph
Te Awamutu, New Zealand24 contributions
Apr 2023
Having the family experience this 'must do' NZ cruise of Doubtful Sound was just wonderful, the weather though chilly, it did not rain. The scenery and peace ( no internet) was a bonus. The food was amazing. It was a belated 80th celebration for our family who live in Singapore our grandsons just loved the whole experience, kayaking, especially the daily fishing and eating the catch that night, expertly cooked by Jenny. The crew of David and Jenny worked so hard to make it an unforgettable experience for everyone. Luxury cruiser, spotlessly clean and food highly recommended. The scenery was spectacular. We saw seals, penguins, dolphins and catching fish was easy - sea perch, blue cod and terakihi plus the daily haul in of of lobster from the pots. Could not fault anything - highly recommend.
Written 20 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tallsheep
UK25 contributions
Feb 2023
The whole experience was excellent from the superb crayfish lunch at the start through the sea fishing near the mouth of Doubtful Sound - everyone caught something and many different varieties of fish - most of which was freshly cooked for dinner (not the shark though!). The small group (10) made it easy to talk to and get to know almost everyone and those who wanted got to swim and to kayak. Not much chance to go ashore though and there was very little birdlife. David and Jennie worked really hard and made the trip what it was.
Written 28 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter R
Woking, UK84 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
This trip was incredibly well organised by the skipper (Adam) and chef (James) who worked extremely well together. They enabled the 12 of us on the boat to be treated to the most amazing Doubtful Sound introduction.
We ate incredibly well, we sat in awe of the Sound, we watched dolphins playing, we kayaked, we swam and we fished. We also watched an amazing sunset off the high sides of the fiord and had great fun exploring the crayfish pots (belonging to the boat) and finding many crayfish and an conger eel.
So much better to spend a night on the Sound to appreciate its majesty.
We ate incredibly well, we sat in awe of the Sound, we watched dolphins playing, we kayaked, we swam and we fished. We also watched an amazing sunset off the high sides of the fiord and had great fun exploring the crayfish pots (belonging to the boat) and finding many crayfish and an conger eel.
So much better to spend a night on the Sound to appreciate its majesty.
Written 26 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah J
Benahavis, Spain8 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
This trip was absolutely fantastic despite very varied and changeable weather. We met our 8 fellow passengers and took a catamaran trip across lake Manapouri. We were met by our skipperAdam who drove us to Doubtful Sound and our boat for the night, Southern Secret. We were greeted by James our cook, and what a fine cook he turned out to be. Fresh crayfish, pizza and salads for lunch as we cruised off along the Sound which was alive with waterfalls after the rain. We had a very comfortable and surprisingly spacious cabin with ensuite loo and shower. I won’t detail the kayaking, fishing and octopus experiences except to say our hosts were good humoured, knowledgeable and encouraging but gave people space. Everyone on board was convivial company and there was a lot of laughter. Thank you Adam and James for a wonderful trip in the most beautiful surroundings that will stay with us for a long long time.
Written 10 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike E
Wellington, New Zealand23 contributions
Feb 2023
With only 10 passengers this is a personal experience with a local New Zealand company. The skipper and crewmate we had were happy to chat and be flexible with the trip and they work hard to make it a great experience. The food was excellent and everything was well communicated throughout.
The beautiful scenery and friendliness of the crew that make this a memorable Kiwi experience.
The beautiful scenery and friendliness of the crew that make this a memorable Kiwi experience.
Written 2 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Colin
Wellington, New Zealand4 contributions
Feb 2023
Wow, trip onboard the Southern Secret was absolutely amazing with everything taken care of - transport, accommodation, (amazing) food and feel so privileged to spend a bit of time in the amazing Doubtful Sounds! Superb, knowledgeable crew who cared for us brilliantly - thanks heaps!
Written 18 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are booked for an overnight cruise this March, leaving from Pearl Harbour in Manapouri. We plan to take a small overnight bag on the boat. Where can we safely store our larger luggage bag?
WoutH
Amsterdam, The Netherlands111 contributions
Hi LouLou5282,
You are so lucky to make this trip! We loved Doubtfull sounds. A great experience.
We left the baggage in our car. You can safely park it near their office, the pickup point.
It will also be possible to leave it in the office.
Enjoy!