In every travel blog you come across stunning photos of New Zealand’s fjords. A Doubtful Sound cruise is therefore an absolute must on your New Zealand bucket list. While most travellers choose the equally beautiful Milford Sound, I personally found Doubtful Sound more magical for its peace and silence. To give you an idea: Doubtful Sound is ten times larger than Milford Sound, but since there are no road connections, you’ll find only a fraction of the tourists there. We took an overnight cruise through Doubtful Sound, spotted penguins and sea lions, and enjoyed this breathtaking part of nature. I’d love to tell you more about it!
Contents
This blog in 30 seconds
- Doubtful Sound is a magical fjord in New Zealand and far less crowded than Milford Sound.
- Take an overnight cruise to experience the best of it.
- Enjoy rainforests, waterfalls, dolphins, sea lions, and penguins.
- Bring rain gear, earplugs (if you’re staying overnight), and insect repellent.
- Don’t forget to appreciate the beauty of the rain!
Read the full blog for more information about:
- How to get there.
- The different cruise options.
- Practical tips.
- Wildlife you can spot.
How to reach Doubtful Sound
The journey to Doubtful Sound is already an adventure in itself. You’ll need both a boat trip and a bus ride to reach the vessel that takes you into Doubtful Sound.
It all begins in the town of Manapouri, where you board a comfortable boat. The trip takes about 45 minutes and crosses the beautiful Lake Manapouri, surrounded by mountain landscapes. At the end of this boat trip, you’ll arrive at the Doubtful Sound Power Station. The skipper will tell you all about it along the way!
From boat to bus at the Manapouri Power Station
During the cruise, you’ll sail past the Manapouri Power Station, a unique underground hydroelectric plant. The construction of this station was a massive project that took eight years to complete. The stories about its construction and environmental impact are fascinating. During the stopover, you’ll also see a miniature model of the Manapouri Power Station. And you’ll notice something else too: the sandflies start appearing here in full force. From this point on, they’ll follow you everywhere!
Once everyone has gathered, the bus takes you further to the harbour that was originally built during the construction of the Power Station. Doubtful Sound is, after all, connected to the sea — this was the easiest route!
Welcome to Doubtful Sound: an untouched paradise
Doubtful Sound is not only a breathtaking fjord but also home to a unique and fragile ecosystem. The deep waters surrounded by steep cliffs and rainforests host a diverse range of plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. Birds in particular thrive in these lush forests.
What’s also unique about Doubtful Sound is the ground on which the rainforest grows. The bedrock is so hard that trees can’t anchor their roots into it. To adapt, the trees form an extensive network of intertwined roots, creating one massive living forest. Occasionally, however, you’ll notice bare patches—when a few trees collapse, they can take entire sections of the slope with them. It can take decades for these areas to regrow.
Booking a cruise to Doubtful Sound
You have roughly three options when booking a cruise to Doubtful Sound. We chose the overnight cruise, but you can also depart from Queenstown or go on a day trip. The overnight cruise lets you see the most of this incredible fjord.
Overnight cruise
We chose the overnight cruise (organized by RealNZ). You can probably guess that half the boat was filled with Dutch travellers. One thing they absolutely nailed on this cruise was the delicious food and drinks—you’ll never go hungry. Drinks cost extra, but prices were very reasonable.
Another nice touch is that an activity is included in the cruise. Whether you want to go kayaking or get closer to the shore with a smaller boat, everything is well-organized for you.
The journey begins at the Real NZ Visitor Center in Manapouri and lasts around 24 hours — you start and return around lunchtime. After this cruise, we drove straight to Milford Sound to take the last cruise of the day there. This way, you make the most of your second day and enjoy a quieter experience at the more touristic Milford Sound.
Day trip from Manapouri
Want to take a one-day trip to Doubtful Sound? This cruise lasts about seven hours, of which three are spent on the boat. The long route to enter Doubtful Sound makes it a full-day excursion.
Your trip begins at the Real NZ Visitor Center in Manapouri, and departure is early in the morning.
Day trip from Queenstown
You can also book a day trip from Queenstown. It includes a long bus ride, followed by the three-hour cruise. Personally, I’d recommend starting in Manapouri, but it depends on your travel plans.
Practical matters: what to bring on a Doubtful Sound cruise
Before departure, you’ll be asked to limit your luggage, as space onboard is limited. You’ll have your own cabin, and depending on your booking, either a private or shared bathroom. A few practical tips beyond your general New Zealand packing list:
- Bring earplugs. Staying overnight? The walls are thin, so bring earplugs for a good night’s sleep.
- Bring rain gear. If it stays dry for three days, locals call it a drought here!
- Use insect repellent. The local legend says sandflies were created to protect the fjord from humans — which says enough about how many there are!
- No signal or Wi-Fi. You’ll be completely off-grid. Let your family know beforehand, especially if you’re staying overnight.
Embrace the rain
Doubtful Sound is one of the rainiest places on Earth, and this rainfall is vital for its special landscape. The area receives on average 6–8 meters of rain per year — that’s about 200–300 rainy days annually!
The rain is what creates the fjord’s iconic waterfalls. Rainwater flows over the dramatic cliffs, forming hundreds of temporary and permanent waterfalls — an incredible sight! The low-hanging clouds add an extra mystical atmosphere to the scenery.
Wildlife spotting in Doubtful Sound
Don’t expect animals around every corner, but they’re absolutely there. The best time to spot them is at sunrise or sunset when they are most active, but factors like weather and season also play a role.
- Dolphins: The most common ones are Hector’s dolphins and common dolphins, though we didn’t spot any during our trip.
- Sea lions: New Zealand sea lions are curious and often seen lounging on rocks near the sea entrance of the fjord.
- Penguins: Fiordland penguins — small, rare, and incredibly cute — can often be seen in the same spots as the sea lions.
- Albatrosses: Both royal and wandering albatrosses can be spotted in the area.
- Yellow-eyed penguins: In addition to the Fiordland penguin, you may also see this rare species.
- Eagles: The New Zealand sea eagle is a powerful bird of prey with an incredible eye for fish.
- Kakapo: This rare, flightless parrot is hard to spot but can occasionally be found in Doubtful Sound.
And if you’re extremely lucky, whales have also been known to visit here — though we didn’t get to see any ourselves.
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