We went on a one-day kayak trip on Doubtful Sound with Adventure Kayaks. It was beautiful - we hardly saw another boat all day and were lucky enough to watch a seal playing and eating a fish right up close to us. In a kayak you feel very connected to the environment and are able to explore the nooks and crannies of the walls of the fiord. Our guide was fantastic - very knowledgable and enthusiastic. The trip itself was very well organised - things worked very smoothly and you never felt rushed. I was worried about spending a day kayaking, but it was very easy. The pace is relaxed and can be set by the group (which is only small). Highly recommended!!

If you are amazed by the scenery in Milford Sound, consider a second trip to Doubtful Sound with even more panoramic views and amazing vistas!

The lowdown:
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Scenery

Fijordland, lakes, islands, mountain ranges, waterfalls, snow capped mountains, seals, pengiuns, native trees, birds and plants, dolphins (if lucky) open seas, power station, breathtaking scenic panoramic views of the lake and surroundings

Time: (all approx - weather dependent)

A full day trip

1 Drive from Te Anau to Manapouri 25 minutes
2 Boat to Power Station 1 hour
3 Bus ride through to Doubtful Sound 30-40 minutes
4 Boat around Doubtful Sound 2 hours +
5 Return bus ride to Power Station 25 minutes
6 Return boat ride to Manpouri 1 hour.
7 Return drive to Te Anau 25 minutes

Tour times

Two daily tours operate in the summer - take the later tour if you can to try for late afternoon picutres one starts at 8 and the other at 9. Times may vary dependent upon weather conditions.

Bookings

Don't make a booking until the day before (or unless you know the weather forecast) because if the weather is really bad, they still often run and you won't have as good an experience because you will probably end up sitting inside the boat instead of outside.

The detail

Doubtful sound is more than 10x the size of Milford Sound and comprises a multi trip voyage by Real Journeys. It is a short drive from Te Anau (no more than 25 minutes) and around a 2.5 hour drive from Queenstown. It is highly recommended to have an overnight stay in Te Anau which ensures that everyone including the driver can enjoy the scenery. Upon arrival and check in you take a boat on lake Manapouri to the Manapouri power station. Along the way you will see various mountains as well as an indication of the deepest point in the lake. The first trip takes about an hour dependent upon weather and if you end up in the smaller boat it would probably be a good idea for those who get sea sick to take some medicines to combat this before the ride. The scenery along the way will depend on the weather - the norm for the area is drizzle, however if you are lucky to get a clear blue sky morning the scenery is as if no one had ever been there before with mountains and islands dotted all over the lake. Often clouds will also still be around in the morning which gives the lake a semi eerie feel of solitude and makes for great photos. Even when we went in December (Summertime), some of the mountains are still covered in snow. It is very much like the fijords of Norway. The mornings can be quite cool so it is an idea to carry along a fleece and/or windproof jacket.

As far as food goes (remember this is a full day trip), you can pre order or purchase on the second boat ride, however you're probably better to pack your own gourmet goodies which only adds to the experience. (The packs on offer are pretty rudimentary). Coffee, tea and hot chocolate are provided free of charge on the boat rides.

Upon arrival at the power station you take a bus to travel several hundred feet underground and view the actual turbines that generate hydro electricity. A full history and detail of the construction in pictures and words is viewable and there is often a person available for more detailed questions. In line with keeping the ecology as pristine as possible, the depth of the lake is monitored to ensure that there is minimal disruption to the wildife and surroundings. The bus ride is amazing in itself as the driver navigates the narrow passageway and reverses the bus along the way to return back up the path. Further stops along the way to Doubtful sound are made pointing out various landmarks, waterfalls, trees and lakes and if available native animals. The main stop is at the top of the mountain pass which gives a great view of the boat ride ahead by having a birds eye view of the sound.

Upon reaching the second port you board a second boat - considerably larger which has plenty of open deck space to wander around and view the surrounding mountains, islands etc. The path taken by the boat will vary dependent on weather and wildlife on show at the time. As this is a national park and not a zoo, don't expect that things will appear to suit you - the captain of the boat and tour guide will find the best possible events of the day which can vary from viewing rare flowers in bloom, penguins, seals basking on the rocks, other birds wandering around islands and if lucky dolphins following the boat. The penguins are a little tricky to take too as they tend to move very fast so have the camera running on auto mode to take several shots to see the penguins. The seals when we were there were in abundance with several hundred basking in the sun at various points of the trip. The waterfalls in the area also run off and on dependent upon whether there was any rainfall the previous day or any melting of the snow from the mountains.

Note that the speed of the boat can be quite fast so you need to be sure that all your things are secure and hang on to the rails if you are at the front of the boat! To really appreciate the surroundings it is best to find a good point to stand outside on deck instead of sitting by the boat. Take a digital camera and lots of memory cards as you will most likely end up with a few hundred photos by the end of the day. The scenery is mind blowing with the mountains looking like they have only recently been pushed up from the sea/lakes with waterfalls of several hundred feet dotted all along the sound. If the waters are still then you can take amazing shots of the mountains and sky reflecting in the water creating a mirror image on the water.

It is also great to see that the people on board are very knowledgeable about the sound as well as their environmentally consciousness of keeping the area as pristine as possible - removing any garbage on board and taking it with them back to the main town for disposal. Any cans, bottles, cigarette butts or other litter is promptly cleared.

My conclusion:

One of the great natural scenic wonders of the world. Well worth the visit and the time. Nature can be a little frustrating because not everything appears when you want it, but that's nature! 8/10.

Doubtful Sound is less visited than Milford Sound, so it is unspoilt and less commercialised because of this. Unfortunately it does make a very long day - 12 or 13 hours, but that's the price you pay.

We visited Doubtful Sound thanks to Real Journeys, who have a few offices in Queenstown, but we booked through the i-site in Christchurch. The views are quite frankly astonishing and I have seen the photos for the part of the trip I was unable to enjoy. My wife has visited Milford Sound and says it is comparable and was a nice deviation for instead of returning to Milford Sound.

The water was still, the sky was clear and the sun was shining, so we were able to take plenty of photos. We were able to see the hills, enjoy a very smooth boat ride and even see dolphins.

Unfortunately, an hour into the boat trip I was taken ill with a severe migraine and reaction to my medication. The Real Journeys crew were excellent and looked after me all the way, helping my wife and ensuring I got back home okay that night.


I recommend Doubtful Sound to visit and Real Journeys to take you there.

The trip to Doubtful was amazing.

Stunning views, playful dolphins, cute seals... too bad the penguins had already left otherwise I am sure I'd enjoy checking them out also. We got to kayak before dinner, and it was just so picture perfect when we got out there.

The cruise was great... wonderful crew, happy crowd, delicious food, extremely clean bathroom/toilets, detailed information..etc. Everything was just perfect. It was a little expensive to go on the overnight cruise but I think the whole experience is worth it.

Note: don't forget to bring your insect repellent because there are lots of bugs when you get out of the cruise.

Doubtful Sound? Highly recommended!!!