2 days
Photo: Pseudopanax, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsDoubtful Sound
Fiordland · UNESCO World Heritage
Doubtful Sound, or Patea, is about three times longer than Milford Sound and far less visited. Reaching it is part of the trip: a boat across Lake Manapouri and a bus over the Wilmot Pass before you board a cruise boat.
Doubtful or Milford?
| Doubtful Sound | Milford Sound | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting there | Boat, bus and boat from Manapouri | Road to the wharf |
| Time | A full day | Half a day from Te Anau |
| Crowds | Few boats | Busy at midday |
| Price | Higher | Lower |
| Scenery | Wide arms and silence | Taller, closer cliffs and Mitre Peak |
Tip: On calm days the cruise boats stop their engines for the "sound of silence", one of the trip's highlights.
When to go
Doubtful Sound is wet all year, which fills its waterfalls. Summer has the longest days and calmest weather; winter brings snow on the peaks and very few visitors. Overnight cruises run mainly from spring to autumn.
Who it suits
Travellers who've seen Milford Sound or want a quieter, more remote experience, and anyone happy to spend a full day on it. If time is tight, Milford Sound is the easier choice. See our Milford Sound guide.
Where it is
Multi-day tours that visit Doubtful Sound
Every tour here includes Doubtful Sound in its itinerary. Best rated first.
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Doubtful Sound: questions
How do you get to Doubtful Sound?
By boat across Lake Manapouri, a bus over the Wilmot Pass, then a cruise boat, usually as one organised day trip from Manapouri or Te Anau.
Is Doubtful Sound better than Milford Sound?
It's quieter and bigger, but takes a full day and costs more. Milford is easier with taller cliffs.