I’m struggling to tell the story of my recent overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound.  This is one place in New Zealand that until a couple weeks ago, I’d never been to. And now that I’ve been, I’m at a loss for words of how to adequately describe the raw, majestic beauty of this area of New Zealand’s South Island. There’s really no way this post will do the experience justice, but I’ll try.

Doubtful Sound isn’t an easy place to get to from Queenstown, and this is most likely why I’ve never been. Heaps of people head to Doubtful Sound on a DAY TRIP from Queenstown. This includes lots, and lots of traveling in various types of transportation in no less than 12 hours.

1. Bus from Queenstown to Manapouri – 2.5 hours
2. Board a boat and cruise across Lake Manapouri – 1 hour
3. Onto another bus, and travel across the Wilmot Pass – 45 minutes
4. Arrive at Deep Cove, Doubtful Sound – Population: 1,000,000 sandflies

Here, you’d go on your day cruise and then return back to Queenstown. As you can see, that’s a big day. Absolutely and totally worth it if you’re limited in time, but a big day.

With my parents visiting from Iowa, I didn’t want this rushed of an experience so we opted for an overnight cruise – and wow, what an incredibly magical trip it was. We left Queenstown with a less than ideal forecast, lots of wind and lots of rain were forecasted for Fiordland. Given this remote and unpopulated area of New Zealand gets over 25 feet of rain each year, a forecast without rain is about as likely as leaving Fiordland without getting a sandfly bite.

The forecast was accurate. It rained. It actually rained a lot, but this didn’t take away from the experience in the slightest – in fact, it probably added to the adventure. As the nature guide said, “If it’s not raining, you’re not really experiencing Doubtful Sound.”

There are so many highlights from this trip, I’m not entirely sure where to start. The crew aboard the Fiordland Navigator goes out of their way to make sure you have an incredible experience. After boarding and receiving a briefing, we were shown our to our rooms – ensuite and complete with views of the water and passing mountains. But as this is Doubtful Sound, and you’re on a limited overnight trip, you won’t likely be spending much time in your room.

We cruised from Deep Cove all the way out to the Tasman Sea, receiving commentary from the hugely knowledgeable and passionate nature guide, Carol, along the way. Where the fiord meets the sea there’s a resident New Zealand Fur Seal colony that we said “KIA ORA” to – and then we retreated back to the protection of the fiord – protection from the gale force winds coming in off the sea.

This prevailing westerly wind is in fact where the name Doubtful Sound originated from. When Captain James Cook first sailed past the entrance to the fiord in 1770, he called the place Doubtful Harbour, as he doubted his ability to sail back out to sea once inside the sound.

As part of the experience, you get the chance to either go for a kayak or alternatively board a small tender craft for a trip towards shore to check out the seemingly ubiquitous waterfalls. With the driving wind and rain and rolling waves, I feared this wouldn’t happen – but somehow we found shelter in a cove and were able to go for an explore.

Actually getting off the boat, and getting a view of the towering mountains and waterfalls from sea-level was absolutely incredible. Unforgettable.

I had heard you might get the opportunity to go for a swim. I didn’t imagine I’d be too interested in jumping into the freezing cold, dark waters of Doubtful Sound, but after returning from the kayak – soaked from a torrential Fiordland downpour – I figured, what the hell. Mom had been on the cruise two years ago, and she went for a swim then. She said it was cold – but really nothing could have prepared me for the absolute shock of jumping into that water.

Lake Wakatipu feels like a hot tub compared to Doubtful Sound, and if you’ve been in Lake Wakatipu, you know it’s bloody cold.

By this point of the cruise, it’s dark. Have no fear though, when the sun sets the bar opens (actually the bar is probably open throughout, but you’ll be too busy admiring the towering peaks that descend into moody waters) and the crew begins getting ready to serve dinner. And THE FOOD is out of this world – a buffet with New Zealand lamb, seafood, pork, salads, roast vegetables and a desert line that brings on diabetic symptoms just by looking at it.

After dinner, you have the chance to listen to a presentation from Nature Guide Carol where she talks you through the Fiordland region history, and New Zealand flora and fauna. Her passion for the region was palpable, and really added to the overall experience.

An overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound isn’t a budget friendly trip. In the off-season, it can cost as little as $415 for a quad-share cabin, but this still isn’t a budget activity. When you consider you get dinner, bed and breakfast, as well as a cruise on the sounds and Lake Manapouri, and the chance to go kayaking on Doubtful Sound, it becomes pretty good value for money, and absolutely worth it.

And most importantly – it’s just an epic experience. I don’t make claims like this lightly, but in over 5 years in New Zealand, this is without a doubt one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had.

Have you been? Let me know in the comments below!

If you’re planning to fit this into your New Zealand adventure, be sure you book well in advance as the cruises DO fill up. You can book the Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise through Planit NZ, and grab yourself a small discount by mentioning you came from Backpacking Matt.