RealNZ - Doubtful Sound Manapouri Visitor Centre

Awesome from the moment we stepped onto the boat. Transfer at Manapouri Power Station to our boat at Doubtful Sound. 1 1/2 trip to the West Coast entrance before the return leg. Stopped off close-up and personal at the bottom of one of the many waterfalls; crew shut down the boat so pax could hear birds and waterfalls.

Truly beautiful scenery, would highly recommend. Further details below.Went on the tour early in the morning, with he first leg being a 45 minute boat across lake manapouri with a few insightful bits of information along the way. There is a small cafe with filter coffee and cold drinks etc, with some seats with table access.Then you get a chance for the toilets and a few minutes to review the information in the centre. Then there is a 45 minute coach trip over the mountain to the main cruise boat around doubtful sound. The bus driver was well informed and funny for the whole drive so didn't feel long at all.When we got to the cruise boat we were straight on it and going around the sound with the most amazing views of waterfalls on every cliff face. Due to the weather there was limited visibility far away but the close mountain faces had incredible waterfalls, sometimes as many as 12 on one mountainside alone. The photos attached just don't do it justice you have to see it. Throughout the cruise the crew pointed out a few points of interest and facts about the surrounding islands and sounds.The journey back was the same journey but in reverse, just less commentary from the drivers and crew which was fine considering we were quite tired after getting up early.

Real NZ have outdone themselves. The Doubtful Sound cruise is the premiere NZ outdoor adventure. It blew my mind the beauty of the country I have lived in my whole life. From the Captain to the Crew on the Fiordland Navigator they showed nothing but class, kindness and a deep understanding of the area. I can not recommend this two day tour highly enough. Thank you so much! You have made a memory that will last a lifetime!

Incredible. Just absolutely incredible. The whole day was magic, the weather was 10/10, hardly any wind, zero rain and the only boat on the sound! Wider, deeper and longer than Milford without 90% more people

This is an excellent tour for a good look at Doubtful Sound. Informative, peaceful and beautiful sites. Well worth the money and the trip. Great boat guides and service crew. Plenty of seating on main and upper decks. Highly recommend!

A great adventure of ferry across Lake Manapouri, then bus across the range to Doubtful Sound / Patea. This return trip takes 7 hours 20 minutes but is well worth doing.

Great and memorable day even in the rain! Doubtful Sound was magnificent. Boats were well equipped and comfortable. Friendly and knowledgeable staff - very informative. Coffee and cakes were very good. It can get quite cold out on deck (which is where you'll be to fully appreciate the experience) so wrap up waterproof and warm. Overall highly recommended.

We had an absolutely magical overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound with RealNZ. The first part of the trip — the 45min cruise across Lake Manapouri was scenic and informative. Then the 45min bus ride from Lake Manapouri to Doubtful Sound was quite informative and our driver, Ram, was unexpectedly entertaining! The cruise itself was incredible. Dev was out on-board nature specialist (I’m sure he has a fancier title) and had a wealth of knowledge to share with passengers. We so appreciated his expertise. We thoroughly enjoyed getting to see the much more of Doubtful Sound via an overnight trip instead of a quick day trip.Though we weren’t served an official lunch, we were greeted with charcuterie boards (“Fiord Boards”), had plenty of snacks to keep us plenty full, and the meals were surprisingly satisfying for being a small cruise operation. Kayaking in the sound was such a bonus, as was a quick (cold) swim. The private twin share (with en suite bathroom) was compact but surprisingly comfortable (and included a space heater and heated towel bar). It was evident that the small but efficient crew members were hard at work 24/7 to make it a memorable and comfortable experience for everyone. We greatly appreciated their hospitality and hard work.We didn’t know what to expect on this journey, but our trip far exceeded our expectations and we would recommend this trip without hesitation to others. Dont forget to dress warm and bring some bug spray :)

Doubtful Sound is one of the reasons I came to New Zealand. It did not disappoint. Humbling, awesome, awe-inspiring. I heard one lady call it magical. All good descriptions, if still inadequate. I toured March 20, the 7 am excursion. It rained some the night prior and on and off during the entire excursion. That was the bonus I'd hoped for since it meant the waterfalls were plentiful and strong. It also provided a spectacular, constantly-changing view of mountain tops that would be covered by clouds one minute, then clear the next. This place also has the advantage of being much quieter than Milford Sound because there is one company that does two day cruises each day (plus an overnight experience), rather than multiple companies doing 5-7 cruises each day. This tour starts with a cruise across Lake Manipouri, a beautiful start/end to the trip. While Milford is spectacular in it's own right, it doesn't compare to Doubtful in scope and grandeur. Definitely recommend this trip.