The Remote Sounds of New Zealand’s South

Make your way to the designated meeting point in Te Anau. From here, enjoy a scenic helicopter flight over southern Fiordland to join Heritage Explorer in Preservation Inlet. The Captain and Expedition Leader will welcome you aboard and show you to your cabin. Once settled, set sail along Long Sound and begin exploring this remote corner of Fiordland National Park.

Spend the day exploring Preservation Inlet, a secluded waterway with a rich history. In the late 19th century more than 2,500 gold miners and sawmill workers arrived here, leaving behind settlements that are now largely reclaimed by forest.
Sites such as Cromarty and Te Oneroa offer glimpses of this past, while the restored chimney at the Tarawera Mine and Smelter remains one of the area’s most striking relics. Other points of interest include the site of New Zealand’s first whaling station at Cuttle Cove and the remote Puysegur Point lighthouse.

Cruise into Chalky Inlet, where limestone cliffs mark the entrance. Several predator-free islands here protect some of New Zealand’s most endangered wildlife, including the Little Spotted Kiwi and the critically endangered Kākāpō.
North Port and South Port reveal remnants of earlier human activity, from the grounded steamship Stella to the remains of sawmilling operations. As the ship travels deeper into the inlet, the surrounding mountains rise steeply from the water.

Explore Dusky Sound, one of Fiordland’s largest and most historically significant waterways. Predator-free Anchor Island supports populations of Kākāpō and Little Spotted Kiwi.
Nearby Luncheon Cove marks the site of several early European milestones, including the building of the vessel Providence in 1795. On Pigeon Island, learn about Richard Henry’s pioneering efforts to protect native birds by transferring them to island refuges.

Sail through Acheron Passage, which separates Resolution Island from the mainland and is often a highlight of the journey. Bottlenose dolphins are sometimes seen in these waters.
Explorations may include Wet Jacket Arm, named after the crew of Cook’s Resolution. Continue to Breaksea Sound, where Breaksea Island became one of the first large islands in New Zealand to be declared rat-free, allowing native wildlife to recover.

Enter Doubtful Sound, New Zealand’s deepest fiord and one of the most impressive landscapes in Fiordland. Sheer cliffs, waterfalls and quiet coves create a striking setting for exploration.
Your time here may include cruising through areas such as Blanket Bay, Pandora River and Deas Cove, with opportunities for Zodiac excursions or kayaking.

Continue north to Charles Sound, where the fiord branches into Emelius and Gold Arms. Parts of the area form the Kahukura and Taumoana marine reserves.
Depending on conditions, activities may include kayaking or coastal exploration by Zodiac. Nearby Caswell Sound contains the remains of a hut used during the 1949 New Zealand–American Fiordland scientific expedition studying the introduced wapiti herd.

Sail to George Sound, the largest of the northern fiords. Several arms branch from the main fiord, offering different options for exploration. One of the highlights is Alice Falls, which flows from Lake Alice at the head of the fiord. George Sound is also where wapiti were introduced to New Zealand in 1905.

Arrive in Milford Sound and enjoy time cruising through one of New Zealand’s most famous fiords. Towering peaks and waterfalls create a dramatic setting for your final evening aboard. Celebrate the journey with a farewell dinner on board.

After breakfast, disembark and transfer to Te Anau via the Homer Tunnel and the Eglinton Valley.