6-Day Fiordland & Stewart Island Explored
price from
NZ$ 5425
per person (twin share)
New Zealand - South Island
Cruise
6 days
Invercargill/Queenstown
Invercargill/Queenstown
Inquiry & Booking
6-Day Stewart Island Cruise | Expedition Ship | Zodiac Cruising, Guided Walks & Birdwatching | Stewart Island, Ulva Island, Doubtful Sound & Dusky Sound | Wildlife, History and Local Cuisine Included
Join us on this unforgettable Stewart Island cruise, a 6-day voyage exploring New Zealand’s remote southern backyard. It’s a rare chance to combine two iconic wilderness destinations on one trip.
This Stewart Island cruise aboard a purpose-built expedition ship sails from Bluff to Stewart Island and Ulva Island. It then continues north into Fiordland to explore Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound and Acheron Passage. We pair Zodiac cruising with guided walks and expert birdwatching throughout. Naturalist guides join you on every excursion. For a longer voyage focused solely on Fiordland’s remote southern fiords, our 7-Day Southern Fiords Discovery covers Preservation Inlet, Chalky Inlet and Dusky Sound.
New Zealand’s Third Island, Off the Beaten Track
Stewart Island sits well off the usual tourist track. It’s a wonderfully tranquil place, with 85 percent of the island designated national park. Despite its small stature on most maps, Stewart Island holds 700 kilometres of coastline. There’s plenty to explore. Ulva Island, predator-free since 1997, rewards visitors with an impressive range of birdlife. Listen for Bellbird, Tui, Kaka, Tomtit, Rifleman, Stewart Island Robin, Saddleback, Mohua and the Southern Brown Kiwi as you walk its tracks.
In Paterson Inlet, we visit the historic Norwegian whaling station at Prices Inlet and Kaipipi Bay. From 1923 to 1933, the Ross Sea Whaling Company of Sandefjord, Norway ran a repair base here. They serviced the chaser boats before heading south for the Antarctic summer. The quirky township of Oban in Halfmoon Bay offers a drink with a view at the historic South Sea Hotel.
Fiordland’s Grand-Scale Wilderness
Fiordland National Park is rich in history, majestic scenery and abundant wildlife. Local Māori knew the region well, and legend tells how the demi-god Tu-te-raki-whanoa carved out its fiords with his adze, Te Hamo. Captain Cook and his crew were the first Europeans to visit. They landed here aboard the HMS Resolution in 1773 and spent five weeks in Dusky Sound. His records and maps soon attracted sealers and whalers. They formed New Zealand’s first European settlements and shaped the country’s early history.
Fiordland’s coast remains only accessible by sea, making it the most remote region of New Zealand’s mainland. Misty veils of waterfalls, streams and fiords come and go, revealing steep mountain peaks and sheltered valleys. Thick native forest carpets the rugged terrain in ferns, lichens and mosses. Bottlenose Dolphins, Fiordland Crested Penguins and Little Penguins all call these fiords home, and we watch for them throughout our time here.
If you’d prefer to explore other parts of New Zealand’s coastline, please take a look at all our New Zealand cruises below.
- 10-Day Fiordland Expedition Cruise – All the Fiords
- 7-Day Marlborough Sounds Cruise: Explore New Zealand’s Sounds Up Close
- Fiordland Explored: 5-Day Cruise of Doubtful Sound & Dusky Sound
- 13-Day Expedition Cruise Around the New Zealand Coast
- 7-Day Northern Fiords Cruise: Expedition Through Fiordland’s North
- 7-Day Southern Fiords Discovery: A Deep Exploration of Fiordland’s Southern Fiords
- 9-Day Top of the South Cruise: Explore Beyond Marlborough Sounds
- 5-Day Dusky Sound Cruise: Explore Remote Fiordland
- 6-Day Fiordland & Stewart Island Explored
- 5-Day Queen Charlotte Sound Cruise: Walking & Sailing Tour
- 8-Day Stewart Island Cruise: Wilderness and Wildlife Adventure
You can experience this firsthand on any of the following upcoming voyages:
2 Jan 2027
1 Jan 2028
Tour Photo Gallery
Tour Information, Departure Dates & Price
Transportation
- Cruise, Helicopter & Coach
Tour Departures
- Please review the cruise departure options below
Airport Transfers
- N/A
Pricing
-
from NZD5,425
Meals
- Check the meal details in the itinerary
Accommodation
- Yacht Cabins
Cities/Regions Visited
-
Invercargill – Bluff – Stewart Island – Ulva Island – Doubtful Sound – Dusky Sound – Acheron Passage – Invercargill/Queenstown
Group Size
- 140-Guest Ship
Tour Code
- HE17082026
Pre & Post Accommodation
- Available
6-Day Fiordland & Stewart Island Explored Days
Make your way to the designated hotel in Invercargill, where we spend the first night of the expedition, or join our afternoon transfer from Queenstown (times and meeting point will be confirmed with your voyage documents). This evening, join an informal get-together for dinner, a great chance to meet fellow adventurers and members of the expedition team.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before travelling to Stewart Island, where we board the ship. New Zealand’s third island sits well off the usual tourist track. With 85 percent of the island designated national park, the untouched bushland makes for stunning scenery. Enjoy the impressive bird song as we explore Ulva Island, rich in history and wildlife and predator-free since 1997.
Walking its tracks and exploring Boulder and West End Beaches, Post Office Bay and Sydney Cove, you may spot Stewart Island Robin, Stewart Island Weka, South Island Kaka, Kereru, Mohua, Red-crowned Parakeet, Fantail, Bellbird, Tui and Southern Brown Kiwi. Our expedition guides listen closely for bird calls and watch the canopy for further species. In Paterson Inlet, we visit the historic Norwegian whaling station in Prices Inlet and Kaipipi Bay, once a repair base for the Ross Sea Whaling Company between 1923 and 1933. We finish the day in Oban, the quirky township at Halfmoon Bay, home to the iconic South Sea Hotel.
We have three days to explore the incredible wilderness of fiords in the southwest corner of the South Island, an area rich in history, majestic scenery and abundant wildlife. Fiordland’s coast remains only accessible by sea, making it the most remote region of New Zealand’s mainland. Misty veils of waterfalls, streams, rivers and fiords come and go, revealing steep mountain peaks and sheltered valleys, while ferns, lichens and mosses blanket the thickly forested floors.
Our schedule allows flexibility to visit as much as possible, and we plan to explore Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound, Acheron Passage, Astronomer’s Point and Pickersgill Harbour, depending on conditions. While in Dusky Sound, an optional helicopter flight sweeps through the sound alongside Cooper Island and Cook Channel, landing on Mount Pender for spectacular views across constellations of islands and winding fiords. Bottlenose Dolphins, Fiordland Crested Penguins and Little Penguins all live in these waters, and we watch for them throughout our exploration. On the evening of Day 5, we celebrate with a farewell dinner among newfound friends.
Early this morning we arrive at the Port of Bluff. After a final breakfast, we bid farewell to fellow voyagers and take a complimentary coach transfer to either Invercargill or Queenstown Airport. In case of unexpected delays, we ask that you not book any onward travel until after midday from Invercargill and after 3pm from Queenstown.
Note: During the voyage, weather or opportunities for unplanned excursions may require deviations from the planned itinerary. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed. We plan and schedule voyages pending final regulatory approval.
Inclusions & Highlights
Cruise Highlights:
- Explore predator-free Ulva Island, rich in native birdlife
- Discover the whaling history of Prices Inlet and Kaipipi Bay
- Visit the quirky township of Oban and the historic South Sea Hotel
- Spend three full days exploring Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound and Acheron Passage
- Spot Bottlenose Dolphins, Fiordland Crested Penguins and Little Penguins
- Enjoy an optional helicopter flight over Dusky Sound with a landing on Mount Pender
Includes: Local payment, one night hotel accommodation with dinner and breakfast, ship transfer, all onboard ship accommodation with meals, house beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, all expedition shore excursions, a programme of lectures by expert naturalists and transfer to the airport.
Excludes: All personal items, laundry, drinks outside of meals, gratuities, helicopter excursion, international and domestic flights, visas and travel insurance.
Tour Departure Dates
- 2 Jan 2027
- 1 Jan 2028
Accommodation
One night hotel accommodation in Invercargill, followed by all lodging aboard the ship with meals included throughout the voyage.
About the Expedition Ship
Our vessel is a true pioneering expedition ship of exceptional pedigree, purpose-built for adventure and refined over decades of polar and coastal exploration. She is designed for exploring intricate coastlines like New Zealand’s, navigating through fiords, cruising up harbours and allowing for small-boat cruising to remote and isolated bays.
Onboard, guests enjoy spacious cabins with panoramic windows or portholes, private en suites, a comfortable lounge, a dining room and a programme of lectures from noted naturalists throughout the voyage.
Included activities
Accommodation
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