Milford Extended Helicopter Tour From Queenstown

Sensational! We had the most fabulous time with Will flying through the stunning scenery of NZ! Almost didn’t book this but decided to live with no regrets and it did not disappoint.

A fantastic experience. Our pilot, Jeremy, was very knowledgeable about the area and made sure to rotate the group so everyone had an opportunity to fly up front. The staff were very helpful when our first trip had to be cancelled to put us onto another trip. Would absolutely do again

We had a trip booked for Good Friday, but the company rang and told us that if we could move our other bookings (totally separate) around, the weather would be better on the Thursday. We did that and were so pleased we did. Had an absolutley cracking morning - perfect weather, Alfie our pilot was fantastic and we saw everything we could expect. Landing on the glacier was fabulous and seeing Milford Sound from the air was incredible. Great day and a trip highlight.

It was very easy to book with them. Everyone we met was friendly and professional. Our pilot, Luke, was outstanding. The experience itself was the highlight of our trip. It was our first trip to NZ and without question we already wanted to come back and do another flight. We will definitely book with these guys again. Highly recommend.

Best views of the mountains, Glaciers and Milford Sound! Highly recommend! Very kind and efficient staff!

​If you’re on the fence about booking a helicoper flight in Queenstown with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters, just do it!! From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel like VIPs. They were professional, welcoming, and handled all the safety briefings with a smile. ​Our pilot Luke was a total legend. Not only was the flying incredibly smooth, but the commentary was insightful and funny. We witnessed the most jaw-dropping views we had ever seen. The snow landing was pure magic. Huge thanks to Phil, Luke, Bron, Alice and Grace. We had the most unforgettable experience! xxxx

Fantastic way to see the scenery of Milford Sound and surroundings. Plenty of photo opportunities during the flight and during the three landings. Special thanks to our pilot Alfie Speight. Highly recommended trip.

This was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve flown in helicopters before, but this felt like the Rolls Royce of helicopter experiences. We booked the H145 as there were eight of us, and it was the perfect choice. The flight was for my husband’s birthday, so it was a special occasion and one we will never forget. We had a few nervous flyers in the group, but our pilot Jeremy was exceptional. He was calm, professional and instantly put everyone at ease. The experience included three landings, one on a glacier, one at Milford Sound, and another in a very remote mountainous location beside a lake, where we enjoyed a picnic and champagne. It was absolutely unforgettable and could not have been more perfectly executed.

Good communication! I’m sure this would have been the HIGHLIGHT of our NZ trip, but due to weather our trip had to be cancelled with several days of rain impeding our plans. We were contacted promptly the morning of our original heli flight and given another date to fly a few days later. Sadly, the weather wasn’t in our favor on that extended date either. Even though we built in buffer days for weather our NZ trip was now on its final day. Full refund given. We will book it again for our next trip and fingers crossed we can make it happen. We’ve done several bookings with Viator and have always been impressed. Next time!

I did the 2.5hour Milford Extended Helicopter Tour and it was nothing short of extraordinary! From lift-off, the views were surreal, glaciers, waterfalls, and untouched alpine peaks that felt almost otherworldly. Landing on a remote glacier and later on the Milford Sound shoreline made the whole experience feel truly once-in-a-lifetime. The pilot was excellent, professional, knowledgeable, and made us feel safe while also pointing out hidden gems along the way. It’s hard to put into words how breathtaking it all was, easily the highlight of my trip and something I’ll never forget. Highly recommend it, would not think twice about it, and cannot wait to come back for some more. Thanks again!

We did the extended Milford Extended tour and it was amazing. The pilot (Tim) was amazing and knowledgeable. The scenery of course was to die for. But I can only give 4 stars for 2 reasons; 1 - They were running behind time and we departed about 20 minutes late. And while we made all the designated stops we were given the hurry along continually when we were on the ground and we got back almost exactly 2 hours after we left for an advertised 2.5 hour tour. Cutting our trip short by 20-25 minutes got them back on time at our 'expense'. 2 - We were a family of 4 and paid for a private tour so even though we were paying thousands of dollars for the flight they still charged us $2 for a bottle of water at the base. Seriously. You'd think they'd comp us the water?!

Incredible experience! Once in a lifetime stuff. Welcome was warm, ran to time and our pilot Jeremy was excellent. We got incredible views, time to enjoy all three landings and the ride was surprisingly smooth. Would recommend to anyone considering it.

The scenery from the sky is amazing with stunning views that you just don't get on the ground. Our pilot, Luke, provided interesting information about the areas we visited. The trip was memorable and thrilling! I highly recommend Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters for a "Ride of a Lifetime!"

This activity was the highlight of our trip. My husband struggled with anxiety at the beginning of the trip, and the pilot was amazing at easing his nerves and talking to him, and helping him feel more comfortable. By the end of our excursion, my husband was completely at ease and enjoyed it, and is still talking about it. You see the most beautiful parts of the area in a way that you never would from land and it is truly breathtaking

One of the most memorable experiences of my life. The views were just breathtaking, our pilot was awesome and very knowledgeable and the whole Glacier team was first class. We did the extended tour of Milford Sound and definitely recommend. We'll be back. Thank you so much!

This was easily the best mountain and snow helicopter flight I’ve been on. The day was incredible with alpine landings and a landing also in Milford Sound. The Pilot Cody was an incredible host and real asset to your business. Smooth flight and wonderful scenery. I would recommend this flight to everyone.

A fabulous experience! Fly up and over the mountains, close and personal, then land gently in the snow for a photo opportunity not to be missed. See this magnificent country from above and enjoy travelling to places difficult to reach. The sky was moody, but the video and photos were worth it. Felt safe in the professional hands of our pilot, Cody, who looked after us so well. A brilliant trip.

This was worth the price and time. One of my favorite excursions I’ve ever done on any trip. The staff leading up to my trip were amazing and communicated great. Day of, for my first helicopter ride- the pilot was professional and gave amazing detail on all the places we flew over and added to the excitement of the day. Three landings: Milford Sound, Glacier and a remote beach along with flying over Milford will be moments I will recall for the rest of my life. Book with these wonderful people, you won’t regret it! Till next time! Thank you!

Cody our pilot was amazing and informative and the entire trip was spectacular! Definitely one of the most surreal, beautiful and memorable activities I have ever done. We would DEFINITELY recommend to everyone!!

Outstanding experience. Seamless , professional, friendly and a very experienced and knowledgeable pilot. An absolutely amazing experience. All staff are to be highly commended.

What an incredible experience for our first trip to Queenstown! We saw the most beautiful sites from the sky and on the ground. Being in the helicopter, flying in and out of the clouds, and seeing the snow capped mountains was breathtaking. This was also our first helicopter flight which pilot Jeremy made so memorable. We were fortunate to make all 3 landings, beach, Milford town, and Bryant Glacier basin.

Landing on a snow-capped glacier was nothing short of spectacular. The Milford Sound cruise scenery were exceptional.

We took two flights with these guys and were so impressed by their calm, cheerful professionalism and knowledge of the local area. The first time, they delivered us to a sunny mountain top so we could get married on a freezing winter's day. Our toddler got cold, so the pilots sat inside a helicopter with her, chatting away. The second time was to Milford Sound with a glacier landing on the way back. We need to give kudos to Cody for his photo skills - he took so many great pics of us at each landing. Thank you so much! We felt like we were in safe hands the whole time.

A massive thankyou to the team - Grace, Hayley, Jhalak, Jack and of course our legendary pilot Kody. An unforgettable experience and a ‘must do’ when in Queenstown. Cheers!!!

A truly excellent adventure. Our friendly and welcoming pilot, Geremy, was extremely knowledgeable and informative, making the trip even better. Landed us smoothly on the glacier, and even doubled as our champagne waiter! All of us enjoyed Milford Sound, the close up views of the mountains and glaciers, and the commentary. Also thanks to the ground crew for making our briefing, and transfers so seamless.

This was my third flight with GSLH and they keep getting better. It was a private charter for mum's 82nd birthday, which meant we were able to switch out a Milford landing for one at Lake Quill. We went to three distinctive locations: a snow landing on a glacier, a beach landing at Poison Bay, and (best of all) Lake Quill at the top of the Sutherland Falls. From the bottle of bubbles, to the incredible scenery, to the cheeky kea that came to visit one of our breaks, this trip was pure magic. I can't wait to go again.

A highlight of our trip to Queenstown. I booked this early to ensure we had time to reschedule as it’s weather permitting. Our scheduled time was delayed by a couple of hours only and the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. Jeremy our pilot and all the team were friendly and professional. There were 4 of us on this flight and we each had a turn of sitting in the front - back seat still had outlooks that won’t disappoint. There’s really no bad seat. Glacier landing was awesome.

I am unable to rate this experience as it was cancelled twice due to poor weather. The communication was very good and the operator tried to accommodate me with other dates but my availability was limited. I give them 5 stars for effort and putting safety first. I suggest to others if you are booking this, try for a day early in your stay in Queenstown to give yourself flexibility on case of bad weather.

The weather wasn't great but the company worked wit his to get a tour in. They were very helpful and the ride was so worth it!!

Kurt was amazing! Incredible views, great info on all of the locations, views, and stops. Highlight of our two-week honeymoon trip!

Alfie was entertaining and he made the trip exciting and fun. The scenery was amazing and we got to see a stag. It is worth the money…. Do it.

We had a fantastic flight with Alfie over the Fiordlands. He was very relaxed and professional. It was spectacular and we were lucky to have a beautiful day with snow on the alps. We were able to get three landings which really made the experience wonderful. Truely worth going.

Incredible experience with amazing pilot Alfie - the most experienced pilot who did a year of filming for Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. We had the most stunning day. Beautiful scenery. Really really enjoyed it. Landed on a mountain with snow, then at Milford Sound airport, then on a beach on the Tasman Sea. Perfect weather. Incredible pilot.

Our trip was incredible, world class views and service. Many thanks to Michael for a fantastic tour and souvenir photos!

Amazing trip -picked up on time - modern helicopter - pilot ( Luke ) was very competent - put us all at ease - and gave a great commentary - landed on a glacier which was amazing and flew the length of Milford sound I highly recommend this 2.5 hr option

Amazing experience! HIGHLY recommend for everyone. I thought my time flying fighters in the US Air Force was fun flying (it was) but Luke in the might EC-135 helicopter was awesome. The views, the flying, the experience was spectacular. Thank you for making our 10 days in New Zealand wonderful. This was the highlight!!!!

Our legendary pilot, Alfie, shepherded us through beautiful country making landings at Milford Sound, a remote west coast beach, and a snow covered mountain top. He was a true expert flyer and the ride could not have been smoother. What a spectacular experience and great service throughout.

Fantastic, exceeded our expectations! Will is an awesome pilot! We were up close and personal to incredible views. Well worth the time and money to see one of Creation’s most beautiful places!

Our pilot Kyrk was amazing! He talked us through where we were and gave us so many interesting local tidbits and knew the history of the area and pointed out many interesting things. The views of the mountains were spectacular and the snow landing terrific - smooth and safe and we felt so comfortable with him as our pilot. The ground crew was also amazing and helped us to rebook and replan when the weather didn’t cooperate for our original booking. I would definitely recommend to others!

The flight was great. The views going to, over Milford Sound (MS), and coming back from were fantastic. We flew over a variety of snow capped mountains going and coming back. There were three landings, the first was a 10 min. stop at a beach viewing the Tasman Sea, and then a 25 min. +/- stop at Milford Sound airport. Both of these stops provided great photo spots of the MS. The Sand Flies were bad at both of these locations, so insect repellant is advised if it is warm. There's a bathroom facility near the MS airport stop. The third and most exciting stop was a 10-15 min. stop near the top of a snow covered mountain. We landed in about 10 inches of fresh snow and got out to get great pictures. It was sunny and not windy so we didn't need extra clothing at this stop. Everyone had extra clothing in a storage compartment in case they were needed. The pilot was great, the ride was very smooth. Views and photos were great. Tour service was excellent. We were picked up and dropped off at our hotel. The weather was good which I understand is always iffy. There was another couple flying with us making a total of 4 passengers. The helicopter has six passenger seats (2 in front and 4 in back), so if was nice to have a little extra room with just the four of us. At each stop we changed seating so everyone could get a front seat for one flying section. The trip from hotel pickup up to drop off took 3.5 hours. In-air flight time was around 2 hours. The price seems a little high, but I would recommend the tour as the best way to see MS and a section of the NZ Alps from Queenstown.

Received a call this morning saying it was unsafe and dangerous to fly to Milford. They offered a smaller flight around Queenstown. They also offered another day to make up for the weather but unfortunately we fly out tomorrow. Can not blame the weather or the company. They called early this morning giving us plenty of notice. I really can’t give a low feedback as I appreciate it’s safety first.

The best way to see remote areas of the South Island, worth every penny! New Zealand is awesomely beautiful, & unique in the world. Helicoptering to Milford Sound is the highlight of my visit to NZ. The ride was smooth, the views spectacular, we got to land on a glacier, and see the fiords and waterfalls from a bird’s eye view! I’m retired from the helicopter industry, so I searched all the companies & found that Glacier Southern Lakes has the most experienced pilots, newest aircraft, and a great safety culture. Our pilot Michael is fantastic, sharing the view with both sides of the aircraft, great knowledge and experience, super smooth and safe flying! My videos were smooth like the Lord of the Rings movies-flying over the mountains- because Michael’s flying is so good. Keep in mind the weather has to cooperate too and you don’t have control over Mother Nature. Stay flexible with an open mind while booking, book at the beginning of your stay in Queenstown, so you have flexibility to change to another day if the weather is not favorable. Yes, helicopter tours are pricey, but this is a once in a lifetime experience, and helicopters are sometimes the only way to get to remote areas and scenery. The impact and beauty of New Zealand will remain with me for the rest of my life because of this tour. Thanks to Michael, Lucy, Jhalak, Katherine, and Richie of Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters, for your hospitality and help in setting up my tour. I’ll definitely recommend you to all who want to fly and have an amazing experience!!!!

awesome tour. great pilot. the policy for seat rotation is fair to everyone. the scenery was jaw dropping.

The Pilot Luke was amazing give us plenty of time at each location (never felt rushed) provided us with lots of information on areas that we passed and even offered to take photos for us. This was such a fantastic tour and we would highly recommend this tour. Money well spent and memories that will stay with us forever, Do It.

This Half-Day Milford Sound excursion was the absolute highlight of our 3-week trip to New Zealand. Luke was an exceptional pilot - super informative, engaging, and hospitable. We ended up squeezing this activity in somewhat last minute due to unpredictable weather but this day opened up for us and we confirmed that morning with their shuttle service and experienced sensational views! I am back in NYC and still think about the breathtaking scenery we were shown and the ease with which Luke took our group through three different weather zones. Our landings were brief but gave us plenty of time for photos and taking it all in. This is an absolute MUST if you're going to Queenstown. When you travel this far - do not hesitate to book this experience! We did loads of activities on the South Island but please get this on your itinerary!

The Milford extended trip was not just the highlight of a three-week Australia/NZ trip — it was a lifetime highlight. Beautiful and exciting.

An incredible journey across flying across the mountains of Milford Sound. If you have watched Lord of the Ring this flight is a must do! The glacier landing is the most stunning moment; the pilot is incredible with their precision landing. The landing at the beach is awesome another incredible moment. Afterwords there’s one last landing at Milford Sound, simply incredible.

What a fabulous experience, Luke our pilot was very knowledgeable of the area, excellent flying skills! Spectacular views! Most awesome experience ever!!

We were absolutely blown away by the quality of the flight and views. Choosing the longer tour (2.5hrs) was the right call compared with some of the shorter options. Price vs. actual flight time was very high for value and some of the views just can’t be seen except by helicopter. We had perfect weather so we were able to land both on the glacier and on the coast. The pilot took time to describe points of interest and also hover around sights so everyone got a view out of their window by turning the aircraft. The stop at Milford sound was also nice to pause for coffee and chat with the pilot and get some additional views of the sound. My wife and I would absolutely choose this flight service again as we had a great experience, felt well informed, and had a safe fun flight. 6/5 Stars, would heli again.