Doubtful Sound with Kids: What Works for Families

Is it worth it with children?

For most families it is. Children get a boat, a bus over a mountain pass, another boat, and the chance of dolphins, seals and penguins, which is more variety than most days out. Amy, travelling with family from the United States, called it one of the most remote places they had ever been, and got two rainbows on top.

The real question is the length of the day. From Manapouri it is 7 hours; from Te Anau, 8 hours 30 to 9; from Queenstown, 12 to 13. Children who cope with a long car journey will cope with this, because most of the time is spent moving and changing boats. Children who do not should start from the jetty, not from Queenstown.

Which trip suits which family

With a car and a base in Te Anau, the day cruise from Manapouri is the shortest day that still gets you onto the water. Without a car, the coach and cruise from Te Anau adds the drive to the jetty. All the options from the lakeside town are on Doubtful Sound tours from Te Anau.

What children can hope to see, by season

Wildlife is the part children remember, so it helps to know the seasons. Tawaki, the crested penguins, breed from July to November, and they are easiest to see then. The fur seals spend a lot of time on land between July and November, and DOC asks you to stay at least 20 m from them. The bottlenose dolphins live in the fiord all year, but they choose whether to come near a boat; the boats may not go looking for them. Tell your children in advance that none of it is promised, so a quiet day is not a disappointment.

The season also changes the day. In winter, June to August, the weather is often at its most settled, but daylight runs only from about 8:30am to 4:30pm, so a 7-hour trip fills it. In summer the days are long, with light from about 5:30am to 9:30pm, and the evening is yours after the boat.

Fares and booking rules for families

• Day trips: discounted rates for children, and children must be accompanied by an adult.
• Helicopters: discounted rates for infants, who sit on a lap. Each passenger may weigh up to 120 kg.
• The overnight cruise: sold as twin cabins, at most two people per booking. A family of three books one twin and one single; a family of four makes two bookings.
• The overnight and the 3-day trip are non-refundable. Book them only once your dates, and your children's health, are settled.

How the day runs for a child

The good news for restless children is that nobody sits still for long. On the day from Manapouri, each leg is short:

1. About 45 minutes on the lake boat, with islands to spot.
2. A short walk at the far end of the lake, onto the coach.
3. About 45 minutes on the coach, with a stop in the forest and at a lookout.
4. About 2 hours on the fiord, with the engines-off stop in the middle.
5. The same legs home, in reverse.

So the longest your children spend in one seat is the cruise itself, and on the cruise they can move around the deck. The coach from Te Anau or Queenstown adds a longer ride at each end, which is where a book, a tablet or a nap comes in.

What to prepare for

None of the boat trips is wheelchair accessible, and every day involves three changes of transport and a floating wharf. Think about how you will carry a small child between them. Pack more layers than you think: the deck is cold and wet even in summer, and the trips run in all weather.

Sandflies are the other thing families mention. Put repellent on the children before you step off at the far end of the lake, and again at the cove. The boats sell food and drink by card, but pack lunch and plenty of snacks for a day of this length. There is a coffee shop at the jetty if you forget.

Practical tips for the day

• Take the morning start: the lake is often calmer before noon.
• Let the children watch from the coach's window side on the climb to the pass.
• Tell them about the engines-off stop in advance, and make a game of the silence.
• Count waterfalls on a wet day: it keeps small people busy for an hour.
• Look for seals on the rocks; they rest in plain view when they are there.

For the weather in the month you are travelling, see the Doubtful Sound weather page, and the best season for a family trip is on the best time to visit Doubtful Sound.

What to add for children

Te Anau has the easiest extras. The Te Anau Glowworm Caves are reached by boat across Lake Te Anau, and they suit children who liked the fiord. If your family walks, the Kepler Track starts 5 km from Te Anau, and its lakeshore stretch to Brod Bay takes about 1 hour 30 each way. More ideas are on things to do near Doubtful Sound, and the wildlife your children can hope for is on Doubtful Sound wildlife.

Family-friendly ways onto the fiord

Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Cruise from Manapouri

Seven hours from the jetty in Manapouri: the lake by boat, the pass by coach and about 2 hours on the fiord with nature guides. You drive yourself to the start.

From $207 per person

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Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise from Te Anau

Nine hours from 85 Lakefront Drive in Te Anau: the coach to Manapouri, the lake crossing, the pass and a cruise of about 2 hours 45 minutes.

From $221 per person

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Discover Doubtful Sound // Helicopter Scenic Flight from Te Anau

One hour from Te Anau Airport in a helicopter of up to 6: over the lake, across the ranges to the fiord, and a lookout landing if the weather allows.

From $547 per person

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