A Complete Guide to Pick-Ups for a Milford Sound Tour
- Alice Neilson - Fiordland Enthusiast & Writer
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Your tour day starts with getting to the right place at the right time to be picked up. Luxe Tours operates from both Te Anau and Queenstown, and the pick-up process is a little different in each location. Here's everything you need to know before your tour, including where and when we'll meet you and what to do if you're running late.
Key takeaways
Watch for and read all the emails we send you in the lead-up to your tour, as they contain your pick-up point, time, and directions
Make sure the phone number on your booking is correct and works in New Zealand, and have your phone charged with data on tour day.
If you're running late or can't find your pick-up point, call us straight away so we can help.
Guides can wait up to five minutes past your arranged pick-up time before they need to move on.
In Queenstown, we pick up from multiple points along the main route out of town rather than from every street or suburb.
In Te Anau, we pick up from accommodations throughout the main town area, or you can meet us at the Milford Road Merchant café.
Front seat requests are made at booking and are managed fairly if there are several requests on the same tour.
Before Your Tour
Choosing Your Pick-Up Point
When booking your tour, you can select your accommodation as your pick-up point if it appears in the list of available options. If it’s not there, choose "contact for assist," and we'll get in touch to arrange the nearest suitable pick-up point.
Read Your Pre-Tour Emails
In the weeks leading up to your tour, you'll receive three reminder emails. Each one includes your confirmed pick-up time, pick-up location, and directions on how to get there.
Email is our main way of communicating important tour information, so make sure you read them all. As well as pick-up details, they cover things like food orders and front seat requests, so anything you need to arrange or confirm will be included there.
Check Your Phone Number
When you make your booking, double-check that the phone number you provide is correct and will work in New Zealand.
Your guide will use this number if you're not at your pick-up point at the arranged time, so it needs to be a number you'll have with you and be able to answer on the day.
If your number changes between booking and your tour day, let us know so we can update your booking.
Have Data and Google Maps Ready
We recommend having your phone fully charged and mobile data available on your tour day. It's also worth having Google Maps ready to go.
Google Maps can help you find your pick-up point and check for traffic issues if you're waiting and wondering whether something is holding the tour up.
Te Anau Pick-Ups
Staying in Te Anau
If you're staying within the main Te Anau town area, we can pick you up directly from your accommodation. Please be outside and ready to go at the time confirmed in your emails so your guide can move through the pick-ups smoothly.
Pick-up times in Te Anau are 8 am in summer and 9 am in winter.
Staying Outside Te Anau
If you're staying outside the main town area, you will meet us at the Milford Road Merchant café, which is the starting point on the Te Anau tour. You can park for free on the street for the day, and it's safe to leave your vehicle there while you're on tour.
Queenstown Pick-Ups
Set Pick-Up Points
Queenstown's pick-up system is different from Te Anau's because the two towns have very different layouts.
Te Anau is small and relatively flat, so guides can easily drive around the town to pick up from every accommodation within the township. Queenstown is much larger, hillier, and more congested, so our tour vehicles need to stay on the main route out of town.
This allows us to move through the pick-ups efficiently while leaving plenty of time for the drive to Milford Sound and the stops along the way.
For these reasons, we use a set list of pick-up points rather than collecting guests from every accommodation in Queenstown.
Where We Pick Up
Our Queenstown tour pick-up points are spaced along the main route from Queenstown towards Frankton. We can pick up from a range of accommodation options along this route. If we can't pick you up directly from your accommodation, we'll confirm a nearby pick-up point with you, usually around a 3–5 minute walk away.
Fernhill is our westernmost pick-up area, while the Frankton Bus Shelter is the final pick-up point on the route. Your pre-tour emails will tell you exactly where to meet us and how to get there.
Queenstown pick-ups are between 6:45 am and 7:20 am, depending on where you are along the route.
Where We Don't Pick Up
We don't pick up from areas outside of central Queenstown. These areas include:
Arrowtown
Lake Hayes Estate
Shotover Country
Quail Rise
Remarkables Park
Kelvin Heights
Jack's Point
Hanley's Farm
These areas are either too far away from the main route or have intersections that are very busy and prone to accidents, so it’s too risky to take a tour vehicle through them.
If You're Staying Outside Our Pick-Up Area
If you're staying outside our pick-up area, we'll arrange the nearest suitable pick-up point and include full instructions in your pre-tour emails of how to get there and where to park.
For most guests, the pick-up point will be the Frankton Bus Shelter. You can park for free on nearby residential streets and walk to the shelter. Allow around 30 minutes, so you have plenty of time to park and walk to the shelter.
On Your Tour Day
Be at Your Pick-Up Point on Time
Be at your pick-up point by the time confirmed in your emails. We recommend arriving a few minutes early so you have some buffer time and aren't starting the day feeling rushed.
If You’re Lost or Running Late
If you're running late or unsure where to go, call us straight away. Someone in our office is available during pick-up times and has direct contact with the guides, so we can help you find your pick-up point and let your guide know what's happening.
If You're Not at Your Pick-Up Point
If you're not at your pick-up point at your arranged time, and you have not contacted us, your guide will call the number on your booking. If they can't reach you, they'll wait for up to five minutes past your pick-up time before continuing with the tour.
After five minutes, they need to move on, as every extra few minutes of waiting is a few minutes less on the road, which means less time for your guide to share the scenery, stories, and stops along the way.
“When you book a train or a plane, it leaves at the time on the ticket. The same applies to a tour, and while we always do our best to wait, we do have to balance that with looking after everyone else on board.”
— Toby Pascoe, Luxe Owner and Guide
Front Seat Requests
Requesting a Front Seat
If you'd like a front seat, you can request one at the time of booking. Most front seat requests come from guests who deal with travel sickness or have accessibility needs, and we do our best to accommodate everyone's front seat requests.
Be First on Board
The best way to ensure you get a front seat is to meet us at the official starting point of the tour. Being the first guests on board gives you first choice of seats.
For Queenstown tours, this means meeting us at the Boundary Street carpark at the time confirmed in your emails. All-day parking is available for around $30.
For Te Anau tours, the starting point is the Milford Road Merchant. You can park on the street for the day and meet us there at the time confirmed in your emails.
Multiple Front Seat Requests
If more than one guest on the same tour has requested a front seat, your guide will manage this by rotating people through the front seat during the tour. Our tours stop regularly, so there are plenty of opportunities to swap seats, stretch your legs, and get some fresh air along the way.
The easiest way to make your tour morning stress-free is to know where you're going before the day arrives. Read your pre-tour emails, make sure your phone number is correct and working in New Zealand, and give yourself extra time to get to your pick-up point.
Once you're on board, you can leave the rest to your guide and enjoy the drive to Milford Sound.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the tour guide wait if they are running early?
Yes. If your guide arrives at your pick-up point early, they'll wait until the pick-up time confirmed in your emails.
If you're not there at your confirmed pick-up time and we haven't heard from you, your guide will try calling the phone number on your booking. If they can't get hold of you, they'll wait up to five minutes past your scheduled pick-up time before they need to move on.
How early should I be at my pick-up point for a tour?
We recommend aiming to be at your confirmed pick-up point a few minutes before your scheduled pick-up time. This gives you a little extra time to find the location, get organised, and be ready when your guide arrives, particularly if you're unfamiliar with the area.
Do Milford Sound tours pick up from hotels?
It depends on where you're staying. In Te Anau, Luxe Tours can pick you up directly from accommodations within the main town area, including hotels, motels, and Airbnbs.
In Queenstown, we pick up from selected accommodations along our main route out of town. If we can't pick up directly from where you're staying, we'll arrange a nearby pick-up point and give you directions in your pre-tour emails.
