Top Christchurch Day Trips

Our tour guide John was engaging, informative and entertaining. Travelling through the Alps at the end of the summer was pretty, but I kept imagining how dramatic this scenery would be during the spring with the mountains snow capped and the rivers running full. It was nice to be able to take in the changing landscapes and not having to worry about the driving. The jet boat ride, offered for a fee, was fun and a nice addition to the trip. The return train ride was a relaxing, slow and scenic way to end the day.

There was so much to experience in this tour! Our first introduction to the Tranzalpine and all its beauty. Walking up a huge mount to breathtaking falls, lunch at a mountain pub, mirror lakes, and surreal rock formations that have served as movie backdrops! And all with an excellent well-informed guide who brought us along the way. A great way to spend our day at Christchurch!

I just wanted to say a huge thank you for the incredible day trip to Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook! Words can't describe how beautiful those places are. The lake is like a gem, and Mount Cook looked so majestic. It was the perfect day, thanks in large part to your fantastic guiding. You made the tour so much fun and shared so many interesting facts that made the experience even more special. I had the best time ever.

Our family very much enjoyed this tour. The views of the lakes and mountains were stunning. It was a long drive but the driver provided snacks and water throughout the day and made plenty of stops. Travelers should be aware that this tour does not actually take you to Mount Cook or the Tasman Glacier themselves but rather viewpoints for each in Mount Cook National Park. We had great weather so enjoyed wonderful views of Mount Cook, but Tasman Glacier is pretty far from the viewpoint and appears as just a sliver of white between mountains. The views of the Blue Lakes were much more spectacular. The hike requiring "moderate fitness" is a 12 minute walk up a well-maintained path with stairs to the Tasman Glacier viewpoint, and there is a separate trail to the Tasman River, which is more flat and easy. It was easy to do both within the allotted 80 minutes. We were warned that it is cold at the Tasman Glacier viewpoint and to bring a jacket, but on a warm day in the summer, the hike up was enough of a workout that we had to take off our outer layers. The bus had working WiFi, which was helpful given the remote destinations. We would very much recommend this tour for travelers who don't mind a long bus ride to get to the beautiful mountain scenery.

This was a fabulous tour. Be ready for a long day but it is so worth it! The views were amazing. Loved the additional stops , especially at Fairly Bakery. You must try the meat pies! Our guide Jess made the entire day so enjoyable! The weather couldn’t have been more perfect. The roads aren’t perfect but doable. Our van was a bit old but the seats were very comfortable, except they need new seatbelts. You will love this tour.

We did the combination Avon River punting, and the gondola to the top of that mountain. Both experiences are very good our river punting captain, Jack, was very friendly, informative, and comical. On the gondola you get to have a nice panoramic view of the whole area. I recommend.

Peter was an amazing tour guide. We could not have asked for a better guide. We saw videos about where we were visiting and how it fit into the filming of LOTR. We also learned more about the history, culture, geography of where we were visiting. It was a COOL experience!! We had a great hike up Mount Edoras and had a delicious lunch. Our driver Natasha was also wonderful. I highly recommend this tour! Well planned and executed

Two operators that switch after Mt. Cook. The first part was great. We thought Nick was great and the van was comfortable. Nick provided a lot of interesting commentary, spoke loudly so everyone could hear, and was great with my child. I can’t seem to remember the name of the tour operator at the moment…. The switch off happened at the Hermitage hotel which was a nice surprise to get some time there. The second part was run by cheeky kiwi but less great. The van seats were less comfortable. I couldn’t hear the guide. The stops didn’t seem as spectacular (which isn’t the tour operators fault) and we skipped the suspension bridge but added an orchard stop, and I would’ve preferred the bridge. The high country salmon stop was kind of a waste too especially because we did a salmon stop on Lake Pukaki, which I loved. It was a long day, I think 13h in total, but it was the only way to get everything done so I am grateful!