Explore the highlights of Christchurch on this relaxed sightseeing tour through New Zealand's famous garden city. Discover a city in transformation, where heritage architecture and contemporary design sit side by side. Then Combine with the International Antarctic Centre with its little Blue Penguins, Antarctic Storm in the Ice and Snow room, 4-D Movie and Hagglund ride over a purpose made course.
08.45 Meet and greet in Lyttelton township for your Christchurch Highlight Tour including the International Antarctic Centre.
09.00 Depart Lyttelton and travel via the inner bays of Lyttelton Harbour to Governors Bay and then via Dyers Pass to the Sign of the Kiwi. Dyers Pass climbs up the old volcanic crater wall to the summit, from the Sign of the Kiwi there are wonderful views of both the Harbour and the city of Christchurch.
09.30 The tour arrives at the Sign of the Takahe, a Scottish like castle which has a viewing platform providing magnificent views over the City of Christchurch, Pegasus Bay, the Canterbury Plains and the Southern Alps which are snow capped for up to 9 months of the year. Access to the viewing platform is via a gentle 5 minute walk.
09.50 Depart the Sign of the Takahe for Mona Vale, a stately home and magnificent gardens.
10.10 Arrive at the front gate house of Mona Vale and stroll through the grounds, following the Avon River which acts as one of the properties boundaries. The coach will then travel around to the rear gate house where your tour guide will meet you once you have had the opportunity to explore the grounds.
10.30 Depart Mona Vale and travel into the central city of Christchurch which was completely devastated by the Christchurch earthquakes in February 2011. Your guide will explain both the history of the city and the effects of the earthquake, you will see for yourself both the destructive powers of nature and the rebuild which has and is taking place. The central city tour will conclude in Cathedral Square where you will be given time to explore this central part of the city on foot. There are some great photo opportunities in this area and time for lunch.
12.45 The tour will depart Cathedral Square for The International Antarctic Centre where a guided tour of the attraction has been arranged. Here you will experience a recreation of the atmosphere of Antarctica with an Antarctic Storm, the Hagglund experience, a 4-D Movie, the feeding of the little Blue Penguins and don’t forget to visit the Huskies.
15.30 Depart the Antarctic Centre and return to Lyttelton via the Eastern Suburbs, the estuary and the beach suburb of Sumner with its sand and surf beaches and the Pacific Ocean stretching as far as the eye can see. From Sumner the tour will return to Lyttelton via Evans Pass which was closed for more than 7 years following the Christchurch earthquake of 2011 due to cliff collapse. Evans Pass will provide you with fantastic views of the harbour heads and the southern bays.
16.20 A stop will be made at a viewing platform on the harbour side of Evans Pass which overlooks the ports container and coal terminals and affords great views of both the harbour and the historic Timeball station.
16.30 The tour returns you to Lyttelton township where your awaiting shuttle transfers you back to your cruise ship.
Typical start time: 8.45 am
Please Note that the timings are indicative only for cruise ships berth by 8 am or earlier. For all other cruise ships with a later arrival time in Lyttelton the excursion times will be adjusted to meet the cruise ships schedule.
Rated 4.6 out of 5 from 113 verified travellers
113 reviews
Unfortunately, we were unable to take this tour as our cruise ship had to reroute owing to deteriorating weather. The communication with the tour provider was excellent, and we received notification of a refund almost immediately. What wonderful service! We were so disappointed to miss what sounded like an amazing tour, but relieved to learn that we wouldn’t be out of pocket, as well. I’d definitely use this company again.
We were disappointed with this tour. Our tour guide, Tania was very hard to understand due to her heavy accent and lack of concentration. We ended up on a bus with two separate tour groups. This meant we were dropped at the Antarctic experience while our tour guide went with the second group to a wilderness park. Tania spent a lot of time sharing her personal tragic recollections of loss during the 2011 earthquake. We felt sorry for her, but didn’t need to hear the tragic details of a person having their legs sheared off as they sat at their desk. She spent too much time directing our driver rather then letting him do his job.
Although Christchurch is a small city, it has a nice downtown area that can be explored. The Antartica expeirence is amazing. It provided us a good understanding about survival in Antartica.
We had a wonderful day touring Christchurch & the International Arctic Center. Our guide, Scotty was great and very knowledgeable! Would definitely recommend this trip.
Drive was very beautiful. Guide was very knowledgeable about the towns. The driver made the trip very interesting.
Very good experience and a very professionally run company. Perfect from start to finish and I think Scotty is the best guide I've ever had anywhere, informative, funny and kept us on time all day. The sights visited were good and the Antarctic Centre is very good
Fabulous day. Joseph was our guide and he was so knowledgeable about everything from things to show us on the way between sites and about everything we did. There wasn’t a question he couldn’t answer. The Antarctic Center guide was also fantastic Just a great day full of things to see and do.
We had 2 guides/drivers (Joseph and Pete) and both were very knowledgeable and provided excellent insight on the history of Christchurch before and after the devastating 2010-2011 earthquakes. The International Antarctic Center exceeded our expectations with their interactive and immersive activities. The highlights included experiencing the harsh conditions of an Antarctic storm and traversing in all-terrain Haaglund vehicle. Definitely worth taking this tour!
A fabulous experience. A traffic guided tour with lots of commentary (Scottie!). Visited gardens, Mountain View points but the highlight is the Antarctic center, the base for many countries’ Antarctic research. Don’t visit Christchurch without seeing it!
Had a blast at this center, learned a lot, fun riding the Haggland's and seeing the penquins. The Center docent was very knowledgeable and hearing his stories of adventures on the continent were amazing.
Absolutely fabulous. Was a fantastic tour and gave you the history of the whole area. Tour guide was knowledgeable and able to explain every area we saw, stopped at and drove by. Loved everything.
Our driver Joseph was very interesting,nothing was too much trouble. 5 star driver. The staff at the Antarctic centre were amazing. Because of my disabilities, they couldn't do enough for me, our guide Heather was amazing. I feel that l have made a new friend.
This Viator tour of Christchurch and Antartic Center was well planned and executed. With traffic delays we were assured we would not miss our drop off deadlines and we didn't. We were well informed of each step always knowing the what's and when's. We thoroughly enjoyed the site seeing with excellent commentary and have great confidence in this company's ability to manage tour groups well and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.
Good complete tour. Takes a while from Lytellton to Christchurch. Market in Christchurch is really nice. We included Antarctic Center which I highly recommend
Our guide was Scotty and he was very friendly and very informative. Our tour around Christchurch was amazing. Hard to believe an earthquake did such damage not that long ago. I do wish the tour had offered a bit more time in downtown Christchurch. There was alot to take in and experience. The Antarctic Center was also truly amazing. The storm room and the Haggslund ride were definitely the highlights. Christchurch is a beautiful city and I would love to come back and explore more.
Scotty our tour guide was fantastic so very informative and funny. He made our trip very special. He deserves more money.
Our guide Scotty was amazing and made the day fun while still giving us everything we were expecting. You will absolutely love the Antarctica time.
Scotty was an amazing tour guide! His knowledge of Christchurch’s heritage was extensive, and he delivered it in such a charismatic and engaging way that made everything even more interesting to learn about. You could really tell he was passionate about sharing the history and stories of the area. The sights we stopped at were fantastic. A highlight for me was the International Antarctic Centre — it was such a unique experience learning all about Antarctica and its exploration.
Amazing day in Christchurch. Tour provider adjusted schedule to accommodate our cruise ship. Small group allowed for several stops which would have been impossible with a large group.
Scotty the driver was incredibly knowledgeable and kept the group thoroughly entertained the whole day. The International Antarctic Centre was the highlight of the tour. An experience not to be missed. 👍👍
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We found it on the internet after we booked a Princess cruise. Review of Christchurch off shore excursion.
We didn't appreciate our tour guide making political comments that were offensive and untrue. He needs to keep his personal political commentary to himself.
Our driver, Scotty was very informative! He was on time. He was pleasant & helpful to let us what to expect.
Great excursion until the guide turned what was advertised as a 61/2 half hour excursion into 8 1/2 hours. WAY too long and constant repetitious commentary about the earthquake and the resulting devastation. The Antarctic Center was fantastic and after 7 hours we were all tired and just wanted to return to our ship. However, Joseph continued to add more stops ( again- not part of the itinerary) which added an additional couple of hours. It was obvious the love he had for his city. I just wish he had stayed with the original itinerary and within the advertised length of the tour.
Nice stops and good commentary. Antarctic Center was highlight; interactive experience. We had 2 drivers which was positive.
It was a fantastic tour and cost us much less for much more as opposed to the cruise ship tours, and they had us back in time too
It was our best tour in NZ so far. The buses were comfortable, and both drivers/guides were excited and knowledgeable about their city. We toured most of Christchurch with the first driver, Scotty, and were dropped downtown for lunch on our own. Afterwards, another driver, Joseph, took us to the Antarctic Center. The Center was nice, but if you are the kind who likes to read every sign, you just don’t have enough time. But I still recommend this experience. Overall, a great trip and day spent!
Joseph did a great job. The Antarctica center was very good. Great views of the city from the top of the hill.
Excellent tour and fantastic guide. Personable, knowledgeable and funny. Made the tour a great experience.
Fantastic tour - Joseph was very knowledgeable and made the tour very interesting and fun. The Antartic Centre is a must visit and Karen our guide was fantastic.
We had a fantastic day exploring Christchurch with Scotty as our guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable about both the Lyttelton and Christchurch areas and clearly passionate about sharing the region’s history and stories. His commentary added so much depth to the experience, especially as we saw firsthand the lasting impact of the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. Sites like the Christchurch Cathedral and the vast stretches of empty land in the Red Zone were powerful reminders of the city’s resilience and ongoing recovery. One of the highlights of the day was our peaceful walk through Mona Vale Garden Park. It was a beautiful, serene spot to stretch our legs and enjoy the gardens and the Avon River. We finished at the Rose Garden, where we spent time smelling and photographing the stunning blooms. We then headed to Riverside Market, where we were given plenty of time to explore on our own. It’s a vibrant, bustling place full of great food and local flavour. We enjoyed wandering through the stalls before settling down with a delicious pie and coffee for lunch. Our final stop was a two‑hour visit to the International Antarctic Centre, which was an absolute standout. The Hagglund ride was thrilling — very bumpy and at times quite jolting — but such a fun way to get a feel for the rugged terrain faced in Antarctic conditions. It’s not for everyone, but with seat belts and grab straps, we felt secure and loved every minute. Inside the centre, we enjoyed meeting the rescue penguins, patting the gentle huskies, experiencing the polar storm room, and watching the immersive 4D cinema. Overall, it was a well‑paced, engaging, and memorable day. Scotty’s enthusiasm and expertise made the experience even more special. Highly recommended.
We had very little time off the bus and seemed to go round and round the city seeing nothing of interest only the gardens
It was a schedule changed due to the weather. I think we were grouped with others with originally different tours. Thus was Christchurch city tour and we did not have a tour guide just a driver ( who wanna be a tour guide).
Because instructions were not clear, we lost 3 persons and wasted a good 15-20 minutes.
Due to weather, our ship had to leave port early so there wasn’t adequate time for the full tour. Our tour guide was excellent and modified our tour to meet the time allotted. Scotty was very knowledgeable and shared the backstory of the Christchurch earthquake and the rebuilding and redesign of the downtown core.
Scotty was a fantastic guide. He was knowledgeable about Christchurch, especially with facts about the earthquake. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour!
This was an excellent tour and Scotty was an excellent tour guide. The Antarctica experience was amazing and now I want to visit.
The Antarctic Center was a unique and fun experience! We went for my husbands birthday and he had a blast! Would definitely recommend!
The Antarctica Center was amazing! We had been to Antarctica the year before and the “freeze” room was very accurate. The guide is what brought it down to a 3. She spent every opportunity to talk about the trauma of the 2011 earthquake, including how many people died and she detailed the death of a baby because a TV fell on him. Seriously, this is a vacation. A very brief discussion of the earthquake in generalities would have been more than enough. She said her home had minimal damage so it was is if she was living vicariously through the suffering of others. Of course, the occasional digs at her ex-husband didn’t help! This would have been a 5 star trip with a better guide.
A good day guide very helpful x I enjoyed
Recommend .Antarctic Centre well worth a visit x Christchurch itself
Great Tour! Our driver was a really funny guy with lots of jokes and interesting facts about the City. We had enough time to experience each stop at our own pace. During lunch break our tour guide gave us some recommendations for the best food in Town. The Antarctic Cener was worth the visit and we had enough time to enjoy everything!
The excursion included a drive along the beautiful mountainous coast, stopping at an overlook, a drive around Christchurch central stopping for lunch on our own. After lunch we drove out to the Antarctic Center. A guide gave us a too lengthy talk about the Antarctic outside on a hill (very uncomfortable standing there while he droned on). Then the fun part started. We rode in a Heggland (snow coach) over an obstacle course, donned coats and entered a snow room where Antarctic wind and cold conditions were demonstrated, and we watched a 3-d movie about Antarctic animals that “splashed” you. Unfortunately, we were rushed thru the Antarctic fun stuff due to time constraints. Less time driving around town in circles would have given us more time at the center. Our bus driver was very informative and obviously proud to show off his city. I gave this review 4 stars only because of the timing - too much time at some stops and not enough time at others.
The tour started 1 hour late so we had to skip the first part. When we arrived at the Anarctic Center, there was a power outage so we could not go in. Scotty our tour operator assured us that the cost for the Antarctic Center would be returned to our Visa by the time the cruise was finished on March 13th. Today is the 29th and so far, no refund. The city visit on the tour was great and we were disappointed that we couldn't see the Antarctic Center, but understood it was not Viator's fault. But we don't understand why they haven't refunded the cost of the Center??
Great commentary on board. Some of the seats in the bus don't recline properly. Some of the spots were a bit rushed. The Antarctic Center, which is the highlight was really a must.
Great guide very informative. Took us to lookout with free time in city center to shop or get lunch.
Chris gave us a very comprehensive look at Littleton. The Antarctica simulation room was the most fun ( & cold!). Also stopped briefly at the steepest street in NZ; the Larnach Castle; vast beach scenes & more.
First we visited a beautiful Botanical Garden and then we did a tour of Christchurch. We were taken into Christchurch where we were able to buy a delicious pie for lunch and a real fruit ice cream. Afterwards we visited the Antarctic centre which was a wonderful experience . We then drove back to our cruise ship. Our driver was very knowledgeable.
The Antarctic Center was closed due to a power outage so instead, to kill time, we spent 2 hours listening to the driver ramble on about the earthquake.
We had a good time and enjoyed the guides. The Antarctic experience was a lot of fun but we ran out of time to visit the souvenir shop. We can recommend this excursion.
This was a frustrating excursion. There were problems with people getting off the ship, even though we had specific instructions on how to disembark in a timely manner. Those of us who did what we were supposed to do ended up sitting on the bus for 1 1/2 hrs waiting for others who never showed up. Our wonderful guide, Scotty, had to adapt on the fly for the extremely late departure. Things went smoothly for a bit, but then we got to the Antarctic Center and found they had no power, so we couldn’t see it. Huge disappointment! Scotty again adapted our schedule and gave us the best day possible considering the problems. The tour company should never have made us wait in the morning. The people on the bus were extremely unhappy.
The tour guide was awesome, very knowledgeable and friendly. The tour covered a lot of ground, and we enjoyed every minute. The Antartica experience was really interesting.
Antarctic experience was great. Our driver, Scotty, was very knowledgeable on the history of Lyttelton and Christchurch.
