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Discover Christchurch Sightseeing Tour with optional International Antarctic Center Admission

Name: Discover Christchurch Sightseeing Tour with optional International Antarctic Center Admission
Brand: Leisure Tours
SKU: 2950CLT19A
Price: 51.51 USD
Rating: 4.0 (32 reviews)

Christchurch, New Zealand

Likely to Sell Out

From $51.51

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

3 hours
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

View the highlights of Christchurch on a 3-hour city sightseeing tour that introduces you to the architecture, gardens and waterways of ‘The Garden City.’ You’ll drive past significant landmarks in the city center; meander around ponds and perennial gardens at Mona Vale Gardens; visit the seaside enclave of Sumner; and marvel at the vista over the Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps from the ‘Sign of the Takahe.’ Choose a morning or afternoon departure, and upgrade to include the International Antarctic Center with an optional Hagglund vehicle ride.

Comprehensive sightseeing tour of Christchurch
Wander the beautiful landscape of Mona Vale Gardens
See historic buildings and architecture
Travel through seaside suburb of Sumner
Spectacular views over the Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps
International Antarctic Center (if option selected)

What's Included

Local guide
Live commentary on board
Air-conditioned vehicle
Hagglund ride (if option selected)
GST (Goods and Services Tax)

Food and drinks
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

Start your 3-hour tour with hotel pickup in Christchurch, and board the comfortable coach for sightseeing in the central city. Listen to your guide’s informative commentary as you cover the central city highlights such as the Museum and Art Centre, the Bridge of Remembrance and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens alongside the Avon River.

Depart the city for nearby Mona Vale, a historic homestead undergoing renovation from the 2011 earthquake. You have time to explore the 13.5-acre (5.5-hectare) landscaped gardens while strolling past lovely trees, ponds and fountains.

Next, travel up to Sign of the Takahe, a historical manor-turned-restaurant tucked away in the Cashmere Hills. From the vista point, look out over Christchurch, the Canterbury Plains and the Southern Alps before returning to the city via Lyttelton Port. Pass through the harbor tunnel to see Sumner Beach and Cave Rock before returning to the CBD where the tour ends with hotel drop-off.

Optional Upgrade 1: International Antarctic CenterCombine your Christchurch sightseeing tour with admission to the International Antarctic Center — only available with the morning departure. Your entry ticket includes the Snow and Ice Experience, which recreates atmospheric conditions of Antarctica with an indoor storm complete with blizzard audio, lightning and arctic winds. Meet a couple dozen blue penguins — the smallest penguins in the world — at the Penguin Encounter.

Optional Upgrade 2: International Antarctic Center and Hagglung rideIf you’d like, opt for an exhilarating Hagglung ride: it’s an extreme all-terrain adventure on an amphibious vehicle that traverses through water, across an ice pack and over a crevasse to emulate conditions scientists face while riding across Antarctica.

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Infants must sit on laps
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.0

32 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 32 reviews

Perfect for a limited time in Christchurch

Sandra_A, Apr 2024

Driver/Tour guide Ely very informative and it shows she loves her job. Communicate with tour operator on meeting point. . Love the stop at the Garden!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Kiaora Sandra and thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I'm pleased to hear you enjoyed your day with us!

Bummer

Cindy_H, Feb 2024

It was OK, but it was mostly about the earthquake and what buildings were no longer there. That is all

Response from Host, Feb 2024

It is disappointing that you thought there was too much reference to the earthquake that destroyed downtown Christchurch and killed so many people. However, it is an absolute exaggeration that most of the tour was about earthquakes. The tour starts in Lyttelton and the driver talks about both the history of the port and the geography, then you drive through the inner bays of the harbour and whilst enjoying the spectacular scenery learn something of the Māori history in the region. Travelling over Dyres Pass with views of the Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps you learn more about the geography and the history of Christchurch. You visit gardens and beaches on the tour and it is only when you arrive in the central city that there is focus on the earthquakes as the damage is still there for you to see and the rebuild that is taking place. Everyone experiences things differently, however, you only need to see the number of 5 star reviews for this excursion to appreciate that your views are well and truly in the minority.

Canceled

Stacey_W, Jan 2024

So, in all fairness, the tour was canceled since we were the only ones booked... it may have been a good trip, just kind of shot our plans for the day and limited time in Christchurch.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Stacey booked via a third party website and was advised immediately that the booking was being held on a standby basis pending minimum numbers. All tours require minimum numbers to operate to keep the overall pricing reasonable. Stacey was offered some alternatives both dates and other options available on the same date, however, these were rejected.

Great city overviee

Cynthea_P, Nov 2023

Wonderful overview of city and surrounding areas! Interesting commentary by Jude, photo stops, very relaxing.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Kiaora Cynthea and thanks for leaving a review. I'm very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Jude!

Jude was friendly &...

SueEllen_S, Nov 2023

Jude was friendly & knowledgeable with a good sense of humour! We enjoyed the gardens & the view over Christchurch!

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Kiaora and thanks for leaving a review. I'm very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Jude!

Christchurch years later

Ritchellechan_T, Nov 2023

It was very insightful of the Christchurch earthquake and the rebuild years later. It was very informative indeed.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Kiaora Ritchelle and thanks for leaving a review. I'm pleased to hear that you enjoyed your day with us.

Now I know a lot more about CHCH.

Martin_G, Nov 2023

Scotty the guide was very informative. Knew his stuff. Trip covered all the points we were interested in and the timing was perfect.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Kiaora and thanks for leaving a review. I'm pleased to hear that you enjoyed your day with Scotty.

Great tour in spite of the rsin

Debbi_L, Oct 2023

Scotty was a fabulous driver/tour guide. Learnt so much about the history of Christchurch and terrible impact of the esrthquakes.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Kiaora Debbi and thanks for leaving a review. I'm so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your day in spite of the rain and that Scotty was excellent! I will pass on your kind words.

Informative tour with a great guide

Meghan_M, Sep 2023

This tour gives a fantastic overview of Christchurch, past, present, and future. Scotty was a superb tour guide, with a vast array of knowledge, personal connection to Christchurch, and good sense of humour. Since the tour was only myself and a family of three, Scotty was able to give personal recommendations to myself and the family based on our interests and amount of time in Christchurch. I recommend this tour to anyone visiting or moving to Christchurch!

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Kiaora Meghan and thanks for leaving a review. Great to hear that Scotty is out there being a great ambassador for Christchurch.

Crate tour but Viator description is misleading

Norma_B, Dec 2022

Scotty, the tour guide was excellent. Wonderful tour of the area and lots of information. Especially the information about the earthquake and the rebuild. The Only reason we didn’t give it five stars was that Viators description was very confusing, how they listed the tour and the duration. .We thought we were doing a city tour for 3 1/2 hours. The optional tour, to the Antarctica information center, was apparently included, and NOT optional, and the total tour was actually over eight hours… But our ticket nor the tour description reflected that. Caveat emptor…and Viator, please make these things more clear.

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! Scotty will be thrilled to hear you enjoyed the day. I have launched a review of all of our product descriptions to ensure they are 100% accurate. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Unprofessional, waste of time

fwking54, Nov 2022

We didn't get onto the trip as the time was changed without telling us! Our trip was booked for 1.30pm but when we arrived at the designated departure point there was no-one there. We had no wifi or phone coverage but luckily the staff at the Local Information Centre telephoned the Company, only to be told that we had missed the tour, it left at 9.45 am!. Leisure Tours were most unhelpful. The Tourist Information Staff took the full details and offered to follow-up and investigate. Reported to Viator and awaiting a response.

Response from Host, Nov 2022

The customers booked online through a third party online agent a tour whilst travelling on a cruise ship. We immediately advised the customers that the tour they had booked did not fit with their cruise ship schedule and that that they could either cancel or change to the morning departure which would get them back to the cruise ship on time. Full meeting instructions were sent with the new timing. Although they booked online they obviously had no wifi, as they have indicated, and made no attempt to contact us the land operator regarding the arrangements. I am not sure what else we could have done in the circumstances. We have authorized a full refund, however, I think anyone reading this review will fully understand who is at fault here.

Awesome guided tour. I was the only...

Johannes J, Feb 2018

Awesome guided tour. I was the only one on the tour and my guide was Cally. She was wonderful, passionate about Christchurch and informative. Cally incorporated the touristy parts; restaurants, bars etc but I loved the historical and scenic aspects most, which formed a majority of the tour. Great morning!

We were very lucky to be the only...

Stuart R, Apr 2016

We were very lucky to be the only two people on the tour so had complete attention from the guide, he was brilliant from beginning to end.

The bus we travelled around in had...

Susan_K, Apr 2013

The bus we travelled around in had broken rear suspension and we bounced around very uncomfortably. The bus was dirty and needed some inside fixtures repaired. The driver was friendly but appeared disinterested. Christchurch is still devastated from the 2011 earthquake and there is not much to see as the driver kept pointing out where buildings had once been. Very disappointing tour.

We thought we would stop for longer...

John V, Aug 2010

We thought we would stop for longer periods of time at more places.

Very nice tour through the city and up...

Paul C, Jul 2010

Very nice tour through the city and up to the lookout and the harbour. Wouldn't recommend the Antarctic Centre unless you have children with you.

The guide was difficult to understand...

Ray L, Mar 2010

The guide was difficult to understand - he had a heavy English accent. His knowledge of Christchurch was very good, if you could understand him. He was polite but did not have any enthusiasm for his job. It is just a job for him. He said that his job is truck driving. Unfortunately, I was not very happy with the tour operator. As we were the only couple to take the optional International Antarctic Center admission, the guide wanted us to make our own way back to our accommodation. We were not happy about this. We were picked up from our accommodation in the first place! When I asked what public transport would take us back to our accommodation, the guide did not know - he just expected to leave us at the Antarctic Centre to make our own way back to our lodgings in a strange country! The guide then contacted who I presumed to be his boss and said he would pick us up in 2 hours and take us back to our accommodation. He did do this. This tour left a sour taste with us.

The bus driver did not communicate very...

Kenneth A, Mar 2010

The bus driver did not communicate very well what there was to see in Christchurch other than lots of suburbs and shops. There was no information on tourism, history or information about Christchurch.

I have done this tour before but had...

Suzanne, Oct 2009

I have done this tour before but had not done the Antarctic Center, which was fantastic.

Fairly basic tour of Christchurch and...

Rajeev R, Sep 2009

Fairly basic tour of Christchurch and nearby areas. It could be better, but it covers most of the key sights.