Queenstown to Christchurch One-Way via Mt Cook and Lake Tekapo

Queenstown, New Zealand

Queenstown to Christchurch Via Mt Cook and Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour

Likely to Sell Out

From $230.85

Select Date and Travelers

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

14 hours
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Don’t worry about organizing a hire car to get between Queenstown and Christchurch; make your travels as seamless and worry-free as possible by letting someone else drive on this small-group tour. As well as being able to relax and enjoy the views, you can learn as you ride, thanks to onboard commentary. Places showcased on the route include Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo, the Church of the Good Shepherd, and the Southern Alps.

Fit in some sightseeing during your transfer from Queenstown to Christchurch
Sit back and enjoy the scenery as someone else takes care of the driving
Tour showcases spectacular nature spots, such as Lake Tekapo
Enjoy guide commentary to learn about the local landscape

What's Included

Small Group & Fully Guided Tour
Bottled water

Gratuities
Optional extras and activities - please select the tour option you want at time of booking
Lunch - opportunities to purchase along the way.

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

The Station - Home of Adventure in Queenstown
Corner of Shotover & Camp Streets, 25 Shotover Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Please pick this location if your hotel is not on our list. We do not pick up from your hotel, motel or private property if it is not listed.

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

End point

Christchurch, New Zealand
Your drop off point in Christchurch will be the Christchurch Bus Interchange

Pickup details

Pickups are from the below hotels only. If your hotel is not listed, please select your closest alternative and meet us there. If you are not sure where your closest alternative is, please contact us in advance so that we can advise you. If you have not yet booked a hotel then please select The Station (Home of Adventure) as your pickup location. You can update this once your hotel is booked by contacting us or amending your pickup directly through Viator. Note: our pickups begin 15 mins before tour start time so please check your confirmation for the exact pickup time from your chosen location as these will vary. Kamana Lakehouse Mercure Queenstown Heritage Hotel Rydges Lakeland Resort QT Queenstown Hotel St Moritz Crowne Plaza Novotel Nomads Hostel Flaming Kiwi Backpackers Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel Pinewood Lodge The Station Information Centre (default central pickup point) LyLo Queenstown Sofitel Aspen Lodge Ramada Queenstown Central Heartland Hotel Scenic Suites Holiday Inn Express Millennium Hotel Copthorne Hotel & Resort Lakefront Copthorne Hotel & Apartments Lakeview Swiss Belsuites Pounamu Oaks Shores Resort The Rees Holiday Inn Frankton Road Sherwood Hotel Frankton Bus Interchange (closest stop to airport) Sudima Five Mile

What To Expect

Queenstown (Pass By)

Kawarau Suspension Bridge (Pass By)

Cromwell

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lindis Pass

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Omarama

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lake Pukaki

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park Visitor Centre

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu)

3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Lake Tekapo

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Geraldine

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Christchurch

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Infant seats available
Near public transportation
Stroller accessible
Not wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
A moderate amount of walking is involved.

Children 7 years old and below are required to travel in a child safety car seat. If you don't have a car seat one can be provided (with 24 hours’ notice).
Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair.
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
Scenic flights and Heli-Hikes are independently operated and entirely weather dependent
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 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 good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
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

Featured review

Xing_L

Amazing and pleasant scenery , the drivers are friendly and interesting, and the companions are very warm.

Reviews

4.0

33 reviews

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

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 33 reviews

Poor second half

paulmitchell, May 2024

Trip to Mt Cook was excellent and informative with good driver and staff. Something seemed to go wrong for our trip from Mt Cook to Christchurch the new bus was overcrowded and seemed to be from a different tour company to the one we were told was taking us the rest of the way. Driver was in a great rush and quite dangerous

Great day, lots of fun

Verena_B, Apr 2024

I had an amazing day. The pick up was easy and on time. Our tour guide Jonathan was great! He’s a pretty nice and funny guy and knows his stuff about the area. The long ride didn’t get boring. I did the hooker valley track on the 3hr stop near Mt Cook. It’s a relatively easy hike (for a person with an average fitness level) and totally doable in the 3hrs time. You’ll get great views! I was glad I brought my own food, but you can easily buy it on your way to Mt Cook. There you switch drivers (and busses) to get to Christchurch. After your departure from Mt Cook you only have shorter stops and no opportunity to buy food. So I’d recommend doing that before hand. Overall an unforgettable experience. Cheers

The driver from Mt Cook to Christchurch is not nice

Huiling_D, Apr 2024

The beauty of Mount Cook , the lakes , the nature is incredible! You should not force tourists to write so many words if they don’t want to say that much!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Sorry to hear this Huiling. Usually our guides are very kind and considerate and will always go the extra mile to help. I will follow up with your guide to find out what went wrong.

Amazing and pleasant...

Xing_L, Apr 2024

Amazing and pleasant scenery , the drivers are friendly and interesting, and the companions are very warm.

Great tour

Donja_H, Feb 2024

It was really great and the tourguide was amazing and kind. I enjoyed the whole tour. You have enough time (3 hours) to get to know Mount Cook a little. The tour will also stop ok other sightseeing points, explain them and give you enough time for photos.

Nice way to get from Queenstown to Christchurch

johnbolton99, Jan 2024

Great way to get from Queenstown to Christchurch without flying! Both drivers were awesome. Paul from Mt Cook to Christchurch was very informative. It is a long trip.

The whole trip and the...

Janine_Z, Dec 2023

The whole trip and the tour guides were amazing! I definitely recommend walking the Hooker Valley Track - a lot of stunning views. However it would have been nice to have more time at Lake Tekapo and Church of the Good Shepherd. We only had 10mins to take a quick photo which flt a bit rushed.

Great day out.

LAURA_D, Nov 2023

Had a great day, Sarah first leg to Mt Cook, and Diane for 2nd leg to Christchurch. Both great and informative drivers. Had a little bus trouble on 2nd leg but Diane was amazing and sorted out quickly. Great views and quite cold.

Magnificent

Ashaben_P, Nov 2023

The immense size, the beautiful scenery, the fresh air and the breathtaking impact of nature, makes you realize how magnificence of God’s creation

Best trip in New Zealand

Teresa_L, Sep 2023

My Cook was the most beautiful of all my travels so far. Shane the driver on the first half of the trip was absolutely wonderful.

Very good

JIYOUNG_C, Jun 2023

Cool drivers. Even though there were weird Indians, the dricers didn't lose their kindness. have a strong professional spirit. Thank you

A long day but definitely worth it!

Kerryn_D, May 2023

First off, I had a changeover of driver/bus at Mount Cook with both doing return journeys half-way…each driver was attentive, accommodating, and informative. Leaving early made for a gorgeous sunrise mixed with early fog. Several stops were made along the way for happy snaps, as well as coffee/toilet breaks. The scenery is breathtaking. The bus was catering for passengers doing heli-flights to the Tasman Glacier and walks through the Hooker Valley. I then changed buses for the 2nd leg from Mount Cook to Christchurch via Lake Tekapo, another stunning site. After a long day, starting with a 6:30am pickup, I was delivered to the front door of my hotel

Wonderful trip

VincentL, Apr 2023

Wonderful experience especially the combination of going to the glazier by ski plane and returning by helicopter

Complaint

Cindy_C, Nov 2022

Just want to complaint , itinerary has mentioned to stop at Tekapo and church of the good shepherd for 15 minutes, but actually the tour guide told me that the way to Christchurch is not applicable, we are so disappointed

Great trip but could use some improvements

joanndt87, Sep 2022

Overall, this was a great trip! Our driver/tour guide was very funny and provided great knowledge. However, I didn’t appreciate how interactive it was and being forced to participate in some of his antics like singing your country’s national anthem. For those who are not aware, when you book the tour from Queenstown to Christchurch, you are passed off to another tour company midway after you visit Mount Cook and you do NOT stop at Lake Tekapo. I was extremely disappointed in this as it was advertised as part of the itinerary AFTER Mount Cook and it turns out the group I later joined had already stopped by Lake Tekapo beforehand/before I was swapped over…which is why I knocked off one star.