Day Trips & Excursions in Christchurch

Wander the charming village of Akaroa, and opt for either a harbor cruise or dolphin swim on this small-group tour from Christchurch. Start with a scenic drive through the magnificent Banks Peninsula where you're treated to summit views of Akaroa Harbour, the Canterbury Plains and the distant Southern Alps. Sample locally made cheeses at a cheese factory, explore Akoroa and enjoy a cafe lunch before a nature cruise or dolphin swim alongside Hector's dolphins. Numbers are limited to eight people for a personalized experience.

Travel by TranzAlpine railway to Arthur's Pass National Park, riding across the Canterbury Plains, then winding through Waimakariri Gorge and into the heart of the Southern Alps on this day trip from Christchurch. An informative guide takes you on a minivan tour of Arthur's Pass, including short rainforest walks past rivers to mountain vistas at Castle Hill. Enjoy a hotel lunch and light refreshments before the return trip via Waimak Gorge. Small-group tour is limited to eight participants, ensuring a more personalized experience.

Enjoy a Milford Sound cruise during a one-way day trip, departing Queenstown to Te Anau, the gateway to World Heritage-listed Fiordland National Park. Break for morning tea before traveling through the Eglinton Valley and pausing at Mirror Lakes en route to majestic Milford Sound, where glacier-scarred rock walls like famous Mitre Peak rise from the sea. Includes hotel pickup and drop-off with commentary on board the coach and cruise boat.

Visit four boutique wineries of North Canterbury on a half-day wine-tasting tour with optional lunch. Departing Christchurch, you'll taste a quality selection of wines in the up-and-coming Waipara wine region, including stops at Pegasus Bay, Waipara Hills, Torlesse Wines and Waipara Springs. Learn from a knowledgeable guide about Waipara's unique terroir as you sip a range of superior reds and whites.

This one-way coach trip to Wanaka departs Christchurch in the morning, stopping for free time in Mount Cook village along the way. Enjoy fully narrated sightseeing as you skirt Otago's Canterbury Plains, travel across Burkes Pass and the Mackenzie Basin, visit Lake Tekapo, and enjoy tea breaks in small farming townships. Marvel at the grandeur of UNESCO-listed Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, a South Island highlight of the Southern Alps. Opt for lunch and, if you'd like, take a helicopter or ski-plane flight (own expense).

Getting to Aoraki/Mount Cook from Christchurch is half the fun on this private day trip. Get a look at New Zealand's tallest mountain and dig into a delicious buffet lunch at the Hermitage Hotel. Then take a walk in Mt. Cook National Park or stroll the village during free time. En route, admire gorgeous views from Lake Pukaki and make a stop at the alpine waters of Lake Tekapo.

Ride a coach from Christchurch to Queenstown during a fully narrated sightseeing tour via Mount Cook village, situated at the base of New Zealand's tallest mountain. Other South Island highlights include the fertile farmlands of Otago's Canterbury Plains, glacier-fed Lake Tekapo and the grandeur of the Southern Alps in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Opt for an included 3-course buffet lunch at the Hermitage Hotel. If you'd like, take a helicopter or ski-plane flight (own expense).

Explore the Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps on this Arthur's Pass day tour from Christchurch. Travel through the pastureland of the Canterbury Plains to Springfield with your guide. Hop aboard your TranzAlpine train and journey through the Waimakariri Gorge. Explore the alpine village of Arthur's Pass in the Otira Gorge and enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Visit a sheep farm, and admire native birdlife in the foothills of the Southern Alps. Upgrade to include a hair-raising jet-boat ride on the mighty Waimakariri River!

Be mesmerized by Milford Sound on a full-day trip from Te Anau to Queenstown. Travel through World Heritage-listed Fiordland National Park and go sightseeing on a Milford Sound cruise past majestic Mitre Peak. Enjoy a buffet lunch or opt for a Japanese-style bento box (if selected). Includes hotel pickup and drop-off with commentary on board the coach and cruise boat.

Take the scenic route from Christchurch to Mount Cook on a one-way narrated tour. Enjoy the comfort of an air-conditioned coach as you admire magnificent scenery along the way. You'll hear informative commentary from the driver-guide while traveling via Otago's Canterbury Plains and make a photo stop at Lake Tekapo. Opt for an included 3-course buffet lunch at the Hermitage Hotel at the base of Aoraki/Mount Cook. Hotel pickup and drop-off included.

A Milford Sound scenic flight over the Southern Alps back to Queenstown completes this full-day tour by land, sea and sky. Before your 1-hour and 45-minute cruise, travel by coach to the UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park, stopping at the Mirror Lakes. You'll see the world-famous fiord, including Mitre Peak, and other natural glories from the water, then get a bird's-eye view from the air that will take your breath away.

Upon reaching Milford Sound, board a luxurious catamaran for a 1 hour 45 minute cruise. Peer through panoramic windows of a luxury coach while you travel through the UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park with a guide, before a memorable sightseeing cruise past Mitre Peak and the magnificent cliff-side waterfalls of Milford Sound.

Surround yourself with the snow-capped peaks of Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain, on this day trip from Christchurch. Travel by coach past the foothills of the Southern Alps to the Canterbury Plains and the MacKenzie Basin; stop at Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukari; and enjoy views of Tasman Glacier. Enjoy lunch at the Hermitage Hotel in UNESCO-listed Mt Cook/Aoraki National Park. Includes round-trip hotel transport by coach with morning and afternoon tea.

Swap Queenstown for Aoraki/Mt Cook on a one-way coach tour through the spectacular South Island countryside. The 4.5-hour journey north passes lush farmland and follows the winding Kawarau Gorge to Central Otago then over Lindis Pass and into the Mackenzie Basin. You'll skirt the shores of Lake Pukaki where you can set eyes upon Mt Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain. Opt for a three-course lunch at the Hermitage Hotel in Mount Cook Village before hotel drop-off.