Great guide!
Scotty was very knowledgeable and was great to listen too! This tour was just 3.5 hours but a lot was packed in . If short time do it!
Christchurch City Sightseeing Tour – Morning
- 3 hours
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Highlights
- Discover Christchurch's unique blend of heritage architecture and contemporary design.
- Guided coach sightseeing through the city centre and key landmarks.
- Visit the beautiful heritage estate of Mona Vale with its gardens and waterways.
- Learn about Christchurch's earthquake recovery and ongoing urban regeneration.
- Experience the coastal charm of Sumner.
- Enjoy panoramic views from the historic Sign of the Takahe lookout.
Tour Overview
Explore the highlights of Christchurch on this relaxed sightseeing tour through New Zealand's famous Garden City. Discover a destination shaped by heritage, resilience, and modern innovation as you travel through the city and its surrounding coastal and hillside landscapes.
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.
Choose either a morning or afternoon departure from your central city Christchurch accommodation and enjoy a guided coach tour covering the city's most iconic landmarks.
Highlights include the Botanic Gardens and Hagley Park, the Avon River Precinct, Cashel Street (Re:Start Mall), the Arts Centre, Transitional Cathedral (Cardboard Cathedral), and the Port Hills with panoramic city views.
Your tour also takes you through the Christchurch suburb of Sumner for coastal views and a short stop.
Return to your central city accommodation at the end of the tour.
What to Expect
Choose either a morning or afternoon departure from your central city Christchurch accommodation and enjoy a comfortable guided coach tour through the city and surrounding areas.
Begin with a guided drive through the city centre, where restored heritage buildings stand alongside contemporary architecture created as part of the city’s post-earthquake regeneration.
Continue to Mona Vale, one of Christchurch’s most elegant heritage estates. Stroll through its beautifully maintained gardens, peaceful waterways, and historic homestead grounds.
Travel through sections of the Otakaro / Avon River corridor, an area transformed into expansive green space following the earthquakes.
Next, visit the seaside suburb of Sumner, known for its relaxed coastal atmosphere and sweeping ocean views.
Continue to the historic Sign of the Takahe lookout for panoramic views across Christchurch, the Canterbury Plains, and the distant Southern Alps.
Your tour concludes with complimentary drop-off at a central city location.
Included
- Guided sightseeing coach tour of Christchurch and surrounds
- Return transport from central city accommodation
- Expert local guide and commentary
Not Included
- Food and beverages
- Personal expenses
Meeting & Pickup
Please advise where you are staying in Christchurch, and we'll arrange a suitable pickup from a central city location
Additional Information
Tours operate in all weather conditions.
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended for garden and lookout stops.
Morning tours depart 9am
Guest reviews
Rated 5.0 out of 5 from 16 verified travellers
5.0
16 reviews
Mega
A great tour very much info, the most beautiful places. Thank you Scotty
Do yourself a favour and if you want at tour of Christchurch go no further than Leisure Tours and Joseph for an overall perspect
Joseph from Leisure tours is an ex engineer so had a unique perspective of earthquake and its impacts. As a life long resident he could speak to the city before and after the quake. He took the tour beyond the city to the east coast harbour and beaches through some amazing scenery. Two stops for short walks in a jam packed 3 hours of amazing information. Leisure tours were only company willing to pick me up from my hotel which was not on the prescribed list. A totally exceptional experience.
Not to be missed!
Great fun and informative. Beautiful scenery. Despite our trip being cut short due to an earlier cruise ship departure time because of incoming bad weather, our driver Joseph excelled in giving us the best experience possible in the time available. Would thoroughly recommend.
Outstanding tour guide
Scotty was an excellent tour guide. His knowledge of Christchurch is very impressive. Scotty was very detailed in the city’s history and future plans.
Excellent tour worth every penny
Excellent, informative tour with lots to see and fabulous views. Our guid was very knowledgeable and I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone.
Everything I hoped it would be
The tour of Christchurch was informative and very thorough. Kevin gave us lots of information and put it all in perspective. I did not know what to expect at the International Antarctic Center Admission. It was fantastic. It was very interactive and informative. So glad we saw it!
Very good tour
Very pleasant day with Pete. He is friendly and good fun and the day was run at a good pace so that we could really enjoy all that we saw.
Highly Reccomend
I'm so glad I booked this tour! I traveled to Christchurch on my own and while I have friends there, I still wanted to go on an official tour to learn more about the city. First of all, the company itself is incredibly accommodating and helped me switch the date of my tour once I realized I had a conflict with my original booking. I was picked up at the hotel by Scotty in a very comfortable van and he immediately helped me feel welcomed. He was very knowledgeable and answered everyone's questions. I got to see the city from a perspective I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to had I tried doing all the exploring on my own. I also definitely recommend adding the stop at the Antarctic Center!
Excellent tour, well worthwhile
This is a lovely tour that gives you a good overview of the city. The guide was professional, informative and good fun.
Unforgettable!
We enjoyed a fantastic half day tour with Scotty our VERY informative driver and guide. He is so knowledgeable and gave us lots of interesting and relevant facts and details. We were fortunate to have a fine day and his commentary made the whole experience unforgettable. Also made us more sensitive and sympathetic to those who suffer due to earthquakes and other calamities. Thank you, Scotty !
Morning tour of Christchurch.
Joseph our guide was excellent. He went out of his way to educate and show us the city. He answered all of our questions on both tweets city and the country.
Great Tour
Our guide Sally was lovely and admiited straight off she was relatively new. She did not need to say that as her own personal insights were brilliant and not from the tour book. In fact given the events of 2011, her words gave a realistic account of what happened. A few turns around the CBD then to the gardens followed by a trip through the burbs and up the hill to the Takahe look out. A great view. Then up and over the top and down to Lyttelton round the coast to Sumner and the back to town. Would recommend it. Back in CBD on time. Great to do if only in town for a few days as we were. Sally is a real character.
Good Time In Christchurch
Enjoyed a running commentary by the driver Kevin going round Christchurch and seeing the rebuilding and flattened buildings the museum was very interesting the Antarctic section brilliant.
Great Service
Fabulous personalised tour. We were the only group on the tour, so despite the poor weather, they made it really special for us.
Excellent day tour
My friends bought this for me as a birthday present while I was in Christchurch and it was a lovely day out. Our driver was Ron who was friendly, informative and a very good driver of a small coach. We visited Cashmere, Beckenham, Sydenham, the port of Lyttleton, Sumner and then on to the Antarctic Center. Even though I had been in Christchurch for a week on my own, I still saw lots of sights I hadn't visited and the Antarctic Center was amazing. We were picked up from our hotel and dropped back again at the end and it was a great day out. Highly recommended.
