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Christchurch to Mt Cook Half-Day Tour: An Intimate Journey through Lake Tekapo
4.8
5 Ratings
Christchurch
Embark on an intimate half-day tour from Christchurch to Mt Cook via Lake Tekapo. Experience stunning landscapes, passionate tour guides, and comfortable minibuses on this small group adventure.
Duration:
5 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Christchurch - Your tour begins in the beautiful city of Christchurch. As we leave the city, your guide will set the stage for your exciting day and highlight some of the area’s top attractions.
- Canterbury Plains - Surrounding Christchurch are the expansive Canterbury Plains, filled with farmland stretching as far as the eye can see. You’ll find various types of farming here, including crops, vineyards, dairy, and livestock production.
- Fairlie Bakehouse - Nestled in Mackenzie, Fairlie is a classic New Zealand farming town that undergoes stunning color changes, especially in autumn. It’s one of the best places to relax with one of their world-famous meat pies from the Bakehouse. This stop is also where we’ll pick up your lunch to keep you energized for the rest of the day.
- Lake Tekapo - We head towards the renowned blue waters of Lake Tekapo, passing through impressive alpine passes with breathtaking views. As we crest the hill to Tekapo, you’ll be amazed by the stunning view of the lake.
- The Church of the Good Shepherd - Once in Tekapo, you’ll have time to explore the popular Church of the Good Shepherd, see the Mackenzie Sheepdog, and capture Instagram-worthy shots of Lake Tekapo before we continue to Mt Cook.
- Lake Pukaki - Turning west, we enter Aoraki National Park, and Lake Pukaki begins to appear before us. This is one of the bluest lakes you’ll ever see, beautifully framed by Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Southern Alps. We’ll stop for some incredible photos and to marvel at the sight. It’s easy to see why many Lord of the Rings scenes were filmed nearby, and we’ll point them out for you.
- Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu) - Sadly, our tour must come to an end. Arriving at Mt Cook Village, weather permitting, we should get some fantastic shots of the mountain itself. At 3724m, Aoraki/Mt Cook is New Zealand’s highest peak, but it can be viewed without any acclimatization from the village, which is just 750m above sea level.
What's Included
- Small Group and Fully Guided Tour
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Snacks
- Luggage allowance - 1 large & 1 small per person
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Small Group Excursion from Christchurch to Mt Cook via Lake Tekapo (One Way). This fully-guided, boutique day transfer offers a luxurious journey to Mt Cook with a stop at all major attractions along the way. Our enthusiastic tour guides, famed for their engaging storytelling and deep knowledge, lead the trip in contemporary, cosy minibuses equipped to ensure your safety and convenience.
Even though the places you’ll see are breathtaking, we trust that our limited group size, our tour leaders, the voyage and the little extras make our tours stand out. Hidden stopovers, spotting wildlife, custom-built vehicles and several other delightful surprises make our tours unforgettable.
- Children aged 7 years 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).
- A moderate amount of walking is involved.
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
- Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair.
- If you have dietary requirements. Please kindly indicate it to the special requirements at the time of booking
Location
Christchurch Bus Interchange
Colombo Street
Please meet at the Intercity Bus Stop on Lichfield Street. Please pick this location if your hotel is not on our list. We do not pick up from your hotel if it is not listed
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(5 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Meghzz_here
Jul 6, 2024
Must do, incredible fun - The entire trip was well organised and incredible! The views were amazing and the weather was definitely in our favour! The helicopter experience was a Cherry in the top!! Great stuff will definitely come back to Mount Cook
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L5150bjcharlotteb
May 26, 2024
Great tour with lots of information. - Fantastic tour with Brent. We got a little goody bag with some NZ treats which was lovely. Brent was really informative. Gave us lots of information. He was very clear about how long we had at each spot. We also got lunch included which again was very yummy. I had a great day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paulcd5993pq
Dec 20, 2023
Comfortable and good trip to Mt. Cook - Brent was a careful driver and arrived bang on time - he was courteous and told us a few things of note at the viewing points. The van was clean and comfortable. We had bad weather at Mt. Cook but he did his best to help the intrepid walkers who ventured in the pouring rain get the best of their experience. Cheeky was easy to book with and we would use them again
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Felicia_t
Oct 11, 2022
Awesome trip with 100% Kiwi Ass :P - We were really lucky going up to Mt Cook on a Sunday morn and having our guide Tony all to ourselves! As the party was small and time wasn't so tight, he was super accomodating about stopping at the various sights and making it feel like a very leisurely journey with a friend. We had excellent coffee, hot chocolate and delicious pies at Fairlie Bakehouse on a cold morn (before the long queues formed). Tony also kindly took the inside route that drove towards the mountain ranges (before rejoining typical route of the state highway) so we could get an extended eyeful of the mountains even before we got to Canterbury High Country! We also got to stop by Lake Tekapo for half an hour to walk along the water and soak in that fresh air and picture perfect landscape, before heading to chomp on salmon sashimi along the benches at Lake Pukaki. Other than the sights, our biggest highlight was learning about the meat industry from Tony who was so engaging and knowledgeable about NZ meat :) it was just a few short hours but we learnt so much! Really recommend this tour to anyone - way better than the large group tours because you get a more attentive guide and a less rushed itinerary. Well worth the price!
Review provided by Viator
Susan_g
Sep 29, 2023
Rain Rain Rain - Weather didn't cooperate but all group had an enjoyable day. While the views of mountains and lakes were not as clear the flow of water in falls and cascades were amazing. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and adaptable. Seeing snow from the train was memorable.
Review provided by Viator
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