Recently Viewed
Christchurch to Queenstown: Mt Cook and Southern Alps Tour
4.3
64 Ratings
Christchurch
Embark on a scenic day tour from Christchurch to Mount Cook, passing through the stunning Southern Alps. Experience the beauty of Lake Tekapo and the Canterbury Plains before reaching New Zealand’s tallest mountain. Don’t miss this unforgettable journey!
Embark on a scenic day tour from Christchurch to Mount Cook, passing through the stunning Southern Alps. Experience the beauty of Lake Tekapo and the Canterbury Plains before reaching New Zealand’s tallest mountain. Don’t miss this unforgettable journey!
Duration:
11 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Geraldine Visitor Information Centre - Geraldine is a charming town known for its arts, crafts, and market days. It is home to talented artists like Austen Deans and John Badcock, who have studios in the area. The town also boasts culinary delights such as local cheese, chocolates, and the internationally acclaimed Barkers fruit products. We take…
- Geraldine Visitor Information Centre - Geraldine is a charming town known for its arts, crafts, and market days. It is home to talented artists like Austen Deans and John Badcock, who have studios in the area. The town also boasts culinary delights such as local cheese, chocolates, and the internationally acclaimed Barkers fruit products. We take breaks for morning and afternoon tea at the Kiwi Country Visitor Centre, which also serves as a comfort stop.
- The Church of the Good Shepherd - The stunning location of the Church of the Good Shepherd draws visitors from around the globe. We recommend spending a few quiet moments to soak in the serene beauty of the lake and mountains, which we believe is nature’s greatest cathedral.
- Lake Tekapo - Lake Tekapo is framed by the Ben Ohau Ranges and the Southern Alps. The lake’s turquoise hue is due to the glacial waters from the Godley Glacier and the Macauley River. It’s an excellent spot for capturing photos of the picturesque scenery.
- Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park - We are now entering Mt Cook National Park, one of New Zealand’s 14 National Parks. Covering 70,696 hectares, it features the country’s highest mountains and largest glaciers. Established as a National Park in 1953, its Maori name, Aoraki, means ‘Sky Piercer.’ The park is a rugged landscape of ice and rock, with 19 peaks over 3,000 meters, including Mt Cook, which stands at 3,753 meters, making it New Zealand’s tallest mountain. However, it was once 3,763 meters tall.
- The Wrinkly Rams - This café offers a rest stop with espresso coffee and homemade food. Free WiFi is also available.
What's Included
- Modern air-conditioned coach with free WiFi
- Live commentary on board
- Local driver guide
- Modern air-conditioned coach with free WiFi
- Live commentary on board
- Local driver guide
What's Not Included
- Scenic Flight
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Gratuities
- Scenic Flight
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Embark on a singular scenic journey from Christchurch to Queenstown through Mt Cook and behold the majesty of the NZ Southern Alps. Marvel at the awe-inspiring spectacle of the glacier-fed Lake Tekapo, the pastoral Canterbury Plains farmland, and Aoraki (Mt Cook), New Zealand’s tallest mountain, nestled in a national park and recognised as a UNESCO…
Embark on a singular scenic journey from Christchurch to Queenstown through Mt Cook and behold the majesty of the NZ Southern Alps. Marvel at the awe-inspiring spectacle of the glacier-fed Lake Tekapo, the pastoral Canterbury Plains farmland, and Aoraki (Mt Cook), New Zealand’s tallest mountain, nestled in a national park and recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the magnificent splendor of New Zealand’s premier peak with a day tour from Christchurch to Mount Cook, concluding in Queenstown.
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Each traveler is allowed 2 Bags weighing no more than 20kg each and 1 carry-on bag. Oversized or excessive luggage (e.g. surfboards, golf clubs or bikes) may have certain restrictions, please inquire with the operator prior to travel to confirm if your excess luggage is acceptable
- Tour is a total of 11 hours in total
Location
Lichfield Street
Outside Bus Interchange on 72 Lichfield St, Near Colombo Street
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(64 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Garvan_m
Dec 20, 2023
A lot of talk to get to the mountain - Stuart the driver very informative. Like commentary which tell me all about what we see. However very little time to do anything up at Mt Cook before having to take the long journey back to Christchurch.
Review provided by Viator
Lucille_c
Mar 6, 2020
Relax and enjoy the views - I highly recommend this tour, particularly if you are looking for transportation to Queenstown from Christchurch. It is an ideal means of getting there. The views are extraordinary, the luncheon (if you choose the premium option) was excellent. The driver was a great source of information. Lake Tekapo itself was worth the trip, not to mention Mount Cook.
Review provided by Viator
Janalbert_l
Mar 5, 2020
Christchurch to Queenstown via Mount Cook - Interesting drive through agricultural and wilderness Canterbury with a fantastic driver/guide. High class lunxh at Mount Cook Lodge.
Review provided by Viator
Lief_g
Feb 8, 2020
Beautiful Scenery - Tour as decribed. Reasonably well organised. About the right number of stops at the right locations. Good narration.
Review provided by Viator
Lilianesong
Feb 4, 2020
Pleasant trip from Christchurch to Queenstown - Very good experience.
The driver made many commentaries during the ride which made the trip from Christchurch to Queenstown very interesting. I booked the tour with the lunch buffet at the Hermitage. The food was really great, with a nice view on Mt Cook. I just wish I had more time after lunch (1h break) to visit the surroundings a bit more and take more pictures. Other than that, the trip was really pleasant. There were many stops along the way to allow passengers to relax for 10-15 min and go to restrooms. There was also a small toilet on board in the bus.
Review provided by Viator
Durgesh
Jan 7, 2020
Awesome views and journey. Would highly recommend it. - The journey was picturesque. The stop at Mount cook was great with nice buffet lunch at Hermitage hotel was awesome. (would recommend to opt for Lunch). Recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Realsoen
Jan 6, 2020
Dont use Flight, Use this Tour - Even 7 hours Tour, But You will ve amazed because the view of the mountain very Amazing. The Driver very helpfull to explain about evertyhing, and teh most excellent thing are Photo spot picked up by Bus Driver
Review provided by Viator
Mark_k
Feb 22, 2020
Beautiful Countryside - Traveled through some beautiful country. The driver was entertaining and informative. Did not get as much time at Mt Cook as I was expecting--barely had time to grab something to eat, and I had the impression when I booked the tour that there would be time to hike around some.
Review provided by Viator
Amelitamaria_h
Mar 20, 2020
Worth the trip - Our trip was from christ church to queenstown .Show your confirmation at the counter inside the christchurch building along lichfield st for your data then you’re all set to go.
The driver guide was not that knowledgeable compares to ours last november. Did mot tell us the history of mount cook. But still it was a good tour for it was scenic and still worth the trip. Food at hermitage hotel was good. Buy friuts along the route.
Review provided by Viator
Bob_h
Apr 1, 2024
Fixed problems, otherwise Viator will lose customers. - I booked two Day-Tours from Viator. Each one had its own problem. Especially the trip to Mountain Cook, booking number 1113052315, was totally ruined. According to this booking, it should be a round trip. Both start and end points are Christchurch. However, what the local provider had are two programs. One started from Christchurch and ended in Queen's town. The other started from Queen's town and ended in Christchurch. The local provider helped my wife and I to fix this problem but it did not work. So we could not join the tour.
The Viator should refund me this part totally.
The other reservation is the Arthur's Pass, booking number 1112631717. Due mainly to the schedule change of tranzAlpine train, the local tour provider modified the way we travel and informed me in time such that my wife and I can enjoy this trip. But even the day before this tour, I still received an email from Viator that gave me wrong information.
It tells me that Viator does not communicate with local providers often such that it gives your customer a lot of wrong information. The Viator should fix problems otherwise you will lose customers totally.
Review provided by Viator
