Christchurch & Antarctic Centre Shore Excursion

⚠️ Please note: The itinerary may vary slightly depending on cruise ship schedules and weather conditions.

08:45 Meet and greet in Lyttelton township for your Christchurch Highlight Tour including the International Antarctic Centre.

09:00 Depart Lyttelton and journey through the inner bays of Lyttelton Harbour to Governors Bay. Ascend Dyers Pass to reach the summit, where you'll enjoy stunning views of the harbour and Christchurch from the Sign of the Kiwi.

09:30 The tour arrives at the Sign of the Takahe, a Scottish like castle which has a viewing platform providing magnificent views over the City of Christchurch, Pegasus Bay, the Canterbury Plains and the Southern Alps which are snow capped for up to 9 months of the year. Access to the viewing platform is via a gentle 5 minute walk.

09:50 Depart the Sign of the Takahe for Mona Vale, a stately home and magnificent gardens.

10:10 Arrive at the front gate house of Mona Vale and stroll through the grounds, following the Avon River which acts as one of the properties boundaries. The coach will then travel around to the rear gate house where your tour guide will meet you once you have had the opportunity to explore the gardens.

10:30 Depart Mona Vale and travel into central Christchurch, which was completely devastated by the Christchurch earthquakes in February 2011. Your guide will explain the history of the city and the effects of the earthquake. Witness both the destructive powers of nature and the ongoing rebuild efforts. The central city tour will conclude in Cathedral Square, where you will have time to explore this central part of the city on foot. There are some great photo opportunities in this area and time for lunch.

12:45 Depart Cathedral Square for the International Antarctic Centre, where a guided tour of the attraction has been arranged. Experience a recreation of the atmosphere of Antarctica with an Antarctic Storm, the Hagglund experience, a 4-D Movie, and the feeding of the Little Blue Penguins. Don’t forget to visit the Huskies

15:30 Depart the Antarctic Centre and return to Lyttelton via the eastern suburbs, the estuary, and the beach suburb of Sumner, known for its sand and surf beaches and the Pacific Ocean stretching as far as the eye can see. From Sumner, the tour will return to Lyttelton via Evans Pass, which was closed for more than 7 years following the Christchurch earthquake of 2011 due to cliff collapse. Evans Pass offers fantastic views of the harbour heads and southern bays.

16:20 Stop at a viewing platform on the harbour side of Evans Pass, which overlooks the port’s container and coal terminals, and offers great views of the harbour and the historic Timeball station..

16:30 The tour returns you to Lyttelton township where your awaiting shuttle transfers you back to your cruise ship.

Tour Duration 7.5 hours