Day trips from Christchurch

On this page

• Drive times from the motel
• Lyttelton: the harbour town over the hills
• Akaroa: Hector's dolphins and a French past
• Hanmer Springs: thermal pools in an alpine village
• Kaikōura: whales, seals and the coast
• Castle Hill (Kura Tāwhiti): giant limestone rocks
• Arthur's Pass: a mountain village in the Southern Alps
• Lake Tekapo and Aoraki/Mount Cook
• Mt Hutt: skiing in winter only
• Further afield
• Tips for the day
• Questions

Drive times from the motel

These are drive times from our motel at 859 Colombo Street, from OpenStreetMap routing. Allow extra time for stops, traffic and winding roads.

• Lyttelton: 18 minutes, 13 km
• Akaroa: about 1.5 hours, 81 km
• Castle Hill (Kura Tāwhiti): about 1.5 hours, 95 km
• Hanmer Springs: about 2 hours, 132 km
• Mt Hutt ski area: about 2 hours, 117 km
• Arthur's Pass: about 2 hours, 147 km
• Kaikōura: about 2.5 hours, 179 km
• Lake Tekapo: about 3 hours, 226 km
• Aoraki/Mount Cook Village: about 4.5 hours, 330 km

Lyttelton: the harbour town over the hills

Lyttelton is Christchurch's port town, on the harbour on the other side of the Port Hills. It is 18 minutes by car from our motel, through the road tunnel.

• Farmers market: on London Street every Saturday from 10am to 1pm. See our guide to Christchurch markets.
• Diamond Harbour ferry: a Metro ferry across the harbour, about 10 minutes each way. Pay on board with a contactless card or your phone.
• Quail Island: Black Cat Cruises runs a ferry from Lyttelton to Quail Island, with walking tracks, beaches and history. The loop track around the island takes 2 to 3 hours. The ferry leaves Lyttelton at 10.15am every day, plus 12.15pm from December to March, and comes back at about 3.30pm. Adult return $45, child $22, under 5 free, on the Black Cat Cruises website when we checked in November 2026. There are no shops or cafés on the island, so take your lunch.
• By bus: Metro Route 8 runs from the Bus Interchange (Platform B) to Lyttelton Wharf. The Bus Interchange is a 16-minute walk from our motel.
• The view from above: the Christchurch Gondola looks down over Lyttelton Harbour.
• Get directions

Akaroa: Hector's dolphins and a French past

Akaroa is a harbour town on Banks Peninsula, set in an old volcanic crater. French and British settlers founded the town, and streets like Rue Lavaud and Rue Jolie still have French names. It is known for its dolphin cruises.

• Drive: about 1.5 hours (81 km) on State Highway 75. The road winds over the hill above Akaroa, so Black Cat Cruises suggests you allow 2 hours in the busy season or if you don't know the road.
• Akaroa Nature Cruise (Black Cat Cruises): a 2-hour cruise on the harbour to see Hector's dolphins, the world's smallest and rarest marine dolphin, plus fur seals, penguins and seabirds. It sails every day at 10.45am and 1.30pm, with an extra 3.45pm cruise from December to March. Adult $130, child (5 to 15) $60, under 5 free. If you don't see a dolphin, you get a voucher for another cruise.
• Swimming with dolphins: a 3.5-hour trip with Black Cat Cruises, from October to April. Adult $250.
• Check-in: the Main Wharf is closed for rebuilding. Check in at the Black Cat office at 61 Beach Road at least 20 minutes before you sail.
• Parking: free for up to 8 hours at the Gaiety Hall car park on Rue Jolie, a 3-minute walk from the Black Cat office.
• Without a car: the Akaroa French Connection bus leaves the Bus Interchange at 8.50am and Rolleston Avenue at 9am, and reaches Akaroa at 11am. It leaves Akaroa at 4pm. Adult return $80.

The cruise and bus times and prices are from the Black Cat Cruises and Akaroa French Connection websites when we checked in November 2026. Black Cat cruises run every day except Christmas Day, if the weather allows. Get directions

Hanmer Springs: thermal pools in an alpine village

Hanmer Springs is an alpine village in North Canterbury, about 2 hours (132 km) north of our motel. It is best known for the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools.

• Opening hours: the pools are open every day from 10am to 7pm, except Christmas Day. The hydroslides run from 10am to 6.30pm, for ages 5 and over.
• Entry: adult $40 if you book online by 10pm the day before, or $43 if you buy on the day. Child (5 to 15) $23 online or $25 on the day. Under 5 free. Entry includes all the pools and the hydroslides.
• Closed for now: the Cascade Pools are closed for maintenance from 27 October 2026 and are expected to reopen for summer. The rest of the pools are open.
• Without a car: the Hanmer Connection bus leaves the Bus Interchange at 8.50am and Rolleston Avenue at 9am, and reaches Hanmer Springs at 11am. It leaves at 4.30pm. Adult return $80.

These details are from the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Hanmer Connection websites when we checked in November 2026. Get directions

Kaikōura: whales, seals and the coast

Kaikōura is a coastal town below the Seaward Kaikōura Range, about 2.5 hours (179 km) north of our motel. Sperm whales live off the coast all year, and fur seals rest on the rocks of the peninsula.

• Whale Watch Kaikōura: boat tours to see sperm whales, from The Whaleway Station on Whaleway Station Road. Tours leave at 7.45am, 10.30am and 1.15pm, plus 4pm from November to March. Allow 3 hours 15 minutes in total, with just over 2 hours on the water. Check in 30 minutes before your tour.
• Price: adult $185 in the Ocean Cabin, on the Whale Watch Kaikōura website when we checked in November 2026. Children under 3 cannot go. If your tour sees no whale, you get 80% of your fare back.
• Before you leave Christchurch: tours depend on the sea and the weather, and the captain decides on the day. Whale Watch asks people who travel on the day of their tour to call 0800 655 121 for an update.
• Seals: the Kaikōura Peninsula Walkway starts in town. Fur seals are often around the Point Kean car park, 4.4 km from the town centre. The Department of Conservation (DOC) asks you to stay at least 20 m from any seal. The whole walkway takes about 3 hours, and there are shorter sections.
• By train: the Coastal Pacific train leaves Christchurch at 7am and reaches Kaikōura at 10am. The train back leaves Kaikōura at 4.25pm and reaches Christchurch at 7.30pm. It runs from 1 September to 30 April (Great Journeys New Zealand, November 2026).
• Get directions

Castle Hill (Kura Tāwhiti): giant limestone rocks

Kura Tāwhiti, also called Castle Hill, is a field of huge limestone rocks beside State Highway 73 (SH73), on the road to Arthur's Pass. It is about 1.5 hours (95 km) from our motel. The name means "the treasure from a distant land", for the kūmara once grown here. It is a place of special significance to Ngāi Tahu.

• The walk: the Kura Tāwhiti Access Track is a 1.7 km loop and takes about 40 minutes. It is gravel, steep in places, with some steps.
• Parking: the free car park is signposted from SH73. Driving from Christchurch, it is on your left 3 km before the turnoff to Castle Hill Village. If it is full, don't park on the highway.
• Look after your car: DOC warns that thieves target cars here. Take your valuables with you.
• Respect the site: stay on the track and don't mark the rocks. No dogs, and no drones without a permit.
• When to go: it gets very busy from November to April, and it is popular with rock climbers.
• Get directions

Arthur's Pass: a mountain village in the Southern Alps

Arthur's Pass village is on SH73 in Arthur's Pass National Park, in the heart of the Southern Alps. It is about 2 hours (147 km) from our motel, and Castle Hill is on the way. The park opened in 1929, the first national park in the South Island. Look out for kea, the alpine parrot.

• Devils Punchbowl Walking Track: 2 km return, about 1 hour, to the base of a 131-metre waterfall. It is a steep climb with more than 400 steps. The track starts at the northern end of the village.
• DOC visitor centre: in the village, for track and weather information.
• By train: the TranzAlpine stops at Arthur's Pass. You can get off in the morning and catch the afternoon train back. See our TranzAlpine guide.
• Be ready for the weather: it can change fast here. Take warm and waterproof clothes, even in summer. DOC also warns of car break-ins at track ends, so don't leave valuables in your car.
• Get directions

Lake Tekapo and Aoraki/Mount Cook

Lake Tekapo (Takapō) is a turquoise lake under the mountains of the Mackenzie Basin, about 3 hours (226 km) from our motel. That is 6 hours of driving there and back, so it is a long day.

• Church of the Good Shepherd: the church on the lake shore, built as a memorial to the Mackenzie pioneers. The grounds are open from 9am to 8pm during daylight saving and from 9am to 5pm the rest of the year. Inside, a volunteer guide may be on duty from 10am to 3pm, Wednesday to Sunday, but this is not guaranteed. The church asks for a $5 donation and does not allow photos inside. These details are from the church's website when we checked in November 2026.
• Parking at the church: parking on Pioneer Drive is very limited. Park on the village side of the footbridge and walk over. There are no public toilets at the church.
• Aoraki/Mount Cook: the village is about 4.5 hours (330 km) from our motel, about 9 hours of driving there and back.
• Hooker Valley Track: 10 km return, about 3 hours, to Hooker Lake at the foot of Aoraki/Mount Cook. It crosses three swing bridges. The second one, opened in July 2026, is 189 metres long, the longest suspension bridge in New Zealand. Parking at White Horse Hill car park costs $2.50 per half hour or $25 a day, paid by card (DOC, November 2026).
• Get directions to Lake Tekapo
• Get directions to Aoraki/Mount Cook

Mt Hutt: skiing in winter only

Mt Hutt is a ski area above Methven, about 2 hours (117 km) from our motel. Methven is about 1 hour 20 minutes away. The ski area opens only in the winter ski season, so check the season dates and the road on the Mt Hutt website before you go.

Get directions

Further afield

• Christchurch to Queenstown: about 6.5 hours (483 km) by car. The road goes through Lake Tekapo. There are also direct flights from Christchurch Airport to Queenstown. See getting to the airport. Get directions
• Christchurch to Dunedin: about 5 hours (361 km), on State Highway 1 most of the way. Get directions
• Christchurch to Picton: about 4 hours 45 minutes (337 km), on State Highway 1 up the Kaikōura coast. Get directions
• Coastal Pacific train to Picton: runs every day from 1 September to 30 April, except Christmas Day. It leaves the Christchurch railway station at 7am and reaches Picton at 12.40pm. The train back leaves Picton at 1.40pm and reaches Christchurch at 7.30pm. In Picton it connects with the Interislander ferry to Wellington. These times are from the Great Journeys New Zealand website when we checked in November 2026.
• By coach: InterCity coaches to Picton, Dunedin and Queenstown stop at the Bus Interchange. See our Bus Interchange guide.

Tips for the day

• Start early for the long trips. Kaikōura is about 5 hours of driving there and back, and Lake Tekapo about 6.
• Check the road in winter. DOC warns that snow can close SH73, the road to Castle Hill and Arthur's Pass, and SH80, the road to Aoraki/Mount Cook. Check the NZTA highway conditions before you go.
• Take your valuables with you. DOC warns of car break-ins at Castle Hill and at track ends in Arthur's Pass.

Questions

What is the best day trip from Christchurch?

It depends on what you like. For dolphins and a harbour town, Akaroa (about 1.5 hours). For hot pools, Hanmer Springs (about 2 hours). For mountains, Castle Hill and Arthur's Pass on SH73. For whales, Kaikōura (about 2.5 hours).

What can I do within an hour's drive of Christchurch?

Lyttelton is 18 minutes away, with a Saturday farmers market and ferries across the harbour. Closer in, there are the Gondola, the beaches and the wildlife parks. See things to do.

How long is the drive from Christchurch to Akaroa?

About 1.5 hours (81 km) from our motel. The road winds over the hill above Akaroa, so allow 2 hours if you don't know it.

Is there a bus from Christchurch to Akaroa?

Yes. The Akaroa French Connection leaves the Bus Interchange at 8.50am and Rolleston Avenue at 9am every day, and leaves Akaroa at 4pm.

Can you do Hanmer Springs as a day trip from Christchurch?

Yes. It is about 2 hours each way by car, and the thermal pools are open from 10am to 7pm. The Hanmer Connection bus gives you 5.5 hours in the village.

How long is the Castle Hill walk?

The Kura Tāwhiti Access Track is a 1.7 km loop and takes about 40 minutes.

What does Kura Tāwhiti mean?

"The treasure from a distant land". It refers to the kūmara once grown in the area.

Can you do Kaikōura in a day from Christchurch?

Yes, but it is a long day. The drive is about 2.5 hours each way, and a whale watch tour takes about 3 hours 15 minutes in total. From September to April, the Coastal Pacific train gives you about 6 hours in Kaikōura.

Is the Coastal Pacific train running?

It runs every day from 1 September to 30 April, except Christmas Day. It does not run in winter, from 1 May to 31 August.

How far is Queenstown from Christchurch?

483 km, about 6.5 hours by car from our motel. There are also direct flights from Christchurch Airport.