Off the ship at Lyttelton? 8 day trips around Christchurch
Your ship’s tied up at Lyttelton and you’ve got the day.
That’s long enough to get a decent way out of Christchurch: dolphins at Akaroa, Castle Hill out on Highway 73, or a jet boat in the Rakaia Gorge, or a trip tailored specifically for the kids and still be back on board in good time.
As you can’t just walk off the cruise berth, simply hop on the free shuttle to Norwich Quay in Lyttelton township and we’ll meet you there…with a nice big sign and your name on it!
Here are eight day trips that work from the port, and how long to allow for each:
How long have you actually got?
That’s set by your cruise line rather than the port, so check your daily programme for the all-aboard time instead of guessing it.
It’s usually a fair bit earlier than the departure time. Most cruise days come out at about six hours ashore once you’ve allowed for getting off the ship and getting back.
Then take an hour off the front. The port asks you to allow about an hour from the moment your ship ties up for the first passengers to get off the berth, and on a big ship you could be well behind that.
Arrival times also get updated about 24 hours ahead, so a tour you booked weeks ago can shift by an hour either way.
What’s worth doing in and around Christchurch from a cruise ship?
More than most people expect. These allow for the drive both ways plus proper time to look around, so you’re not clock-watching.
If you’ve only got a few hours, the Christchurch highlights run is the one. It starts right on Lyttelton’s doorstep, so you’re not burning your day on the motorway.
| WHERE YOU’D GO | ALLOW | WHAT’S IN IT |
|---|---|---|
| Christchurch highlights, hop on hop off | 4 to 5 hours | Godley Head walkway, Governors Bay, city heights, back via Sumner Beach, and the Lyttelton market if your call falls on a Sunday. |
| Selwyn vineyards | 4 to 5 hours | Melton Estate and Straight 8. |
| Methven and Ōpuke Hot Pools | About 6 hours | Rakaia Gorge on the way through, then the pools. |
| Waipara vineyards | About 6 hours | Waipara Valley cellar doors. |
| Akaroa | About 6 hours | Dolphin watching, Shamarra Alpaca Farm, the harbour drive. |
| Canterbury plains and Rakaia Gorge | 6 to 8 hours | Jet boat with Discovery Jet, the gorge walkway, lunch at Methven. |
| Castle Hill and Highway 73 | About 6 hours | Cave Stream, Castle Hill, then a jet boat on the Waimak at Alpine Jet Thrills. |
| Hanmer Springs | 8 to 9 hours | The inland drive and the thermal pools. |
Can you create a tour specifically for children?
Yes. We’ll put a day together built around the kids, so they get a proper run around and you still get to see some sights in Christchurch while you’re here. Brad knows the city well and has kids of his own, so he knows which spots hold their attention and which ones are half an hour and a tantrum.
Depending on their ages, a kids’ day might take in:
- Margaret Mahy playground in the central city, free and big enough to lose an afternoon in
- Punting on the Avon, half an hour on the water through the Botanic Gardens
- Lunch at Riverside Markets in town, where everyone finds something they’ll eat
- Sumner Beach, with the splash pools and an ice cream
- Willowbank Wildlife Reserve for the kiwi, the native birds and the farmyard animals
- Orana Wildlife Park, where you can hand-feed the giraffes
- The International Antarctic Centre and its Hägglund ride
- The gondola up the Port Hills, where you can look back down on your own ship
Allow about five hours. Car seats are available too, so you don’t have to carry yours off the ship.
What does a private day trip cost?
Allow $30 to $50 a head for the transport on a full day out, or between $300 and $500 for the whole van if there are just two of you or a small group. It’s the same van either way, so a bigger group spreads the cost further. The vans are modern and air conditioned, and there’s bottled water for everyone aboard.
Anything you do once you’re there is on top: the jet boat, the dolphin cruise, cellar door tastings, the hot pools, lunch. You can book those yourself, or we’ll book them in advance for you, which saves you sorting it out from the ship.
If you’re not sure which trip suits, tell us your all-aboard time and roughly how far you feel like going, and we’ll tell you what’s realistic before you book anything.
Frequently asked questions
Can we do something shorter if we’ve only got a few hours?
Yes. The Christchurch highlights run works in four or five hours and stays local, taking in Godley Head, Governors Bay and Sumner Beach.
Can you build the day around what we want to see?
Yes. Most of our cruise work is put together to order, so tell us what you’re interested in and we’ll work out a route. The eight above are a starting point, not a fixed menu.
Where do we meet our driver?
On Norwich Quay, in Lyttelton township. There’s a free shuttle off the cruise berth that drops you there, near the Canterbury Street bus stop, and that’s where private tours wait.
ChristchurchNZ calls Norwich Quay the departure point for independent tours, meaning anything you’ve booked yourself rather than through the ship.
The shuttle into Lyttelton township is free, and it’s the one you want if you’re meeting us on Norwich Quay. It runs on demand through the day while your ship is in.
Friends and family can’t come into the port either, so they’ll meet you on Norwich Quay too. It works for drop-offs as well as pick-ups, which is the bit people forget on the way back.
What if our ship’s running late?
Arrival times get updated about 24 hours out, so a booking made weeks ago can move. If that happens we’ll be in touch with you directly, and we’ll either work out a shorter trip that fits the time you’ve got or refund you in full if you’ve already paid.
Do cruise ships still stop at Akaroa?
Yes, but only the small ones. Eight calls are booked for the 2026/27 season, all expedition or luxury ships. The bigger ships come into Lyttelton.
How many of us can you take?
Up to 20, across two vans. A smaller group gets a van to itself. There’s room for luggage either way.
Ready to book your tour?
If your ship’s calling at Lyttelton, give us a ring on 021 776 968 or send your ship, date and port hours through the contact form and we’ll put together a day that fits.
We run cruise ship excursion shuttles out of Lyttelton, and we know exactly how tight the back-to-ship timing has to be!
