Inland Canterbury & Castle Hill Tour (Lyttelton Shore Excursion)
Description
This scenic small-group tour includes lunch, transport, and a local guide to Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti. Visit country towns, mountain passes, alpine lakes, and the amazing boulder fields at Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti—a day trip from Christchurch City into the mountains and back again. Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti is an amazing labyrinth of giant limestone boulders. The area is rich with cultural and recreational significance and has been granted Tōpuni status, “a symbolic cloak of protection.” Your guide will show you around. If you like, you can try bouldering and test your climbing skills or use your time to explore the endless maze of boulders.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit the small farming town of Darfield. and get an inside to rural life in New Zealand.
Stop for morning Tea in the quant township of Springfield. Famous for its oversized Donut sculpture that was donated to the town as a publicity stunt for the release of the cartoon movie 'The Simpsons Movie'.
Explore the natural beauty of Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti Senic reserve. Your guide will show you around the maze of massive limestone boulders. We will have a picnic lunch here inamounst the rocks.
Drive through the city centre and see Christchurch City on your way through town.
Drive from Port to Mountains following "The Great Alpine Highway" also known as State Highway 73. Along the way you will pass through Christchurch, small farming towns and over an alpine pass before reaching Castle Hill, Kura Tawhiti.
Photograph opportunity.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Travel time is included in the tour duration.
Reviews(5)
Castle Hill is the perfect day trip from Lyttelton/Christchurch for visitors looking for unique and awe-inspiring natural rock formations while in New Zealand (especially if you don't have enough time to drive further out to Mount Sunday/Somers or other parts of the Southern Alps). And "Adventure by Nature" was the only tour company that could fit in a solo traveler like me (had to join a group of other guests, of course) without breaking my budget. (Other tours required a booking of at least 4 people or an exorbitant private guide fee.) Castle Hill (Kura Tawhiti) is about a 2-hour drive outside of the main city, but we had short stops at Darfield (for a bathroom break) at Lake Lyndon (for a picnic lunch) and Springfield (to visit a giant donut statue donated by The Simpsons cartoon). The drive through Canterbury was also pretty scenic, passing by farmland and sheep grazing areas. Credit to our extremely fit tour guide/driver Sophie, who carried all of our lunches and desserts while climbing the limestone cliffs of Castle Hill (Kura Tawhiti) along with us. (My only suggestion here: supply individual water bottles for each person--that each can carry themselves--instead of asking everyone to drink from the same thermos.) It also got pretty hot and sunny fairly quickly in Canterbury, despite the chilly morning in Lyttelton/Christchurch. A warning to wear sunscreen and protective hats/umbrellas before starting the hike would have been advisable. Sophie allowed us a good 2 hours to explore Castle Hill, which I greatly appreciated. (Most other day tours would only afford you 30-45 minutes tops to explore a site like this.) The limestone rock formations of Kura Tawhiti are definitely worth spending as much time to admire as possible; the YouTube videos do not do them justice! Transportation from/to the Norwich Quay (just outside the Lyttelton cruise berth) was also appreciated, so that guests like us wouldn't have to waste time finding our way into Christchurch.
Thank you for the detailed review. I am so glad you enjoyed your visit to Kura Tawhiti/Castle Hill with Sophie. It is really such a special place to visit. I will pass on your kind words to Sophie; she will be very pleased to receive another nice review. Kind regards Alan
This tour included a round trip through Canterbury Plains to sacred Maora rock formations. It included lots of elevated hiking which you should be prepared for. Be sure to bring your water bottles because none were provided for our group. The views were fabulous the driving speed to and from was scary to say the least! As far as recommending, maybe.
I’m sorry to hear that your walk around Castle Hill was more strenuous than expected. There are many options inside the park, and it is the guide's responsibility to monitor the group and make necessary adjustments. However, it seems that this may not have happened in your case. I appreciate you bringing your concerns about driving to our attention, as we take these matters very seriously. If we are not informed, we cannot address them effectively. We really do value your feedback and have already discussed your concerns with your guide. Additionally, we have implemented a training plan to ensure she meets our expectations while guiding for Adventure By Nature. I hope you enjoy the rest of the cruise around New Zealand. Kind regards Alan Haslip (owner)
Absolutely wonderful way to spend the day in New Zealand Littleton Port. Great to get away from the coastal towns and cities and see the countryside. The large rocks are quite amazing.
Good Morning, Marijo. Thank you for posting this review for others to read. The rocks really are an amazing feature of the landscape. I'm glad you enjoyed the day.
Our guide Gemma was knowledgeable about the geography and Māori culture. She was considerate of our interests and our capabilities. Castle Hill is both interesting geologically and culturally. Also fun to see people bouldering. The panoramic views along the way are breathtaking. Viking has dropped Lyttelton shuttle do best to arrange Christ church pick up.
Thanks for posting this wonderful and informative review. I have passed on your kind word to Gemma ;-)
Had an incredible time, our guide Nathanael was very accommodating and knowledgeable. Highly recommend this tour!
Hi Quinn, I much appreciate your review.
