Christchurch Tours & Activities | Backpackers World Travel

Christchurch Tours and Activities

Most people treat Christchurch as a place to land and leave. They're wrong. The city has genuinely interesting things going on, a food and coffee scene that punches well above its size, and some of the best day trips on the South Island sitting right on its doorstep.

Give it two nights minimum and it'll stop feeling like a transit stop.

The city itself

Christchurch sits on the edge of the Canterbury Plains with the Southern Alps to the west and the Pacific to the east. The Port Hills rise directly behind the city and Lyttelton Harbour sits just over the other side of them, which tells you something about how compact and accessible the geography is here.

The central city has been rebuilt and reimagined over the past decade and a half in ways that most cities never get the chance to attempt. The result is a mix of restored heritage buildings, purpose-built new architecture, and a street art scene that started as a response to empty lots and became genuinely world-noted. The cardboard cathedral is still there. So is Re:START, the container mall that became a symbol of the rebuild and stuck around because it worked.

Things worth your actual time

Hagley Park is 165 hectares of green space right in the centre of the city, with the Christchurch Botanic Gardens running through the middle of it. Free to walk, properly beautiful in spring and autumn, and a good antidote to a long overnight bus or flight.

The Gondola up to the top of the Port Hills gives you a view across the Canterbury Plains on one side and Lyttelton Harbour on the other. Worth it on a clear day. The Summit Road walk up there is also good if you'd rather earn the view.

Lyttelton is 15 minutes from the city centre through the tunnel and has a small-town port vibe, good weekend markets, and better food than you'd expect. Easy half-day trip from the CBD.

Day trips from Christchurch

Akaroa is 90 minutes out on the Banks Peninsula, a French-settled harbour town with Hector's dolphins in the bay (the smallest dolphin species in the world, and they live here). Day trips run regularly and are one of the most popular add-ons for people based in Christchurch.

Kaikōura is two hours north and is where you go to see sperm whales year-round and swim with dusky dolphins. It's also on the train line from Christchurch, which makes it one of the few scenic rail trips in Aotearoa New Zealand that's actually worth the ticket.

Christchurch as a base for the South Island

Most South Island hop-on hop-off bus passes start or finish in Christchurch, and most South Island guided tours use it as the departure point. The international airport connects directly to Australia and several Asian hubs, which makes it a practical entry and exit point for the whole South Island trip.

Browse Christchurch activities above, or get in touch if you want help building out your South Island itinerary from here.

How many days do I need in Christchurch?

Two nights is the sweet spot for most travellers. One full day for the city itself (Botanic Gardens, street art, the Port Hills Gondola) and a second day for a day trip to Akaroa or Kaikōura. One night is doable if you're on a tight schedule, but you'll feel like you only half-saw it.

What is Christchurch known for?

It's the South Island's main gateway city and the largest urban centre on the island. It's known for Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens, its post-earthquake rebuild and street art scene, proximity to Akaroa and Kaikōura, and as the starting or finishing point for most South Island travel itineraries.

Is Christchurch worth visiting on its own or just as a stopover?

Both, genuinely. Most people arrive as a stopover and find it more interesting than expected. The rebuild has created a city with a distinct character that's hard to find anywhere else in Aotearoa New Zealand. That said, the surrounding region is where the real drawcards are, so a couple of nights in the city plus a day trip or two is the ideal formula.

What are the best day trips from Christchurch?

Akaroa (90 minutes, Banks Peninsula, Hector's dolphins) and Kaikōura (2 hours, sperm whales, dolphin swimming) are the two most popular and both earn the drive. Arthur's Pass in the Southern Alps is also worth a day if you want mountain scenery and short alpine walks. All three are doable as day trips from Christchurch without needing to book accommodation.

How do I get from Christchurch to Queenstown?

You can fly (about an hour), take a bus (around 8 hours direct, longer on a hop-on hop-off pass with stops), or drive via State Highway 8 through the Mackenzie Basin past Lake Tekapo and Lake Pūkaki (around 5 hours and genuinely worth doing at least once). The drive route past Aoraki/Mount Cook is one of the better road trips on the South Island. A South Island bus pass will cover the bus option with stops built in.

Is Christchurch a good base for skiing?

Reasonable one. Mount Hutt is the closest ski area at about 90 minutes from the city, and it's one of the better ski fields in the South Island with a long season typically running June to October. Porters and Temple Basin are also within range. For world-class skiing you'd want to base yourself in Queenstown or Wānaka, but for a day on the snow without going far, Christchurch works fine.