After my short tour, I took evening flight from Wellington to Christchurch for around 50 minutes.
Christchurch is located in the South Island of New Zealand and the third most populous city after Auckland and Wellington. The founder John Robert Godley named the Christchurch after his Alma Mater Christ Church from Oxford, England.
My tour for Mount Cook was cancelled due to bad weather condition so I decided to go for a 2-day Christchurch city tour.
First attraction is the Christchurch Botanic Gardens was founded in 1863 with the area of 21 hectares. The garden is located in the city centre of Christchurch, open daily and the entrance is free.
Guided audio tour of the Gardens in electric shuttles is also available. The shuttle meeting point is at the museum gate outside the Visitor Centre.
Second attraction is Punting on The Avon inside the Botanic Gardens. The fee is NZD 30 for adults and NZD 15 for children and online booking is available on this link. Cruise the tranquil Avon River as the Punter who wears Edwardian will take you a boat ride for 3o minutes. See the ducks gliding on the water and seeing the beautiful surroundings while the guide is giving great commentary. In case you want to capture the moment, you can order the print photo after your tour with extra charges.
Third attraction is International Antarctic Centre, the world’s best Antarctic Attraction. From the Botanic Gardens they offer free shuttle service going to the Centre near the Christchurch International Airport. Ticket price for adult is NZD 59 and NZD 29 for children, online booking is available on this link.
Christchurch is one of the five cities in world known as the gateway to Antarctica. The other four cities are Cape Town in South Africa, Hobart in Australia, Punta Arenas in Chile and Ushuaia in Argentina. Experience to be chilled in Antarctic storm room, see the little penguins, watch the ice tour in 4D theatre and get your adrenalin rush in all-terrain vehicle tour.
Fourth attraction is Christchurch Gondola located in Heathcote Valley, 20 minutes’ drive from the Botanic Gardens. If you want to take shuttle, Gondola Shuttle operates daily, the roundtrip ticket cost is NZD 10 for adults and NZD 5 for children. While Gondola cost NZD 30 for adults and NZD 15 for children, online booking is available on this link. Gondola is 1,000 meters in length offering unique 360 views. Enjoy the views of Canterbury Plains to Southern Alps and Banks Peninsula from the summit. Shop at the top or take a snack at Red Rock Café. See the history of Canterbury through time tunnel experience.
Fifth attraction is Christchurch Tram, another avenue to discover Christchurch. You can hop on or hop off within the 17 stops and the full loop is 50 minutes. Ticket cost for adult is NZD 25 and the child are free up to 3 adult, online booking on this link.
Sixth attraction is 185 Empty Chairs, a memorial for those 185 persons who lose their lives in 2011 6.3 magnitude earthquake. The city was affected by earthquake as a result around 1,500 buildings were demolished in the city and started the restoration and rebuilding project.
Seventh attraction is the Sumner Beach located at The Esplanade. Walk down the beach and climb the Cave Rock known as “Tuawera” by the Maoris. Shops and restaurants are also available in the beachfront.
Eight attraction is the port town of Canterbury, Lyttelton, 20 minutes’ drive from the centre of Christchurch city. The first European settlers landed here in 1850 before establishing their homes over the Port Hills.
Ninth attraction is the Cracroft Reserve Lookout at the Cashmere Hills with the elevation of 197 meters. Enjoy the Panoramic view of Christchurch, the Canterbury Plains and the Southern Alps.
That was my lovely tour in New Zealand, time to go to the airport to catch my flight to Fiji. See you on My Travel Diary Webseries Part 6
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