Christchurch to Queenstown One-Way Tour via Mt Cook & Lake Tekapo

What‘s Included

Reviews

• Very nice experience

  Suzanne M,Sep 4, 2024

  4.0

  The only negative thing I can report is that the driver for the second part of our trip was driving extremely fast. The weather was cold and raining and he was not driving safely, especially considering the weather conditions. The sites and excursion were very nice otherwise.

• Disappointed

  Robert S,Mar 29, 2024

  2.0

  We had a decent overall tour but there were a few things that could have been improved. We had to cancel our Alpine Flying tour at Mt Cook due to weather (no one’s fault obviously) but the clouds parted so we could at least get some nice photos of the mountain. The van itself was very cramped which made for a very long day but there were several stops which helped a little. There were bags of snacks (chips, cookies, chocolate, water, soda) on each seat when we got on the van at 6:30am and then they gave us each a lunch bag at our first stop around 9:30am. Therefore, each of us were trying to manage 2 bags of food in a very cramped bus so it was very uncomfortable for a few hours. And the sandwiches were getting greasy by the time we wanted to actually eat our lunch after we’d been holding them in our laps for a couple of hours. Plus, there was confusion over the van/driver swap outs at Mt Cook (one tour company takes you from Christchurch to Mt Cook and then a different company, driver and van takes you to Queenstown) which led to delays leaving Mt Cook. Overall, it was just a little messy and felt more like we were trying to survive rather than enjoy the trip by the time we got to Queenstown 13 hrs later. Next time I would fly from Christchurch to Queenstown instead.

• RELAX & ENJOY THE VIEW

  Sheila B,Mar 16, 2024

  5.0

  We wanted to see some of this gorgeous scenery without hiring a car, and this tour was exactly what we wanted. Guide Dianna was delightful picking us up & taking us through the first half of the tour. We were then transferred to the care of Jeff who carried us into Queenstown & took each of us to our hotels. Both guides were fantastic- knowledgeable, caring & friendly towards everyone. There was room for luggage as well. This tour was the best way for us to enjoy the breathtaking scenery & hear stories of the history of this region. I highly recommend this tour!

• Fantastic day!

  Sandra C,Mar 15, 2024

  5.0

  Both of our drivers/guides had lots of local knowledge to share as we travelled from the East to West Coast (Christchurch to Queenstown). We stopped at the famous Fairlie Bakery for a cofee/treats and this is where we picked up our lunch bags filled with delicious food. Lots of photo stops along the way to capture the amazing and changing scenery. We had a 2 hour plus at Mt Cook which allowed time for walking or chilling out (your choice). We changed buses to continue our trip to Queenstown. We stopped at a salmon farm and our last stop was at a fruit shop with the yummiest ice cream. Highly recommended!

• Pleasant up to Mt Cook but do your homework

  Carolyn W,Feb 2, 2024

  4.0

  Level expectations and you'll be fine. It is a good route to take for those short on time and cannot return to Christchurch again. Highlights of the tour are awesome sights. This is 2 separate trips - Christchurch to Mt Cook, Mt. Cook to Christchurch. The first leg was better although we could not hear the dirver/guide for most of the time. It was the first leg that we got what we paid for, including lunch. The 2nd leg was by a driver/guide who could not wait to be done with the trip. The news of a tragic crash reached the drivers while we were viisting Mt. Cook. The first driver said that it will be hours for the road to be cleared so we thought we will be requested to stay put at Hermitage Hotel until updated further about the crash. However, he said, it is up to the 2nd driver. The 2nd driver did not have good judgement and decided to just leave Mt. Cook anyway. As a result, we were stuck on the road for 3 hours ---not much to see, no toilets. The tourists who made up the small group are to be praised for their patence. Updates on the crash was mainlly through another tourist's phone, rather than the guide's.