What To Expect

What‘s Included

Reviews

• Great views of the Southern Alps and other sites

  c1ph3rd,Mar 22, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Some great views of the Southern Alps. Jess was fun, informative, punctual, and energetic. The tour hit all the spots I wanted to see. The stairs up to the Devil’s Punchbowl are numerous, but worth it! The views out the train are stunning

• nice tour guide, good sights, well planned

  MomboHeb,Mar 20, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  John was an exceptional tour guide. He was kind, knowledgeable, and accommodating. it was really clear that we just got blessed to spend the whole day with a nice man, and the itinerary was terrific and just a perfect day.

• Day out to remember

  Pamela F,Mar 15, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Jet boat experience can only be done for minimum of two in a tour bus party. South alps visited only have snowy peaks at certain times of the year.

• Fantastic scenery and a relaxing train journey home

  William H,Mar 14, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Small tour of 16 people. Very friendly and guide was very helpful. All ran like clockwork. Stops allowed us to take in the wonderful scenery and the train back to Christchurch was very comfortable. It had a bar so I could relax and have a well-earned beer whilst watching the fantastic scenery pass by. Very good value.

• Great

  Janine K,Mar 12, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  4.00

  Great day trip. Mark’s commentary was interesting & welcome.

• Day trip

  rosalindw821,Mar 12, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  4.00

  John our driver was very friendly, there was a good crowd size. Overall the experience was great.

• Our tour guide John was...

  MaryJo W,Mar 10, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Our tour guide John was engaging, informative and entertaining. Travelling through the Alps at the end of the summer was pretty, but I kept imagining how dramatic this scenery would be during the spring with the mountains snow capped and the rivers running full. It was nice to be able to take in the changing landscapes and not having to worry about the driving. The jet boat ride, offered for a fee, was fun and a nice addition to the trip. The return train ride was a relaxing, slow and scenic way to end the day.

• A great day out in spite of the weather and the traffic!

  johncT2717PJ,Mar 7, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  If you’re planning to enjoy a few days in Christchurch, then a trip to Arthur’s Pass should be on your list. We drove through the beautiful Southern Alps and saw spectacular scenery all the way in spite of the cloudy and occasionally rainy weather, which did curtail some of the walking options. Our guide Paul was friendly and efficient as well as knowledgeable and informative. The rocky outcrops at Castle Hill were amazing, some of the strangest formations we have ever seen. Close to the top we were interrupted by traffic delays due to coinciding with the Coast-to-Coast bicycle event, (perhaps better to skip that day next year!) but Paul kept his cool and worked through it. But the most memorable part of the trip was the visit to Alpine Jet Thrills. To sign up for a ride is an optional extra as it is quite expensive and may not be for everyone, but we had to give it a go, and we were so glad we did. We enjoyed a terrific ride along the Waimakariri river. In between the thrills of a fast and exciting shallow-water ride which included several high-speed turns we learned a lot from our pilot about the actions of weather and earthquakes on the river and its steep sides. We had lunch at the small town of Arthur’s Pass and then a long train trip home on the TranzAlpine scenic train. All together a most enjoyable and unforgettable day.

  

  

  

  

• Great day out, very well organised.

  Elizabeth W,Mar 7, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Very enjoyable day, our guide John, was really delightful. We had 3 stops on the way to Arthur's Pass, all good experiences. Learnt about Hamilton and the invention of the jet engine, saw all the very large limestone ar Castle village and had time to enjoy a drink and take photos of the Kea at Arthur's Pass before getting the train back to Chrustchurch.

• Mark was a very...

  Michael C,Mar 6, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  4.00

  Mark was a very knowledgeable and informative tour bus driver providing a great deal of insight regarding the various sites along the way to Arthur’s Pass. Maybe could have skipped the first stop which was a plug for jet boating but otherwise an excellent tour.

• Load more reviews