Private Tour
Luxury Private Guided Crater Rim Walk on Banks Peninsula
Overview
Available languages
6 hours
Mobile ticket
Enjoy a stunning guided walk with a touch of luxury. Your experienced local guide will collect you from Christchurch in a private vehicle and take you on a scenic 20-minute drive to Sumner, the city’s charming seaside suburb. Here you’ll enjoy hot drinks at a local café overlooking the ocean, while hearing fascinating stories about Christchurch’s history.
From Sumner, it’s a short 10-minute drive to Taylors Mistake Beach, where your walk begins. The 8km trail follows the Crater Rim, the edge of an ancient volcanic caldera, offering breathtaking views across the rugged Pacific coastline, Pegasus Bay, and the often snow-capped Southern Alps. Along the way, visit historic WWII coastal defense sites and an Antarctic cabin used for expedition training.
A gourmet picnic lunch is served at a picturesque spot with panoramic views. Total walking time is approximately 3-4 hours, with a relaxed 30-minute lunch break, before returning to Christchurch City in the afternoon.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Sumner Beach (Cave Rock)
After being picked up by your private guide in an SUV, head to Sumner Beach for hot drinks at our local seaside suburb. Sit out on the deck admiring the ocean and Cave Rock.
Taylors Mistake - Awaroa / Godley Head Walk
A beautiful black sand surf beach, with quaint little baches is the starting point of our walking track. Your guide will provide walking poles, bags, lunch, snacks and water before you set off.
What‘s Included
Bottled water
Walking poles
Transport by luxury SUV
Snacks
Lunch
Private local guide
Hotel pickup
Coffee and/or Tea
Gratuities
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Luxury Private Crater Rim Walk
Duration: 6 hours
Lunch, hot drinks, water
Luxury SUV
Luxury Crater Rim Walk: The perfect choice if you would like a private guide, to walk at your own pace, a luxury SUV, and a gourmet picnic lunch.
Pickup included
Reviews
31 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Godley Head Loop Hike
kgr354,,Jan 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We thoroughly enjoyed our culm day hike with Flick! What an excellent guide, and she is such a people person! Her knowledge of the surrounding area and history was fantastic. She let us set the pace to our ability and made the day fun, while we got great exercise! Truly enjoyed!
An unforgettable start to our New Zealand adventure
Sabine R,,Jan 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What an absolutely amazing hike! The crater rim walk offered some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever experienced, and it was the perfect way to begin our visit to New Zealand. Our guide Heidi was absolutely fantastic - her knowledge, enthusiasm, and warmth made the entire experience even more special. She brought the landscape to life with her insights and made sure everyone felt comfortable and engaged throughout the trek. The views from the crater rim were breathtaking, and the whole experience set the tone for what we knew would be an incredible trip. We can only recommend Crater Rim Walks✨
Fun and informative
B8399RTsusanl,,Jan 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We were welcomed by the owner of the company who was lovely. she picked us up on time with a very clean vehicle. She was well equipped with walking sticks a small pack and a wonderful picnic Lunch. She was very knowledgeable and fun. She went at our pace (fast) and took lots of great pictures. I would highly recommend this tour company. Excellent experience! Class act!
Great experience for the whole family! Very thoughtful curation of all the details. Highly recommend!
820chandran,,Jan 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a fantastic hike for our family! Easily got the heart rate up but never uncomfortable. Our guide, Kate was lovely person to talk with. She was very knowledgeable about the area, including plants and birds. She was thoughtful about getting group pictures in the most beautiful places. The lunch she provided was very tasty. A very enjoyable first day in Christchurch!
Great hike near Christchurch
michaelsR8347HI,,Dec 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful day with Kate Beautiful walk for about 4 hours Kate was informative and looked after us Recommended to see amazing views
great hike with amazing views
shelleyae,,Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00On a cool crisp sunny day in spring, Heidi, our wonderful guide escorted us up and down the trail from Taylor’s Mistake to Boulder Bay. (Godly Head hike). For those of you who are not used to hiking, it is a very doable hike. There are a few steep inclines but generally easy. we were able to set our own pace. (We were a group of four 70 year olds.) Heidi was very informative about the history of the area as well as flora and fauna info and she provided snacks and a delicious lunch! I highly recommend this hike if you are spending a few days in Christ Church!
Wonderful experience
927jodyf,,Oct 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a wonderful hike with Helen. She was very friendly and informative. She walked at our pace and made the experience very worthwhile.
Highly recommend The Crater Walk
cindyaG9040MK,,Oct 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We had a wonderful day exploring Christchurch with our guide. The views were absolutely beautiful, and we loved learning about the city’s history. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, engaging, and made the experience so enjoyable. We also shared plenty of laughs along the way, which made the day even more memorable. Highly recommend!
Awesome hiking with Nicole
Inspire19062725461,,Aug 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an awesome trip with our guide Nicole. Even though the weather was cold and raining Nicole made the trek enjoyable and memorable. We highly recommend her and will definitely use her again.
Fantastic hiking tour!
Christie W,,Apr 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a fantastic experience on the Crater Rim walking tour! We had perfect weather for our hiking / walking tour and Nicole, our tour guide, was amazing! We were very fortunate to have bonus views of the snow-covered Southern Alps from a snow storm in the mountains the evening before - from our views on Godly Head, the mountains were clearly visible and absolutely spectacular! Nicole was extremely knowledgeable of the area and shared a lot of interesting information - and provided a tasty lunch picnic & snacks along our trek! We highly recommend this tour!
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