Lyttelton Shore Excursion - Guided Walking Tour and Picnic
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
Escape the crowds and enjoy an incredible day in the great outdoors, on this stunning guided Crater Rim Walk. Lyttelton Harbour is nestled inside an extinct volcano crater. You will be met at Lyttleton Port by your guide, and transported in a 12-seater van to Sumner Beach for hot drinks at a cafe overlooking the ocean.
Godley Head Loop Track is undoubtedly one of the best hikes in Christchurch, an undulating track with breathtaking coastal views, historic WW2 landmarks, and quaint little beaches. The distance is approximately 8 km / 5 miles, taking around 3 hours to walk, with lots of time to stop and enjoy the scenery.
Morning tea is served at Godley Head, followed by a picnic lunch at Boulder Bay, a secluded beach looking out over Pegasus Bay, and the majestic Southern Alps. Seals, dolphins, and birds are often spotted.
After the walk, your guide will return you to Lyttleton Port, or if time allows you will also have the option of being dropped into Christchurch City to explore.
Additional Info
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 meeting your guide at Lyttelton Port, you will be transported in a 12-seater van to Sumner Beach (approximately 10 minutes drive), where you will enjoy a hot drink on the deck of a seaside cafe overlooking the ocean and Cave Rock. This is a beautiful landmark and a great start to the day.
Taylors Mistake - Awaroa / Godley Head Walk
Your next stop is Taylors Mistake beach (10 minutes drive), a beautiful black sand surf beach, with quaint little baches. Here your guide will hand out backpacks, poles, lunch, water bottles, and snacks, and prepare you for the walk.
What‘s Included
Local guide
Walking poles
Snacks
Lunch
Port pickup
Coffee and/or Tea
Transport by air-conditioned minivan
Gratuities
Options
Guided Walk and Picnic
Duration: 5 hours: The best choice for Lyttleton cruise guests! We will meet you at the port, and return you to either Lyttelton or the city.
Picnic: Morning tea, lunch, and water is provided, along with coffee/tea at a cafe on the way to the start of our walk.
Path of the Gods: Lyttelton to Sumner, Godley Head, then you can choose to be dropped back to Lyttelton or into Christchurch City to explore.
12 seater Van: Air conditioned
Pickup included
Reviews
60 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Crater trek
phyllis s,,Feb 22, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This is a small group hiking opportunity through the beautiful countryside around the Lyttleton area. The hike is around the top of a large crater that helps form Lyttleton and the area. Herb and Vicki were great guides, and provided local information and historical information relevant to the area. There are several steeper ups and downs that have to be accomplished on the hike. We were able to take these at our own pace with Vicki taking care that we were with the group. I would recommend this hike for people that are in pretty good walking/hiking shape.
Zero stress all fun hiking tour!
JonB290,,Feb 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had an excellent excursion with Nicole and Dee on our crater rim walk. Skip the cruise tours and sign up for this one. It's zero stress and all fun. You'll get a drive around Christchurch and just the right amount of trail hiking with all the accessories you'll need and excellent tour guides. All the other reviews are spot on. It's a beautiful hike and the communication beforehand makes it easy to arrange.
Unforgettable day run by a fabulous crew with beautiful scenery
OnAir35296980706,,Feb 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had the best day walking the Crater Rim. We could not have asked for a better guide with Nikuru. She was just a lovely person, very knowledgeable about the area and was fine with stopping whenever we wanted a drink or to take a photo. Nicole prepared a beautiful lunch and morning tea for us. If you like walking and beautiful scenery I cannot recommend this tour highly enough. The scenery is incredible. Not only did we have a beautiful day, Crater Rim Walks were fabulous to deal with from start to finish. Thank you so much for a wonderful day. 😊
Great experience and hike with Dee. Just beautiful!
phmeyer,,Jan 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing views and hike with Dee. Communication and transportation was wonderful. Don’t hesitate to book with them!
Fantastic hiking excursion!
Kristen W,,Jan 10, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Of all the tours we took in New Zealand, this was undoubtedly our favorite. The day started with a visit to a wonderful coffee shop on the beach before being transported to the hiking area. The hike itself was absolutely beautiful. We are active and in our 40s and did not have any difficulties with the hike, but there are rolling hills that might not be suitable for all. There was time to go at your own pace and stopping points where the guides would teach us about the area. We had two amazing guides who could not have been better - they were informative, conversational, attentive, and ensured that everyone in the group was progressing through the hike. They were also very thoughtful about taking photos of guests (even from a distance) and sending them to each guest. They certainly helped make the trip very enjoyable. In addition, the picnic lunch was delicious. A pleasant surprise is that we were given a reusable water bottle that served as a souvenir. Finally, we had a great group to hike with that make the excursion that much more enjoyable. I realize that is a factor that cannot be controlled but it was a bonus! Overall, this was an absolute gem of an excursion and highly recommended!
Super fun day in a wonderful part of NZ
Andrea B,,Dec 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful experience. The guide was professional and extremely accommodating. She adapted the tour to our needs and made the hike very enjoyable even with our lazy 7 year old son. Highly recommended!
Christchurch tour and hike
KristalC26,,Nov 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Dee was fantastic! Not only did she take us on a beautiful hike but was also very flexible when our 7 year old was not feeling well. I highly recommend this tour and also tour company they went above and beyond to make our day in Christchurch spectacular!!
Excellent experience
shannonc761,,Nov 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The hike was incredibly scenic and our guides Heidi and Herb were knowledgeable and enthusiastic. There were a mix of paces within our group which the guides handled well.
Cruise Excursion - booked directly with a family business
MrsFrogg,,Apr 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had the most fabulous day out! We were cruise passengers and easily met the group to join a comfortable van for our journey. First stop, a coffee shop literally on the beach. Our first taste of excellent NZ coffee we had heard so much about. From there, we journeyed to the start of the hiking trail. It was magnificent and our guides could not have been better. Our group had various fitness levels and they were able to accommodate those who needed to lag a bit behind without hindering the rest of us. We were provided a packed lunch which we ate at tables along the way; it was an excellent lunch of Japanese coleslaw and something baked with sweet potato and veggies. At the end of the hike, we had a few extra minutes and I was able to tip my toes into the icy water on the black sand each - it felt amazing. Our guides gave us great information about the area, plus other advice we requested about NZ. Top marks from us! We are regular cruise passengers, but always seek out independent businesses to support. We get a small group experience rather than a crowded tour bus. This was perfect.
A great way to explore the Banks Peninsula
In206,,Apr 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We loved this tour with Nicole. The perfect blend of informative and friendly. The scenery was breathtaking and the tour was very well planned out. They have thought of it all when it comes to what you needed for the day. Walking sticks, a handy backpack to carry a delicious healthy prepared lunch, fresh fruit, and protein bites. The tour also included a souvenir New Zealand water canteen that we were able to keep. This was one of the most thought out and thoughtful tours we have ever been on.
From NZ$300.00
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Operated by Crater Rim Walks