Mt Cook Small Group Day Tour via Lake Tekapo From Christchurch

Overview

Available languages

German

English

Italian

French

Spanish

13 hours 30 minutes

Mobile ticket

Escape the Garden City for a day trip that’ll blow your socks off! Our Mt Cook, Tekapo and Tasman Glacier Day Tour from Christchurch allows you to adventure through the best of the Mackenzie Country, without any of the admin. We want you to SEE MORE, DO MORE and SPEND LESS!

You’ll travel in a carbon-neutral vehicle that doesn’t skimp on modern needs (think full air-conditioning, USB chargers and WiFi!) whilst exploring Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki, the Ben Ohau Range and the sites from Lord of the Rings. We know all of this adventuring will make you hungry, so we’ve included lunch at the historic Hermitage Hotel. Don’t let the jaw-dropping views distract you from your epic local eats!

We’ll head back to where we began in Christchurch after a day of seeing the best of the best, allowing you to continue off on your adventures, wherever they may take you! Get amongst this 100% Kiwi As experience - we can’t wait to have you on board.

PLEASE NOTE: This tour is 13.5hrs long and not flexible

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

WiFi on board

Pre packed lunch is included from Fairlie Bakehouse

Air-conditioned vehicle

Eco friendly bottled water is supplied

Pick up and Drop off

Doc concession

Local snacks are included onboard throughout the day. Get the full kiwi expereince

Activities such as helicopter and boat trips

This tour is not recommended for infants

The walks are not guided

Options

Mt Cook Small Group Day Tour via Lake Tekapo From Christchurch

Pickup included

Reviews

4.46

188 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

137

We had great trip and...
Surendhren M,
May 3, 2025
- Viator
5.00
We had great trip and never experienced such a natural beauty. Weather was fantastic and we managed to Mount cook in her full beauty. Guide Phil was helpful
Beautiful Sights, but Inefficient Time Management
Darina M,
Apr 28, 2025
- Viator
2.00
Overall, the tour was satisfactory — our guide was nice, he was giving background info, and we managed to visit all the planned locations. However, we were left rather disappointed due to the lack of efficient time management. Throughout the day, we constantly felt rushed, without clear guidance on how much time we could spend at each stop (the schedule provided on the website was not throughly followed). For example, after stopping at a bakery, we were told we had about 10 minutes to buy and eat food, leaving no time to sit down for a coffee (understandably, drinks were not allowed in the van). This was the only stop for food/ drinks on the way! The driver kept re-parking, and at one point, we had to run for him in order to catch up. At each of the two lakes, we again had only 10 minutes — not nearly enough time to properly walk around, sit down, or take in the scenery. We had to choose between enjoying the view, taking photos, or visiting the restrooms. While our tour guide told us we would have a lunch stop at a café later, this did not happen. Instead, most people ended up eating the provided sandwiches inside the van on the way to the next hike. Personally, I would have appreciated an opportunity to sit outside and enjoy a relaxed meal (even for ten minutes), especially since the weather was pleasantly sunny and we had been on the move since 6 AM. In the evening, we returned to Christchurch earlier than expected (around 18:40–19:00), and although the driver kindly dropped us off at our hotel, we wished to be back around 20:00–21:00 and enjoy the views for a bit longer. Coming from Europe, we had hoped to make the most of the day, especially since we couldn’t hire a car ourselves. A clear, consistently followed schedule would have helped manage expectations and improve the experience. We understand there are rules about driving after dark and required driver breaks — perhaps this could be addressed by arranging for two drivers to alternate shifts/ segments of the route.
Worth the trip!
mccarthyclara52,
Apr 25, 2025
- Viator
4.00
This was a very interesting and fun trip with plenty of beautiful scenery and photo opportunities along the way. However, the walking time felt a bit rushed as we needed to get back to Christchurch. I think we wouldn't have had time to do the Hooker Valley walk even if we were able to.
Excellent tour. However,...
Joseph K,
Apr 22, 2025
- Viator
5.00
Excellent tour. However, it would have been ideal to be allocated more time to experience Mount Cook.
Great
njhayhurst,
Apr 14, 2025
- Viator
5.00
Brilliant tour, lovely guide, very knowledgable and gave great insight. However, hookah valley track was closed that day.