Take an aerial journey on the Christchurch Gondola to the Port Hills crater rim and Mt Cavendish summit. At the summit complex — revamped since the 2011 earthquake — you’re rewarded with views of the cityscape, the Canterbury Plains and Lyttelton Harbour. Upgrade for admission to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens including a caterpillar bus tour, or go punting by flat-bottomed boat on the Avon River.

See the dramatically changed cityscape of Christchurch
Catch glimpses of the Southern Alps, Canterbury Plains and Lyttelton Harbour
Explore the surrounding nature walks around the crater rim
Upgrade to the combo tour options including Christchurch Botanic Gardens or a ride along the Avon River

What's Included

30-minute Avon River punt ride (if option selected at time of booking)

Transport to/from the attractions
Food and drinks

Departure & Return

Departure Point

Christchurch Gondola, Summit Road, Heathcote Valley, Christchurch 8022, New Zealand
Public transport brings you directly to the Christchurch Gondola

Departure Time

10:00 AM

Return Details

This activity will end right where it started.

What To Expect

Take in the city views from Mt Cavendish after a 10-minute scenic ride aboard the Christchurch Gondola. (Frequent shuttle bus service (own expense) will take you from the city center to the gondola base station.) As you ascend to the Port Hills crater summit, enjoy a panoramic vista of Lyttelton Harbour all the way to the snowcapped Southern Alps and Canterbury Plains. When you reach the top, watch a video about the geologic and human history of Christchurch at the Time Tunnel.

Gondola Ride and Botanic GardensTour the Christchurch Botanic Gardens aboard the electric caterpillar shuttle, hopping on and off as you please to stroll through the rose garden, visit the tropical greenhouse and more. Knowledgeable garden staff are on hand to answer any questions you have.

Gondola Ride and Avon River PuntingGlide along the Avon River in a punt as a punter, traditionally dressed in straw hat and blazer, propels the flat-bottomed boat past the Christchurch Botanic Gardens as well as boat sheds, tree-lined banks and riverside paths. Blankets and umbrellas are provided to enhance the romantic setting.

Christchurch Gondola

One of Christchurch’s most popular attractions is back in action! There are frequent shuttle bus services (not included) that will take you from the city center to the gondola base station, where you start your 10-minute scenic ride on the gondola to the top of Mt Cavendish. Take in views over the city of Christchurch, damaged but recovering from the 2011 earthquake, and see all the way to the snowcapped Southern Alps and Canterbury Plains. As you rise more than half a mile (almost a kilometer) to the crater summit, the suburbs of Christchurch recede below you and panoramic views take in Lyttelton Harbour ringed by the green Port Hills. From up here it’s easy to see how the harbor was formed by a collapsed volcanic crater. At the summit, ride the Time Tunnel to see a video of Christchurch, its history, people and volatile geology. Enjoy a snack or meal at the newly opened Red Rock Cafe (not included), featuring a new pastry chef and menu, and browse the Shop at the Top retail experience. Having seen Christchurch from above, see its famous trees and flowers up close by adding a tour of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. Ride around the gardens on the electric Caterpillar shuttle, getting on and off whenever you like. Ask the knowledgeable garden staff questions about the historic gardens’ plants and landscaping as you visit the tropical greenhouse, stroll through the rose garden and hear the Peace Bell chime. Or add a cruise on the Avon River and glide along in a punt (a flat bottomed boat). Relax as a skilled punter, traditionally dressed in straw hat and blazer, propels you past a romantic setting of boat sheds, trees and riverside paths. See ducks and ducklings float by, cruise past the lush Christchurch Botanic Gardens, and be prepared for all weather with blankets and umbrellas provided.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Christchurch Tramway

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Please dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes
Please Note: This product does not include the Gondola Restaurant. Please make Restaurant arrangements separately, prior to your departure date
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
Wheelchairs need to be smaller than 600cm wide to fit into the Gondola cabin
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

Operated by Christchurch Attractions

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

about cancellations

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.0

79 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers

Showing 1-10 of 79 reviews

Our first activity in...

Teriaki_M, Apr 2022

Our first activity in Christchurch and it didn’t disappoint. First time on a Gondola and the views are amazing!

Gondola Was broken down...

Dylan_Y, Mar 2022

Gondola Was broken down we were told a hour to fix it, came back hour and a half later and then they said it be closed all day, staff were very unhelpful of what else to do instead to fill our day in

Response from Host, Mar 2022

Hi Dylan, unfortunately when the issue was diagnosed it forced us to close for the day, sadly this was not a quick fix. I'm sorry that you were told it would take an hour to fix? We don't normally give timeframes while we are investigating the causes, as this can take some time to diagnose. Really sorry to hear the staff were unhelpful, as the team is normally extremely helpful to our guests. Thanks for your feedback, it is appreciated.

Wasn’t as enjoyable,...

Sharmend_K, Mar 2022

Wasn’t as enjoyable, compared to other Gondolas we have been. The price of NZ$102 didn’t felt worthwhile- it was basically just gondola transportation fee from road to mountain, there should have been at least 2-3 activity’s with it than maybe worthy.

It was really good all...

Elizabeth_C, Feb 2022

It was really good all over.Had a nice time. The views were amazing aswell,It was my friends birthday treat from me.

Amazing views!

Georgia_W, Oct 2021

The view up the top was amazing, then you go to the cafe and see the other side and it’s even more incredible

Make sure you're doing it on a sunny day!

Lyudmila_J, Feb 2021

It was good, just we were not lucky enough with the weather, it was cloudy and we couldn't enjoy the full views.

Very nice experience

Faaumuumu_T, Jan 2021

What us there not to like about this gondola... Best view in Christchurch friendly staff and a cheap gift shop. Don't take my word for it come and visit the place for yourself 🙂

Must do

Erica_J, Dec 2020

Great views from the top windy but worth the ride. Gondala gave a smooth ride up and plenty to look at.

Great views

Loreal, Jul 2020

Apart from the gift shop lady following me and partner around thinking we were going to “steal”, this place has Great views!! A really good place to relax and enjoy the views for great pics 😂 I noticed a lot of kids enjoyed the outside area too. Their cafè was alright, not much to choose from when I went, maybe I was early?

Review of buying third party tickets

Ariel_S, Mar 2020

Some of the information from the third party we purchased the tickets from was not accurate. It told us we had to arrive at 9am and it didn't actually open until 10am. I had called them just before the trip to confirm the information and still go the same information. The man working at the Gondola actually let us in early and went above and beyond by helping us figure out our ticket that also was contacted to a ticket for a Punting boat ride.

Good experience

Sandra_O, Mar 2020

It is worth going there, very good vibe to go with friends or family. Really nice view from up and good explanation about history.

Experience great, directions awful

Margery_N, Feb 2020

The Gondola and punting were great! The Viator directions were TERRIBLE. Directions said to be at the gondola at 9, we took a public bus from the docks to find out it doesn’t open until 10 and Viator just got us tickets, no reserved times. Mark at the Gondola took great care of us, scheduled with the punting and sent us on our way. We came back to ride the gondola in the afternoon.

1 traveler found this review helpful

View from the top

Robert_W, Jan 2020

Provides excellent 360 degrees view once you reach the top. You can walk outside of the station on top and get excellent photos of the area. There are also numerous hiking trails that lead to the top.

Nice scenic

FoongYee_P, Dec 2019

Have a great times with my family. Friendly staffs, beautiful scenery, enjoyed it with a cup of coffee as well.

Christchurch gondola

dani_krstevski, Oct 2019

Beautiful scenery as you make your way up the gondola. Once at the top, the outside viewing platforms give you the perfect opportunity to capture the beautiful views. The cafe has a great menu and food was delicious.

1 traveler found this review helpful

Unfortunately our tour was affected...

James_H, Mar 2018

Unfortunately our tour was affected by the screaming child sitting right behind, although our tour guide was not very engaging or informative.

Wonderful views going up in the...

Diane N, Jan 2018

Wonderful views going up in the gondola. Very smooth ride. Excellent views once up the top. Good cafe and souvenir shop. We decided to walk down, which was a lot steeper than we thought, but I found some muscles that had not been used for awhile! Photos of us getting in the gondola were expensive, we thought, so we did not buy them.

Worth doing - was great. Booked this...

WARWICK_C, Jun 2016

Worth doing - was great. Booked this directly through the Viator App and simply presented the voucher and away I went. Great scenery and the views are amazing. You also get the 'history' mine tour' which is free and worth doing also.

Really enjoyed our gondola ride...

C J, May 2016

Really enjoyed our gondola ride - gives a good sense of the 'lay of the land'. Operators happy to help. We were pleased we chose Christchurch for our weekend escape - great to support the city in this way.

Great way to see the city and surrounds...

Jessica P, May 2016

Great way to see the city and surrounds with some lovely walking trails close by

Questions?

Product code: 3352GONDOLA

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