Arthur's Pass & Castle Hill Day Tour From Christchurch

Explore New Zealand's Southern Alps on a shared guided bus tour along the Great Alpine Highway. Travel through changing landscapes of lush forest and ice-fed lakes, with walks that bring you closer to the alpine scenery.

• Ride a jet boat on the Waimakariri, in the region where jet boating was developed
• Discover Castle Hill's limestone formations, which once lay beneath the ocean

Itinerary

1. Depart from The Bus Interchange at 09:00.
2. Experience the Waimakariri at Alpine Jet Thrills - Canyon Safaris in Springfield and explore Arthur's Pass National Park.
3. Continue to Arthur's Pass Village and Devils Punchbowl Waterfall.
4. Stop at Lake Lyndon for around 10 minutes.
5. Head to Castle Hill and explore the weathered limestone rocks on the tussock-covered hills. Spend around 1 hour here.
6. Take in the national park from Otira Gorge Rock Shelter Lookout, also known as Deaths Corner, and the Otira Viaduct Lookout. Spend around 15 minutes here.
7. Continue to Arthur's Pass Village for around 1 hour, with views of the Southern Alps.
8. Walk through bush and forest to the 131-meter-tall Devils Punchbowl Waterfall. The approximately 1-hour track has a gradual incline and steps, requiring low to moderate fitness.
9. Stop at Cave Stream for around 15 minutes. Discover a cave shaped by a stream flowing through a 594-meter underground passage.
10. Return to The Bus Interchange at 19:00.

What's Included

• English-speaking guide and live commentary on board
• Round-trip transport from the meeting point
• Lunch
• Bottled water
• Onboard WiFi and USB sockets

Important details

• Ages 4+ only
• Requires fitness for considerable walking and stairs
• Not recommended if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, another serious medical condition, or a disability
• Not wheelchair-accessible
• Do not feed wildlife or damage the ecosystem
• Routes may change due to weather or traffic conditions
• Arrive 10 minutes before departure. Late arrivals and no-shows are not refunded