Overview
Take a Trip to Christchurch on your New Zealand Vacation
Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand situated on the edge of the Canterbury Plains and the second largest in the country to be experienced on a New Zealand Vacation. It is known as the Gateway to the Antarctic. Scott’s expedition set out from here and there is a statue of this person in central Christchurch.
It is also known as the “Garden City” due to its well-planned expansive parks and public gardens such as Hagley Park and the Botanic Garden both with stunning displays of native and exotic trees, flowers and plants. It also has a distinct English flavour which can be experienced on a New Zealand Vacation by walking along the gently winding Avon River.
The city is fairly compact with Cathedral Square being the centrepiece together with the outstanding Christchurch Cathedral dating back to 1881.
Just outside Christchurch, you can take the Christchurch Gondola one kilometre up to the Crater Rim in the Port Hills which provides an exceptional backdrop to the city and where, on New Zealand Tours, you can experience wonderful views of the city and the coastline.
Being close to the sea, Christchurch has a number of good beaches offering swimming and surfing as well as being great places to walk or just relax.
Just outside Christchurch, you can take the Christchurch Gondola one kilometre up to the Crater Rim in the Port Hills which provides an exceptional backdrop to the city and where, on New Zealand Tours, you can experience wonderful views of the city and the coastline.
Being close to the sea, Christchurch has a number of good beaches offering swimming and surfing as well as being great places to walk or just relax.
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Classic Downunder: New Zealand & Australia
Victoria, Melbourne, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Northern Territory, Ayers Rock (Uluru), Sydney, New South Wales, Sydney Opera House, Bondi Beach, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Christchurch, Rotorua, and AucklandVenture through New Zealand and Australia, where ancient landscapes meet cities. From Auckland's museums to the Great Barrier Reef's wonders, each stop tells a story.
22 days
From US$8,519/p.p.
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Classic New Zealand
Christchurch, West Coast, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Upolu Point, Wellington, Rotorua, and AucklandFrom Auckland’s harbours to Christchurch’s revitalised streets, this classic New Zealand itinerary celebrates diverse landscapes and rich Maori culture seamlessly.
13 days
From US$4,258/p.p.
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Lord of the Rings Road Trip: Explore Middle Earth
Christchurch, Queenstown, Milford Sound, West Coast, Abel Tasman National Park, Wellington, North Island, Rotorua, and AucklandJourney through New Zealand on this road trip, exploring breathtaking landscapes and iconic film sets from *The Lord of the Rings* while embracing adventure at every stop.
17 days
From US$6,912/p.p.
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Highlights of New Zealand: A Tale of Two Islands
Christchurch, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Rotorua, and AucklandExplore rainforests, glowworm caves and glacier-carved fjords on this independent journey through New Zealand’s diverse North and South Islands.
9 days
From US$2,659/p.p.
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New Zealand Dual Island Discovery with Airfare
Christchurch, West Coast, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Wellington, Rotorua, and AucklandUncover the contrasts of New Zealand on this independent trip with airfare, from glow worm grottos and Maori culture to glaciers, fjords, and alpine wonders.
15 days
From US$5,889/p.p.
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New Zealand Two Island Snapshot
Queenstown, Milford Sound, Christchurch, Rotorua, and AucklandNew Zealand unfolds a captivating tapestry of cities, lush landscapes, and rich Maori culture. Dive into Auckland’s urban charm before venturing to stunning fjords.
11 days
From US$3,158/p.p.
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New Zealand Odyssey
Queenstown, Milford Sound, Christchurch, South Island, Blenheim, Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Napier, Rotorua, and AucklandDiscover New Zealand's stunning landscapes and unique culture on this journey from Auckland to Queenstown. Create lifelong memories on this incredible adventure.
14 days
From US$7,549/p.p.
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New Zealand: Two Island Snapshot with Airfare
Queenstown, Milford Sound, Christchurch, Rotorua, and AucklandUncover New Zealand’s wonders on this independent trip through North and South islands, from Maori traditions to alpine lakes and dramatic coastal beauty.
13 days
From US$4,239/p.p.
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Turn your travel dreams into reality with Goway. Our customized vacations take travellers to all corners of the world.
Classic Downunder: New Zealand & Australia
Victoria, Melbourne, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Northern Territory, Ayers Rock (Uluru), Sydney, New South Wales, Sydney Opera House, Bondi Beach, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Christchurch, Rotorua, and AucklandVenture through New Zealand and Australia, where ancient landscapes meet cities. From Auckland's museums to the Great Barrier Reef's wonders, each stop tells a story.
22 days
From US$8,519/p.p.
Request a Quote
Classic New Zealand
Christchurch, West Coast, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Upolu Point, Wellington, Rotorua, and AucklandFrom Auckland’s harbours to Christchurch’s revitalised streets, this classic New Zealand itinerary celebrates diverse landscapes and rich Maori culture seamlessly.
13 days
From US$4,258/p.p.
Request a Quote
Lord of the Rings Road Trip: Explore Middle Earth
Christchurch, Queenstown, Milford Sound, West Coast, Abel Tasman National Park, Wellington, North Island, Rotorua, and AucklandJourney through New Zealand on this road trip, exploring breathtaking landscapes and iconic film sets from *The Lord of the Rings* while embracing adventure at every stop.
17 days
From US$6,912/p.p.
Request a Quote
Highlights of New Zealand: A Tale of Two Islands
Christchurch, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Rotorua, and AucklandExplore rainforests, glowworm caves and glacier-carved fjords on this independent journey through New Zealand’s diverse North and South Islands.
9 days
From US$2,659/p.p.
Request a Quote
New Zealand Dual Island Discovery with Airfare
Christchurch, West Coast, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Wellington, Rotorua, and AucklandUncover the contrasts of New Zealand on this independent trip with airfare, from glow worm grottos and Maori culture to glaciers, fjords, and alpine wonders.
15 days
From US$5,889/p.p.
Request a Quote
New Zealand Two Island Snapshot
Queenstown, Milford Sound, Christchurch, Rotorua, and AucklandNew Zealand unfolds a captivating tapestry of cities, lush landscapes, and rich Maori culture. Dive into Auckland’s urban charm before venturing to stunning fjords.
11 days
From US$3,158/p.p.
Request a Quote
New Zealand Odyssey
Queenstown, Milford Sound, Christchurch, South Island, Blenheim, Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Napier, Rotorua, and AucklandDiscover New Zealand's stunning landscapes and unique culture on this journey from Auckland to Queenstown. Create lifelong memories on this incredible adventure.
14 days
From US$7,549/p.p.
Request a Quote
New Zealand: Two Island Snapshot with Airfare
Queenstown, Milford Sound, Christchurch, Rotorua, and AucklandUncover New Zealand’s wonders on this independent trip through North and South islands, from Maori traditions to alpine lakes and dramatic coastal beauty.
13 days
From US$4,239/p.p.
Request a Quote
Don't see the
perfect trip idea?
Request a custom quote.
Turn your travel dreams into reality with Goway. Our customized vacations take travellers to all corners of the world.
What do the experts say?
The food in New Zealand is incredible, and New Zealanders are rightly proud of their paddock to plate cuisine. Almost everything is sustainably grown and processed, from lamb and seafood to vegetables and fruit.
About 20 percent of New Zealand is made up of National Parks, Forests, and Nature Reserves. And they’re all free to enter!
The Māori cultural experiences and performances offered throughout the North and South Islands are well worth seeking out. If the opportunity presents itself, definitely take part in a hāngī
Looking for a great restaurant in New Zealand? Try The Bunker in Queenstown, Plato in Dunedin, Manu in Christchurch, and Oppies Fish & Chips in Rotorua
All Blacks rugby is huge in New Zealand. If you’re a sports fan, be sure to check out a home game. The All Blacks typically play their home test matches during the months of July, August, September and sometimes October
Punting on the Avon River - one activity that s...
Christchurch - from the ocean to the Alps.
Cycling in Hagley Park is a great activity to d...
The Ferrier Fountain in Victoria Square
The old provincial council building
Christchurch - the "Garden City"
Christchurch Canterbury provincial council
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ExcellentBased on 5,263 ReviewsI began planning my Italy vacation with Avery more than a year before we traveled, and I want to start by giving her the recognition she deserves. Avery did an exceptional job planning this trip. From the beginning, I had a very clear vision of what I wanted to experience in Italy, and she listened carefully and captured it. The destinations, hotels, tours, transportation and overall flow of the trip were thoughtfully planned. Aside from three specific issues that I will address, everything came together extremely well.
One of the things I appreciated most was the attention to logistics. The hotels were conveniently located, our tour meeting points were generally close to our accommodations, and the routing between cities made sense. Those details may seem small during the planning process, but once you are actually traveling through multiple cities, they make an enormous difference. I especially appreciated the meet and greet services and arranged transfers because they removed much of the stress that comes with arriving somewhere unfamiliar. I did not have to constantly worry about where to go, how to get there or who I was supposed to meet. I was able to enjoy my vacation instead of managing the logistics of my vacation.
The people Avery arranged for us to work with in Italy were also excellent overall. Our drivers, guides and local representatives were professional, pleasant and easy to communicate with. We stayed at five hotels, and with the exception of Dharma Luxury Hotel in Rome, the other four were excellent. I loved them and would not change those selections. From a travel planning perspective, I would give Avery more than five stars. She listened, understood what I wanted and created the Italy experience I had envisioned. I would absolutely work with her again and recommend her to others.
There were, however, three specific issues during the trip that I believe deserve attention. These involved the third-party operator used for our Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti tour, our experience at Dharma Luxury Hotel in Rome, and the response from Goway’s emergency travel support. I want to separate these concerns from my experience with Avery because I do not believe they reflect the quality of the work she did planning our vacation.
My recommendations are therefore directed toward strengthening the third-party services surrounding the travel experience. I recommend that Goway review the operator used for the Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti tour, reconsider Dharma Luxury Hotel based on the maintenance and customer service issues I experienced and conduct a formal review of its emergency support provider, including whether the response to my request complied with the provider’s contractual service levels.
Overall, this was an incredible Italy vacation, and Avery deserves tremendous credit for making it happen. Planning an excellent vacation is important, and she accomplished that. At the same time, what happens when something does not go according to plan is also an important part of the travel experience. The three problems I encountered were specific and identifiable, and addressing those areas would make an already excellent travel planning experience significantly stronger.S MoolahKatie our travel agent planned a wonderful trip for us. Everything was taken care of and we didn’t have to worry about anything. I would highly recommend Go Way travel when planning a trip. 49ergirlI worked with Maria S. from Goway Travel to build a tailored trip to the Azores and mainland Portugal. Maria provided excellent, responsive and patient service, never pressured me into making decisions, offered multiple options for managing pricing, answered my many questions clearly and fully, and always met the timelines she would set to get back to me. Once I was on my trip, Maria checked in several times even though there was an operator on the ground at my destination; she even resolved a minor mix-up with one of my hotels and arranged for a special surprise on my birthday. I cannot speak highly enough of Maria's professionalism, follow-through, positivity, attention to detail and responsiveness. I highly recommend Goway and Maria for your travel plans, and will definitely use this company again for my future travels. Thank you so much for making my trip to Portugal so memorable, Maria! Michele B.Extremely delighted we took this trip to Bali with Goway. Ameet was fantastic. He helped me save on my flights and also guided me on the right hotel decisions. Extremely Charming and always a pleasure to chat to. We enjoyed the Komodo islands a lot thanks to our specialist who made the recommendation. Hid guidance on the places and restaurants was spot on and we and my gf enjoyed the trip so much. We will consider using Goway and Ameet for our Honeymoon as well.Garth CutosPrompt, professional service when booking our trip. Excellent suggestions to add to our experience. Shalini was very accommodating and went beyond our expectations to meet all of our requests. Loved the small group tour.OscarTouching base after our trip. As usual you did a great job helping plan and execute an amazing travel experience!! Everything was fantastic. Especially our hotel location. Since it's connected to the Victoria station it made getting around very easy. Thanks again for your help I'm sure we'll be booking our next trip soon...Leigh FerrisThe trip was planned perfectly, with the support of knowledgeable and dedicated local staff during any critical point of the trip.
The accommodations, transfers, transportation, guides' input and visits' setup met the highest standards and expectations.Nadia & Cristian We recently completed a trip to Crete, Greece - our third trip with GoWay - and I have run out of superlatives to laud their efforts. This was a self drive trip, and as has been our experience with GoWay, we were permitted to customize the standard offered itinerary to suit our personal preferences. Brooke, our agent on this trip, went the extra mile to make all the adjustments we requested, including providing for an English-speaking guide at the Phaistos archeological site. The hotels which Brooke booked on our behalf were truly excellent, and - again, per our wish - just outside of the urban chaos of Heraklion, Rethymno and Chania, but close enough to readily access the cities' benefits. Each hotel was a beachside sanctuary, and we spent several serene, idyllic days never leaving the hotel, and yet there was plenty of time for more distant and adventurous sight seeing.
I cannot overstate how happy we have been with our GoWay experiences - most notably in their willingness to listen to our preferences and make those manifest in the itinerary - and this most recent trip just confirms our already positive opinion of GoWay, and we will be certain to consider them again for our next travel adventure.Frank VenutiVenessa Lloyd at GoWay organized a trip to Africa for us- We just returned last week. It was very well organized and included everything we requested, and more. We did two safaris - one in Tanzania and one in South Africa. They were both excellent, with first class accommodations and guides. We absolutely would recommend GoWay and Vanessa to anyone. SandraOverall, the hotel and tours were amazing. We had issues with communicating with the driver. At times I was asked where, I was gone. The local company handled the situation and there were minor issues after. I would recommend a local English-speaking guide every day. My clients loved the trip. The area we stayed in had many restaurants and local markets nearby. I recommend the cooking class, flamenco dance show, wine tasting and taps tour, and the city tour. Jolynn Tizeno
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