08.45 Meet and greet in Lyttelton for your Christchurch Highlight Tour.
09.00 Depart Lyttelton and travel via the inner bays of Lyttelton Harbour to Governors Bay and then via Dyers Pass to the Sign of the Kiwi, where there are wonderful views of both the Harbour and the city of Christchurch.
09.30 The tour arrives at the Sign of the Takahe, a Scottish-like castle which has a viewing platform which provides magnificent views over the City of Christchurch, Pegasus Bay, the Canterbury Plains and the Southern Alps which are snow-capped for up to 9 months of the year. Access to the viewing platform is via a gentle 5-minute walk.
09.50 Depart the Sign of the Takahe for Mona Vale, at a stately home and magnificent gardens. The tour travels to Mona Vale via the hillside suburb of Cashmere and via some of the southern and western residential suburbs of Christchurch.
10.10 Arrive at the front gate house of Mona Vale and stroll into the grounds, following the Avon River which acts as one of the property's boundaries. The coach will then travel around to the rear gatehouse where the coach and your tour guide will meet you once you have had the opportunity to explore the grounds.
10.30 Depart Mona and travel into the central city of Christchurch which was completely devastated by the Christchurch earthquakes in February 2011. Your guide will explain both the history of the city and the effects of the earthquake, you will see for yourself both the destructive powers of nature and the rebuild which has and is taking place. The central city tour will conclude in Cathedral Square. In Cathedral Square you will be given time to explore this central part of the city on foot. There are some great photo opportunities in this area.
11.45 The tour will depart Cathedral Square and return to Lyttelton via the Eastern Suburbs, the estuary and finally the beach suburb of Sumner with its sand and surf beaches and the Pacific Ocean stretching as far as the eye can see. From Sumner, the tour will return to Lyttelton via the Evans Pass which will provide you with fantastic views of the harbours heads and the southern bays.
12.20 A stop will be made at a viewing platform on the harbour side of Evans Pass which overlooks the ports container and coal terminals and affords great views of both the harbour and the historic Timeball station.
12.30 The tour returns you to your cruise ship berthed in Lyttelton. Tour Duration 3.5 hours
