Willowbank Wildlife and City Tour

From Cruise Port:    Akaroa-Christchurch

The journey from Akaroa to Christchurch takes you on a scenic ride up and over the hills of the Banks Peninsula, an ancient volcano that now forms the peninsula and its crater, the Akaroa harbour. The many picturesque bays and inlets can be seen as you climb to the rim of the crater before the long descent down to the flat farm land of the Canterbury plains, with the Southern Alps in the distance.

You will pass by Lake Ellesmere, stretching to the south, its far shore near impossible to see as the sun glimmers on the still waters - a haven for birds and other wildlife.

In Christchurch our first stop will be at the Botanic Gardens in the heart of the city. Here you will have a short time to explore the gardens and perhaps buy a snack for lunch, before rejoining your coach for the drive through the heart of Christchurch. Access is still limited to certain routes but you will see clearly the extent of the damaging 2011 earthquake and the reconstruction work that continues on.

Then we head out to the suburbs to the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. This award-winning destination has an amazing variety of both native New Zealand species, as well as exotics from around the world.

From the inquisitive native alpine parrot (the kea) to the playful otters, there is something to see around every turn on your walk through the park. So keep your camera at the ready! For bird lovers - Willowbank has a wide variety of native (and rare) New Zealand bird species.

A highlight for many visitors is the chance to see our national icon - the kiwi. You are guaranteed to see one of these endangered treasures in the specially built nocturnal enclosure.

The farm display area has a full range of the animals we have introduced to the country since human colonization some 800 years ago, before which, this was a land of amazing birds and reptiles.

We then depart Christchurch for the drive back over the hills to Akaroa, watch out for the amazing views of the cruise ship anchored in the Harbour as you crest the top of the pass before the descent back to the wharf.

We can also offer this tour itinerary as a private tour for groups of 10 or more persons, see our "Groups" tour listing AKA-G5 for details.

From Cruise Port:    Akaroa-Christchurch

Included

• Comfortable air-conditioned transport
• Entry to Willowbank Wildlife reserve
• Experienced guide

Not Included

• Any meals

Instructions

• Depending on the number of persons booked on the day, this tour is usually run using coaches for 22 to 45 persons.
• The meeting point for the tour is at the end of the wharf and the drivers are waiting on the grass by the old canon.
• The tour starts at 10.30am so if you catch an early ships tender [recommended] then you will have to look around the historic french settlement of Akaroa before the tour.
• You may change to smaller vehicles when arriving in Christchurch, depending on the numbers on this tour.

Meeting point at Akaroa, on grass by cannon

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