An alpine pass, and a pristine mountain lake. All within easy reach of Christchurch. What more could you ask for?

Duration

4.5 Hours (Half Day Tour)

About

At a little over 930m this is a highest point on SH 73, which links Canterbury to the West Coast, even higher than the better know Arthurs Pass! An added bonus is Lake Lyndon on the other side of the pass

Itinerary:

Join us as we head west out of Christchurch straight for the Southern Alps foothills via the scenic Canterbury Plains before we make a first stop at Aylesbury Corner to take advantage of the scenic lookout platform. If we’re there at the right time we may even get to see one of the massive coal trains that are coming and going from the West Coast

From here we continue along the West Coast Rd via Sheffield and Springfield to our next stop where we stretch our legs once more and enjoy the mountainous vistas opening up in front of us before resuming our westward journey into the foothills, taking on the increasingly steep climb up Porters Pass followed by a dizzying descent down the other side to Lake Lyndon where we stop for a drink and nibbles while enjoying the scenery and fresh air

From Lake Lyndon we make our way another 4 km north-west along the West Coast Rd to a lookout point above dry stream with amazing views out over the Porter River and Whitewater Stream towards Castle Hill with Broken Hill and Mt Manson adding to the scene. This is the turn around point for us, but not the end of the tour as we’ve plenty more amazing things to take as we retrace our steps to Christchurch, beginning with Porters Pass itself.

From Porters Pass we gaze upon and admire the alpine views surrounding us; West is Mount Enys and the Craigieburn Range, East is the West Coast road snaking its way down the hill towards the Canterbury Plains, just visible over the tops of the hills ahead of you. Either side of us is Foggy Peak to the north and the slopes of the Kowai Forest and Big Ben range to the south

Heading back towards Christchurch we detour across the Waimakariri Gorge Bridge for a last stop but one (time permitting) admiring the historic bridge and the river gorge it crosses before continuing along South Eyre Rd to the North Canterbury town of Kaiapoi for that final picturesque stop on the banks of the Waimakariri River Regional Park, before winding up our trip back in the city

Inclusions:

• Pickup from some of the main hotels within Christchurch, or alternately from the Canterbury Museum
• Expert, knowledgeable guide
• Photography tuition (if required)
• Late model, air conditioned transport
• Snacks, beverages, and drinks
• Scenic stops