Akaroa Local Tour: Exploring the Harbour, Giants House, and Banks Peninsula
4.3
19 Ratings
Akaroa
Embark on a 3-hour local tour of Akaroa, New Zealand, exploring the breathtaking harbour, Giants House, and Banks Peninsula. Discover the town's charm, indulge in cheese tastings, and admire stunning views along the volcanic crater rim. A must-try for sightseeing enthusiasts!
Duration:
2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Akaroa Harbour - Drive through the beautiful Akaroa Harbour and learn some amazing facts about the history of this area of New Zealand before driving along Summit Road with stops along the way for great photos.
- Hilltop Tavern - Visit the Hilltop Tavern, close to the summit of the crater rim, which affords spectacular views and a short time for coffee or tea.
- Barrys Bay Cheese - A short stop will be made at the Cheese Factory in Barry’s Bay, at the bottom of the Hilltop, where delicious local cheese can be sampled and purchased.
- The Giants House - On returning into Akaroa, a stop will be made at the Giant’s House, with its beautiful gardens and mosaic sculptures, where a guided tour has been arranged for your enjoyment. Finally, your coach can take you back to the wharf or alternatively you can continue exploring on foot.
What's Included
- Worry-free Shore Excursion Guarantee
- Driver/guide
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Port pickup and drop-off
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities (optional)
Additional Information
Immerse yourself in a 3-hour local guided sightseeing tour of Akaroa, taking in the charming town, the harbour, and parts of the Banks Peninsula. Your journey begins as you’re collected from the Akaroa Wharf and travel through the town and the area’s inner bays before coming to a local cheese factory for some tastings. You’ll also journey along the rim of the former volcanic crater for stunning vistas of the harbour and peninsula. Later, return to Akaroa for a guided tour of the renowned Giants House, known for its exquisite gardens and mosaic sculptures. This tour is ideal for those seeking a brief exploration of the local attractions and sights!
- At time of booking, cruise ship passengers must provide the following information: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
- Please note that activity times and schedules can be slightly amended depending on your cruise ships timetable.
Location
Britomart Reserve
Beach Road
From the Main Wharf in Akaroa, head down to the end where you will see the Akaroa I-Site and a small park on the right-hand side. Next to the Canon statue, a representative will be waiting for you. Please arrive by 10.50am for a 11.00am departure.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(19 Ratings)
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Lukew2332
Jul 9, 2022
Unique experience - Really cute little place and the lady is lovely at the gate. A whacky but unique experience recommend highly ❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Camper715744
Apr 21, 2020
Giants House must see - We walked to the meeting spot once off the ship and boarded a small van. The van held about 15 people. We drove up to a spot that overlooked the harbour and the scenery was beautiful. It was a chilly windy day so I was glad I had brought my jacket. Our guide gave good information on the town and surrounding area. But, the highlight was the Giants House. It is a walk up a steep hill to get there and then there are stairs to climb but to us it was worth it. The artist Josie was there giving tours of the house. Her eclectic style was wonderful. There is something there for everyone to fall in love with. Her gardens are amazing and she has done it all. We spent over an hour walking around the gardens and took tons of pictures. You were not allowed to take pictures in the house but could take all you wanted outside. There is a small museum at the back with a video about her and some artwork for purchase. I highly recommend the Giants House if you are going to Akaroa. It was a highlight of our trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lynw207
Mar 28, 2020
Akaroa & Surrounds - We were met ashore in Akaroa with a friendly welcome and to our surprise we were upgraded and we got to go to Christchurch as well. We toured the Banks Peninsula absolutely amazing views. In Christchurch we were able to see how much has happened to rebuild the city after the 2009 earthquake, it has been a mammoth task and much has happened since we visited in 2014. It is a beautiful city. We then came back to Akaroa and visited The Giants House. If you only do one thing in Akaroa this is a must, the owner has created a home & garden beyond belief. It was amazing. Overall, we thouroughly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_f
Mar 11, 2020
Outstanding tour with Scott! - We had an incredible tour. our cruise ship tender experienced problems and we were one hour late meeting Scott, yet he still gave us the full tour. Scott was extremely knowledgeable, personable, and informative about our destinations. We were allowed ample time at each stop for photos and enjoying the beautiful scenery. Our tour vehicle was comfortable for our small group which made this tour much more enjoyable than the buses offered by the cruise ship tours. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit The Giants House! I highly recommend this tour as part of any visit to Akaroa.
Review provided by Viator
Cruisenkar
Mar 1, 2020
Giants house - Loved the Giants house it was so unique With its tiered terraces and fabulous mosaics everywhere From paving to sculptures
Review provided by Viator
Maryb
Feb 22, 2020
Highly recommended - Great interesting tour, but the real shock was the Giants House. Wonderful art and garden interspersed. Witty and colourful. Highly recommend
Review provided by Viator
K_w
Mar 19, 2020
Worth Doing - Good trip around key spots in Akaroa, knowledgeable driver, and Giants House is a must for anyone visiting. Cheese factory visit was a little disappointing as you don’t actually get to tour anything. Merely view limited activities from behind glass panels in the shop. Tricky to take cheese back given the need for refrigeration ! The timing was just about right - especially as Cruise ships tender into this port so you need to allow extra time for the process.
Review provided by Viator
Zennetta_p
Apr 20, 2020
Not So Giant - The bus trip was nice. I have a bad knee and it was hard to get up the hill to the Giant House. It was interesting Art work.
Review provided by Viator
Bkgtrips
Feb 20, 2020
OK but too long - We booked this tour online since we were coming into Akaroa on a cruise. I just wanted a mini tour of the area and then was planning on walking around the town. What I got was two hours in a van touring the countryside and about an hour at the Giants house. The stop for coffee described was a mini stop for about 10 min so we could get out of the van. The tour was way to much time in the van and we personally felt the Giants house was OK to see but an hour was just to long to be stuck there.
To be fair, the guide was pleasant and offered a lot of detail about the area. The drive was pretty but I just wasn't prepared to be trapped in a van for 2 hrs.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E8445injoshuah
Mar 2, 2024
Disappointing Shore Excursion Akaroa NZ Tour - After minimal sightseeing and two rushed 5 minute stops for pictures, driver wanted to drop group off at Giant’s House and leave. Told people to walk back to ship and then finally agreed to return in an hour. Tour was nowhere near 2.5 hours. Save your money and walk or cab to the Giant’s house on your own.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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