Christchurch Gondola, South Island, New Zealand

5Kinc0ra 5:00 PM Jul 7, 2022

Well worth a visit
Like everything else it seems, the Gondola doesn't open until 10:00am. It takes about 40 minutes by bus number 28 in the city and costs $2:00 a person! We could not get over it. The public transport is very cheap all over NZ. The bus stops right out side the entrance so there is no way you'll miss it! The buses run once an hour from downtown, but check the timetable. The gondola itself is fun and the view from the top is great. The explanation boards are very clear and show you what you are looking it. The café was fabulous and had a good range of offerings. The big surprise was their gift shop! It had the best and cheapest range of souvenirs (which we discovered on our subsequent trips around NZ) Given it's location in a closed touristic environment, we expected higher priced too but no. At $4:00 per person return to Christchurch, it was a bargain. You can also buy combination passes for different attractions there. Don't forget to bring and seniors and student/ concession cards as these seem to be accepted also ~ perhaps it was the grey hair, but I was given seniors rates almost everywhere without asking, and only once asked to show a seniors card. It saves a lot of money on entry fees.

4Ken H 5:00 PM Feb 8, 2023

Well Worth Doing. Great Views.
If you are visiting Christchurch and have the time the Gondola should be on your list - not least for the experience and views. When you get to the top the Discovery ride is worth doing if there is a short queue - if you have to wait a long time you might be less impressed. Cafe is reasonably priced. All round viewing platform with information boards can be windy so do take wind break and or another layer. Lots of hill top walks emanate from the top - shortest being Bluff Lookout.