Christchurch City Highlights by Tesla: private 3-hour tour

A small group, one Tesla, the whole city on your schedule

A private 3-hour guided tour of Christchurch highlights in a Tesla Model Y, with your own driver-guide and up to three companions. You'll see the Cathedral rebuild, the Arts Centre heritage precinct, New Regent Street's shops and street art, the Botanic Gardens, and the Bridge of Remembrance, plus hidden courtyards and quirky corners larger tour vehicles can't reach. Pickup is included; the route adapts to your interests.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Christchurch city highlights

• Visit Cathedral and Old Post Office
• See Arts Centre precinct buildings
• Walk along New Regent Street
• View Christchurch Botanic Gardens entrance
• Drive and stroll along the Boulevard
• Stroll along the Terrace and Riverside Market
• Discover urban and street art

The Experience

What makes this tour different is the vehicle itself. A Tesla Model Y holds between one and four people, which means no waiting for a full bus to load and unload, no fixed stops where you're herded with strangers, and no routes designed around what a coach can physically fit through. The driver-guide is yours alone for the three hours, so if you want to linger at New Regent Street or ask about the street art that actually moves, there's no schedule pushing you forward. The car reaches the labyrinth narrow alleys and hidden courtyards that open off the main streets—the places that make Christchurch feel like more than its headline landmarks.

The tour covers the Cathedral, currently being rebuilt after the 2010–11 earthquakes, with views of how it looked before. You'll walk through the Arts Centre precinct, where 21 of the 23 heritage buildings carry Category 1 listings and the original site of both the Boys' and Girls' High schools still stands. New Regent Street brings the city's energy—historic trams run through its centre, boutiques and cafes line the pavements, and the street art includes pieces that shift and change. The Botanic Gardens appear in the itinerary as a drive-through with a stroll at the entrance to see the Curator's house and the Peacock Fountain; the full gardens are too large to cover in a morning, but you'll get the scale and the setting. The Bridge of Remembrance opens onto Riverside Market, Cashel Street, and Ballantynes department store (established 1854), all walkable from there along the Avon River.

The operator has run domestic and international tourism for more than 30 years. Water and snacks are included; the car is air-conditioned. If you have a particular interest—a building, a neighbourhood, a type of street art—mention it when you book and they'll work it into the route. The tour suits any fitness level and works for solo travellers, couples, small families or groups of friends who want to move together without the rhythm of a larger group.

What’s included

• Private transportation in a Tesla Model Y.
• bottled water and snacks.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• English-speaking driver-guide for the full three hours.
• hotel or location pickup.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by NZ Tours and Travel & Tesla Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're travelling as a couple, a small family or a group of up to four who want to move together without the pace and stops of a larger group. The private car and flexible route work best for travellers who have a specific interest—a building, a neighbourhood, the street art—or who simply want the city explained by one person who knows it rather than announced to a busload.

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Top questions

What is the Arts Centre and why does the tour spend time there?

The Arts Centre precinct is one of Christchurch's oldest established collections of buildings, originally the site of both the Boys' and Girls' High schools and Canterbury College (now the University of Canterbury). Twenty-one of its 23 buildings hold Category 1 Heritage listings, making it a key stop for understanding the city's history and architecture.

Can the driver take me to places that regular tour buses can't reach?

Yes. The Tesla Model Y is small enough to navigate the labyrinth narrow alleys and hidden courtyards that open off the main streets—places larger vehicles simply can't fit through. That's one of the main reasons this tour works differently from a standard bus tour.

What street art will I see, and does any of it actually move?

Christchurch has some of the world's best urban and street art, and the tour shows you several of the finest pieces. Some of the street art actually comes to life—the guide will show you how during the tour.

How long do we spend at the Botanic Gardens?

The full gardens are too large to see in a three-hour tour, so you'll get a walk at the entrance to see the historic Curator's house and the colourful Peacock Fountain, plus a drive through enough of the grounds to give you a sense of their size and setting.

Is the Cathedral still standing, or is it closed for rebuilding?

The Cathedral is currently undergoing an extensive rebuild following the 2010–11 earthquakes. The tour shows you the rebuild in progress and also shows you how the building looked before the earthquakes, along with nearby points of interest like the Old Post Office and the Chalice.

What happens if I want to spend extra time at one stop instead of following the fixed itinerary?

The driver-guide will try to accommodate particular passions or interests during the tour. Since it's a private booking, you have flexibility to adjust the route and pacing—just let them know what matters to you when you book or mention it as the tour begins.