Christchurch Scenic Helicopter Tour: Port Hills & Diamond Harbour

See Christchurch's green heart and volcanic coastline from the air

A 20-minute helicopter tour departing from Christchurch International Airport, with live commentary from the pilot as you fly over the Botanic Gardens, Hagley Park, the rebuilt city centre, Port Hills, and out to Diamond Harbour and Lyttelton Harbour. The flight shows both the city's regeneration after the 2011 earthquakes and the natural landscape that frames it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Helicopter tour over Christchurch and surroundings

• Safety briefing at helibase
• Depart from Christchurch International Airport
• Fly over Hagley Park and Botanic Gardens
• View Christchurch Cathedral and repair work
• See Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor red zone
• Fly over Lyttelton Harbour and Diamond Harbour
• View Quail Island from the air
• Fly over Port Hills
• See Awaroa/Godley Head military sites
• View Sumner beach
• Fly over New Brighton beaches and pier

The experience

The helicopter departs from Christchurch International Airport after a safety briefing, climbing to give you an aerial view of the city's green spaces: Deans Bush, Hagley Park and the 21-hectare Christchurch Botanic Gardens with its loop of the Avon River. From there you look down on Cathedral Square and the repair work on Christchurch Cathedral, damaged in the 2011 earthquake, then across the Red Zone, once residential land, now the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor project reconnecting people, river and landscape.

The flight then heads east over the Port Hills, an eroded volcanic remnant that sits between the city and the sea. You pass over Lyttelton Harbour, a major inlet formed by an ancient volcano, and Diamond Harbour with Quail Island below. Coastal landmarks follow: Awaroa/Godley Head with its World War Two military defence sites, Sumner Beach (a popular spot for surfing and swimming), and the New Brighton beaches of Pegasus Bay, where the New Brighton Pier, the longest in Australasia, stretches into the water.

The pilot provides live commentary throughout. Passengers are seated by the pilot according to weight and balance requirements of the aircraft. Infants under two ride free on an adult's lap. Children travel at full fare. You must reconfirm your booking 24 hours before departure to check weather conditions, as the flight is weather dependent. A minimum number of passengers is required for the flight to depart.

What’s included

• Live commentary from the pilot.
• an aerial view of Christchurch city, the Botanic Gardens, Port Hills, Diamond Harbour, Lyttelton Harbour and the surrounding coastline.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:30, 10:00, 13:30 and 15:00

Book up to20h before

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 4

Live guideEnglish

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Garden City Helicopters

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Christchurch's layout and landscape in a single flight without spending a full day on the ground. The 20-minute duration fits easily into a city visit, and the helicopter gives you views of the green spaces, the rebuilt centre, and the volcanic hills and harbours that frame the city: perspectives you cannot get from street level.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What does the Christchurch Botanic Gardens look like from above?

The Christchurch Botanic Gardens is a 21-hectare park with more than ten different gardens framed by mature trees and expansive lawns, mostly contained within a loop of the Avon River. From the helicopter you see the full layout of the gardens and the green spaces surrounding them in Hagley Park.

Does the tour fly over the areas damaged in the 2011 earthquake?

Yes. You fly over Cathedral Square and see the repair work being done on Christchurch Cathedral, which was badly damaged in the earthquake. The flight also passes over the Red Zone, once filled with homes and now transformed into the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor project.

What is Diamond Harbour?

Diamond Harbour is a scenic inlet on Banks Peninsula, east of Christchurch. The tour flies over it and Quail Island, Canterbury's largest island in the harbour, giving you views of the coastal landscape and the water below.

What happens if the weather is bad on the day of my flight?

The tour is weather dependent. You must reconfirm your booking 24 hours before departure to check weather conditions. If conditions are unsafe, the flight will be cancelled.