The Solo Scale:

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If you’re in Christchurch and have a little bit of time, consider heading out to the gondola. It’s a quick ride to reach and it’s your ticket to fantastic view of the Southern Alps, great hiking, and a fun way to spend a few hours if you’re in the city

If you’re visiting Christchurch, there may be a number of things you’re hoping to do and see. You can start with punting on the river to taking the tram tour to the botanic gardens or visiting several of the nearby museums. You’d only be scratching the surface. You can keep exploring by wandering the very walkable city to visit the earthquake and Antarctic museums and many more in the Cultural Precinct.

However if you’re ready to head out, but don’t have a full day at your disposal, you can also visit the Christchurch gondola.

How do I get there?

If you’re driving, you can look up directions. However, if you’re staying downtown and need public transport, it’ll depend on the season. During the summer, there’s a round-trip shuttle option (for a small fee). The rest of the year, you can take a public bus (the #8 which leaves from City Exchange on Lichfield Street). Either way, it’ll take about fifteen minutes from the middle of Christchurch. When I went, I had a mid-afternoon flight, so this was my morning activity and a great way to fill the time without feeling rushed.

What’s at the top?

You will have to purchase your ticket (though you can in advance), but once you’ve ascended to the top with a ten-minute ride, you’ll gain access to the panoramic views and several walking trails. If you’re interested in finding a walking track that suits your needs, you can check the map here. There are options that will take under and hour and ones that you could spend the whole day doing.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite, there is a café at the top where you can get something to eat. They do have a wide range of options, but I stuck with a coffee and slice of cake to eat while admiring the view from the indoor restaurant seating, which still boasted fantastic views of the Southern Alps.

There’s also a ride that you can take. There’s often a small line, but then you’ll take the Christchurch Discovery Ride, which is essentially a Disney-style dark ride that takes you through Christchurch’s history. I will say that while this is fun, it does get very rushed at the end and the pacing of the narration is off. It’s worth it if you’re already there, but I wouldn’t seek out the Gondola trip just for the ride.

When you’re ready to come down, you can pop into the gift shop to see if anything catches your eye before returning back to the base of the gondola station.

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If that sounds up your alley and want more information, prices, hours of operations, or to buy tickets, visit the website for Christchurch Gondola here!

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