Tours of the Botanic Gardens

As there is so much to see in the Botanic Gardens you might like to consider taking a tour. There are a number of different options for tours.

Friends of the Botanic Gardens tours

Join a fantastic, guided tour with knowledgeable and friendly guides showcasing some of our spectacular collections.

Botanic Gardens

  • Volunteer guides from the Friends of the Botanic Gardens offer free guided walks at the Botanic Gardens between October and April, and throughout the year on request.
  • 1.30pm.
  • Meet outside the Kiosk.
  • Botanic Gardens tours are 45 to 60 minutes long unless otherwise stated.

Mona Vale

  • Seasonal walks at Mona Vale are offered throughout the year.
  • 1.30pm.
  • Meet at the Rose Garden car park.
  • Mona Vale tours are 90 minutes.

Special interest group tours

If you have any queries or would like to arrange a special interest tour for a group, please contact friendsofthegardens@gmail.com or phone Pat Whitman at 03 384 3475.

Local groups are $5 per person, international groups are $10 per person.

Botanic Gardens and Mona Vale walks

Date Location Theme
Friday 24 November Christchurch Botanic Gardens Curator’s House Potager Garden
Saturday 25 November Christchurch Botanic Gardens Trooping the colour: Our Herbaceous Border
Saturday 25 November Mona Vale Gardens General interest walk (90 mins)
Sunday 26 November Christchurch Botanic Gardens General interest walk (90 mins)
Monday 27 November Christchurch Botanic Gardens Curious conifers: A walk in the Pinetum
Tuesday 28 November Christchurch Botanic Gardens NZ Gardens: NZ Natives
Wednesday 29 November Christchurch Botanic Gardens Plant hunters: Plants and their stories
Thursday 30 November Christchurch Botanic Gardens NZ Gardens: NZ Natives
Friday 1 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens NZ Gardens: NZ Natives
Saturday 2 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Trooping the colour: Our Herbaceous Border
Sunday 3 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Curator’s House Potager Garden
Monday 4 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Plant hunters: Plants and their stories
Tuesday 5 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens General interest walk (90 mins)
Wednesday 6 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Commemorative trees
Thursday 7 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens General interest walk (90 mins)
Friday 8 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Gondwana Collection     
Saturday 9 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Biggest, smallest, quirkiest, tallest...
Sunday 10 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens General interest walk (90 mins)
Monday 11 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Conservatories
Tuesday 12 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens NZ Gardens: NZ Natives
Wednesday 13 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Curator’s House Potager Garden
Thursday 14 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens General interest walk (90 mins)
Friday 15 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Curious conifers: A walk in the Pinetum
Saturday 16 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens NZ Gardens: NZ Natives
Saturday 16 December Mona Vale Gardens General interest walk (90 mins)
Sunday 17 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens General interest walk (90 mins)
Monday 18 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Notable trees
Tuesday 19 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens NZ Gardens: NZ Natives
Wednesday 20 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Notable trees
Thursday 21 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens NZ Gardens: NZ Natives
Friday 22 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Trooping the colour: Our Herbaceous Border
Saturday 23 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens NZ Gardens: NZ Natives
Sunday 24 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Notable trees
Monday 25 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Christmas Day: No guided walk
Tuesday 26 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens General interest walk (90 mins)
Wednesday 27 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Prince of plants: The noble palm
Thursday 28 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Curious conifers: A walk in the Pinetum
Friday 29 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Gondwana Collection     
Saturday 30 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Notable trees
Saturday 16 December Mona Vale Gardens General interest walk (90 mins)
Sunday 31 December Christchurch Botanic Gardens Gondwana Collection     

 

Botanic Garden caterpillar tours

Caterpillar Tour (external link)

Botanic Garden Tours(external link) operates a guided audio tour of the Gardens in all-weather electric shuttles. 

For more information or to book, contact Botanic Gardens Tours on (03) 366 7830 or info@christchurchattractions.nz.

Meet the shuttle near the Peacock Fountain at the Rolleston Avenue end of the Gardens – look out for the purple flag.

Tour times

  • Summer (October to March): 10am to 3.30pm daily
  • Winter (April to September): 11am to 3.30pm Sunday to Thursday

Group walking tours

Please contact the Christchurch Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre for more information or to book a tour – phone 03 941 7590 or email christchurchbotanicgardens@ccc.govt.nz

Tour type Duration Cost Description
Guided walking tour for community group
1 hour Free Groups of local visitors can request guided tours through the Botanic Gardens on a range of topics.
Guided walking tour for tourist group
1 hour $10 per person Tourist groups can request guided tours through the Botanic Gardens on a range of topics.

 If one or more members of your group has limited mobility, please contact the Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre on 941 7590 or email christchurchbotanicgardens@ccc.govt.nz to discuss accessibility options.