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.

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

Find out more about the different walks on offer with this handy guide [PDF, 84 KB].

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.

December 2025 walking schedule

Date Theme Location
Wednesday 17 Curator’s House Potager Garden Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Thursday 18 Trooping the colour – our Herbaceous Border   Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Friday 19 Heritage Rose Garden Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Saturday 20 New Zealand Native Gardens Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Sunday 21 Notable Trees Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Monday 22 Trooping the colour – our Herbaceous Border   Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Tuesday 23 New Zealand Native Gardens Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Wednesday 24 Guides Top Ten Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Thursday 25 No walk  
Friday 26 Notable Trees Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Saturday 27 General Interest Walk (90 min) Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Saturday 27 Mona Vale Guided Walk Mona Vale Gardens
Sunday 28 Gondwana to Zealandia Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Monday 29 General Interest Walk (90 min) Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Tuesday 30 Notable Trees Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Wednesday 31 Biggest, smallest, quirkiest, tallest... Christchurch Botanic Gardens

January 2026 walking schedule

Date Theme Location
Thursday 1 Guides Top Ten Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Friday 2 New Zealand Native Gardens Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Saturday 3 Trooping the colour—our Herbaceous Border Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Sunday 4 Notable Trees Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Monday 5 Curious conifers—a walk in the Pinetum Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Tuesday 6 General Interest Walk (90 min) Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Wednesday 7 Curator's House Potager Garden Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Thursday 8 Plant hunters—trees and their stories  
Friday 9 Notable Trees Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Saturday 10 Curious conifers—a walk in the Pinetum Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Saturday 10 Mona Vale Guided Walk Mona Vale Gardens
Sunday 11 General Interest Walk (90 min) Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Monday 12 General Interest Walk (90 min) Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Tuesday 13 Biggest, smallest, quirkiest, tallest... Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Wednesday 14 General Interest Walk (90 min) Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Thursday 15 Gondwana to Zealandia Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Friday 16 New Zealand Native Gardens Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Saturday 17 General Interest Walk (90 min) Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Sunday 18 Notable Trees Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Monday 19 History walk / Armstrong Lawn Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Tuesday 20 New Zealand Native Gardens Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Wednesday 21 General Interest Walk (90 min) Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Thursday 22 Curator's House Potager Garden Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Friday 23 New Zealand Native Gardens Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Saturday 24 Science in the Gardens Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Saturday 24 Mona Vale Guided Walk Mona Vale Gardens
Sunday 25 Guides Top Ten Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Monday 26 Curator's House Potager Garden Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Tuesday 27 Trooping the colour—our Herbaceous Border Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Wednesday 28 Curious conifers—a walk in the Pinetum Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Thursday 29 Gondwana to Zealandia Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Friday 30 General Interest Walk (90 min) Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Saturday 31 New Zealand Native Gardens Christchurch Botanic Gardens

Caterpillar Tour

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 Thursday to Sunday

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.