Cave Stream & Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti guided tour from Christchurch
Overview
Morning - Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti
Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti is an amazing labyrinth of giant limestone boulders. The area is rich with cultural and recreational significance and has been granted Tōpuni status “A symbolic cloak of protection”.
Your guide will show you around, if you like you can have a go at bouldering and test your climbing skills, or use your time here to explore the endless maze of boulders. We stop here for lunch at Castle Hill.
Afternoon - Cave Stream
It will take us approximately 45mins to make our way through the 594 meters of the limestone cave. Our route follows the crystal-clear water through the winding chambers and small waterfalls.
Not interested in caving? Nom problem your welcome to explore the paths and trails in the area or sit and relax with some afternoon tea in this very peaceful landscape instead of going through the cave.
Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti is an amazing labyrinth of giant limestone boulders. The area is rich with cultural and recreational significance and has been granted Tōpuni status “A symbolic cloak of protection”.
Your guide will show you around, if you like you can have a go at bouldering and test your climbing skills, or use your time here to explore the endless maze of boulders. We stop here for lunch at Castle Hill.
Afternoon - Cave Stream
It will take us approximately 45mins to make our way through the 594 meters of the limestone cave. Our route follows the crystal-clear water through the winding chambers and small waterfalls.
Not interested in caving? Nom problem your welcome to explore the paths and trails in the area or sit and relax with some afternoon tea in this very peaceful landscape instead of going through the cave.
Inclusions
- Use of caving equeptment including head torch, helmet and safety belt
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Lunch
- Private transportation
- Snacks
What to expect
Itinerary
We start our adventure by travelling west towards the mountains across the flat farmland of the Canterbury Plains. We make a stop after 45mins at the “Darfield Bakery” (We will provide lunch, but you might like to sample a classic Kiwi pie or coffee) before continuing our journey to Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti.
Your guide will show you around if you like you can have a go at bouldering and test your climbing skills, or use your time here to explore the endless maze of boulders. We stop here for lunch at Castle Hill.
Afternoon- Caving
We will meet back at the carpark at 1:00 pm and make our way to Cave Stream, just 10 mins drive from Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti. It will take us approximately 45mins to make our way through the 594 meters of the limestone cave. Our route follows the crystal-clear water up-stream, through the winding chambers and small waterfalls. The final section has a 3-meter fixed ladder to climb past the most significant waterfall as we exit the cave.
After some afternoon tea and a hot drink, it’s time to head back to Christchurch. The return journey takes approx 90mins.
Stop At:
• Castle Hill, Castle Hill, Canterbury Region, South Island
• Cave Stream Scenic Reserve, State Highway 73, Castle Hill New Zealand
• Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area, Castle Hill, Castle Hill 7580 New Zealand
• Darfield, Darfield, Canterbury Region, South Island
• Springfield, Springfield, Canterbury Region, South Island
We start our adventure by travelling west towards the mountains across the flat farmland of the Canterbury Plains. We make a stop after 45mins at the “Darfield Bakery” (We will provide lunch, but you might like to sample a classic Kiwi pie or coffee) before continuing our journey to Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti.
Your guide will show you around if you like you can have a go at bouldering and test your climbing skills, or use your time here to explore the endless maze of boulders. We stop here for lunch at Castle Hill.
Afternoon- Caving
We will meet back at the carpark at 1:00 pm and make our way to Cave Stream, just 10 mins drive from Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti. It will take us approximately 45mins to make our way through the 594 meters of the limestone cave. Our route follows the crystal-clear water up-stream, through the winding chambers and small waterfalls. The final section has a 3-meter fixed ladder to climb past the most significant waterfall as we exit the cave.
After some afternoon tea and a hot drink, it’s time to head back to Christchurch. The return journey takes approx 90mins.
Stop At:
• Castle Hill, Castle Hill, Canterbury Region, South Island
• Cave Stream Scenic Reserve, State Highway 73, Castle Hill New Zealand
• Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area, Castle Hill, Castle Hill 7580 New Zealand
• Darfield, Darfield, Canterbury Region, South Island
• Springfield, Springfield, Canterbury Region, South Island
Additional information
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Most travelers can participate
- Not wheelchair accessible
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 2 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
katems94
March 2022
Amazing trip to Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti and Cave Stream. My guide, Robbie, was very knowledgeable and friendly and tailored the tour to suit my interests. I had a great day walking around the boulder fields, trying some bouldering, and making my way through Cave Stream's underground river and wa...
Amazing trip to Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti and Cave Stream. My guide, Robbie, was very knowledgeable and friendly and tailored the tour to suit my interests. I had a great day walking around the boulder fields, trying some bouldering, and making my way through Cave Stream's underground river and waterfalls. Highly recommend. Thanks so much for an awesome day!ddannecker2013
January 2020
Mike gave us what we both described as the best tour we have ever been on, and we have been on a lot of tours. Pick up was a breeze, and he was a great driver. He was very knowledgeable about the hike, and provided great guidance on how to follow the multiple paths around Castle Hill. The stop at...
Mike gave us what we both described as the best tour we have ever been on, and we have been on a lot of tours. Pick up was a breeze, and he was a great driver. He was very knowledgeable about the hike, and provided great guidance on how to follow the multiple paths around Castle Hill. The stop at the pie shop was perfect, and lunch was delicious, especially after the long hike. He took excellent photos of us that we would not have been able to capture otherwise. He is a great conversationalist, and taught us not just about where we were but New Zealand and its history in general. We would highly recommend this tour and this touring company, and we would book with them again.Melissa_R
March 2023
The Cave Stream and Castle Hill tour is a well-run and unique experience that offers visitors a chance to explore a hidden part of New Zealand. The tour is well-planned and takes visitors to locations that would otherwise go unseen by many tourists. In addition to the amazing natural scenery, the...
The Cave Stream and Castle Hill tour is a well-run and unique experience that offers visitors a chance to explore a hidden part of New Zealand. The tour is well-planned and takes visitors to locations that would otherwise go unseen by many tourists. In addition to the amazing natural scenery, the tour includes a delicious stop at a bakery on the way to the Cave Stream. Overall, this tour offers a fantastic opportunity for travelers to experience the beauty of New Zealand and is highly recommended.Bill
April 2023
THe ride to the cave was scenic, including a stop for a snack while lunch was being picked up. the cave was quite an adventure! We'd never done anything like this and absolutely loved it! Our guides were helpful with both advice and a helping hand when necessary. We would do this again in a h...
THe ride to the cave was scenic, including a stop for a snack while lunch was being picked up. the cave was quite an adventure! We'd never done anything like this and absolutely loved it! Our guides were helpful with both advice and a helping hand when necessary. We would do this again in a heartbeat! Lunch after the 1 hour plus cave trek tasted delicious and the views spectalcular