Ultimate Guide to Skiing Mt Hutt
Jan 15, 2025
How did we decide to ski Mt Hutt you ask? Well, we were looking for an affordable winter adventure just a short flight from home. Our ideal location would introduce junior to skiing, offer lodgings with scenic views and be close to slow activities.
Snow adventures in Australia and Queenstown, were anticipated to cost around $12k travelling and booking at the same time. Considering only two of our family were skiing, it was hard to part with that amount of cash. The challenge was on to find an economical winter adventure.
We decided on a winter adventure to ski Mt Hutt for a few reasons. Firstly, Mt Hutt is an award winning ski resort offering lessons for kids. Secondly, it was cost-effective to fly into Christchurch and AirBnBs with glorious mountain views were reasonably priced in Methven. Thirdly, there were a bunch slow activities on offer around the area including great eating spots. Finally, wine is plentiful in New Zealand.
Methven is a quaint and relaxed country town, but don’t expect the liveliness and buzz of a big ski town. It’s not uncommon to share a café with a few patrons or see very few souls when wandering the streets. However, Methven is safe, locals are very friendly and also accessible to ski Mt Hutt.
In 2024, Air New Zealand and Qantas fly direct to Christchurch from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Jetstar offers sporadic flights direct to Christchurch from Melbourne. Emirates roll an A380 back and forth from Sydney and code share with Qantas on other routes to Christchurch.
We booked 3 months out and chose to fly Qantas using Frequent Flyer points. For 213,000 points and $671 for taxes, we nabbed return Reward flights from Brisbane to Christchurch. This included 3 seats, a lap seated infant and a splurge on business class seats to Christchurch. Epic value compared to the $4k+ for Queenstown flights if we had booked and travelled at the same time.
Hot tip: You can pick up great flight deals on flights to Christchurch and book closer to your travel time. Check out www.Skyscanner.com for flight options.
While day flights are available from mainland Australia, there are a few flights from Australia landing into Christchurch after 11pm. If you arrive on a late night flight, consider an airport hotel as thick fog can occur around Methven. It will also allow you to indulge in a few shandies on the flight over. We chose a night flight and it was around midnight by the time we collected our bags and cleared customs.
There are two main airport hotel options in Christchurch: Novotel and Sudima. We inadvertently stayed at both (Sudima due to a flight cancellation on our return leg).
The Novotel Christchurch Airport Hotel is super close to the terminal (about 200m). There is no need to get super rugged up (like we did) for the walk to the hotel.
We booked a 2 x double bed room and arranged a cot. Lovely, modern hotel and super helpful staff. Sound proofing was sublime as I don’t recall (or was too sleep deprived) to notice any airplane noise.
The restaurant is located on the top floor looking onto the airport and out to the Southern Alps. The breakfast buffet had a fabulous array of choices and was open from 6am until 10am. The dish delivering/clearing robots were a highlight for the kids and older patrons alike.
We stayed at the Sudima due to a last minute flight cancellation on our return leg. Its slightly cheaper and located further from the airport. It is within walking distant but a juggle with luggage and kids late at night. Best options are to arrange the free shuttle bus with the hotel (it runs 24 hours) or catch a taxi.
Usual players like Eurocar, Sixt, Budget and Avis are available at Christchurch Airport, along with some smaller rental car companies. Visit www.rentalcars.com to help find the right wheels for you and explore available options.
Major rental car company kiosks are located on the ground floor of the airport terminal. Unstaffed rental car companies have lock boxes containing car keys which are found in the rental car parking area.
We chose Budget and booked via Qantas to bag some extra Frequent Flyer points. As my folks joined us on the trip, we hired a Hyundai Staria van. The space bus had plenty of room for our tribe of 4 adults, 2 kids and associated baggage. It was a comfortable ride with our 5 suitcases, pram and several carry-on bags fitting with ease.
Hot tip: I would highly recommend booking a hire car before you arrive. Flights to Queenstown can be diverted to Christchurch, causing an unexpected scramble to find last minute hire cars. This occurred the day we picked up our hire car, also Laura has experienced this on a flight to Queenstown.
Methven Travel offer daily airport transfers from Christchurch Airport, dropping off at various locations around Methven. In 2024, their winter schedule leaves Christchurch Airport at 10am and arrives in Methven at 11.15am. The return leg leaves Methven at 12.30pm and arrives at Christchurch Airport at 1.45pm.
Methven is approximately 1 hour 10 minutes from Christchurch Airport. There are two routes which take around the same time. We took the route via Rakaia both ways and its a pretty easy drive during the day. Once you get out of Christchurch, the road is scenic and runs alongside farmlands. A few points to note on the Rakaia route are:
Located close to Christchurch Airport you can find a Woolworths. Methven’s grocery stores are akin a smaller independents like IGA or Foodworks, stocking the essentials. Drop by the Woolworths at Christchurch Airport if you are after some specific supplies or seeking large grocery shop. If you are organised, arrange a Click and Collect order and swing by on your way to Methven.
If you need a (wine) break on the way, you can stop off at Straight 8 Estate winery. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t great for us to stop on our travels. However, this winery has fab reviews and is on my hitlist next time I’m travelling down this highway. A vintage car is found inside the winery, a potential distraction for kidlets while you sample a few vinos.
Home
Rakaia is small village, which you can’t miss as its marked with a very large Salmon statue. There is a playground near said Salmon to cure restless legs, along with public loos and snack shacks (cafes).
Hot tip: Check on toilet statuses when approaching Rakaia, as there are no amenity blocks between here and Methven.
There are a variety of accommodation options available in Methven, including:
Located in central Methven are motels, apartments and ski lodges. These lodgings are reasonably priced with some offering a shared communal area equipped with couches, fireplaces and games rooms.
For some luxe self-contained accommodation, check out Montrose Estate. It is located 15 minutes from Methven and situated on a 260 hectare private alpine property. Each of the 3 self contained houses overlook the estate’s own lake and include outdoor hot tubs. Awesome destination if you are seeking some peace, tranquility and to enjoy the alpine air. This accommodation is on my bucket list!
AirBnBs are plentiful in and around Methven. You can choose from original style houses, log cabins and freshly constructed digs in varying sizes. We chose a gorgeous new build AirBnB with stunning mountain views, an indoor fireplace and 4 bedrooms.
Methven Camping Ground has a range of budget accommodation options. Along with campsites, it offers cute pods and different cabins options. Facilities include a camp kitchen, lounge area, games room and playground.
Now we have the boring formalities out of the way, lets talk snow stuff!
Mt Hutt has been named New Zealand’s best ski resort at the World Ski Awards since 2013. Situated only 25kms from Methven, the Mt Hutt ski season runs from June to mid-October. Located over 365 hectares, you can head down the mountain via 3 chairlifts and 2 magic carpets (surface lifts). Albeit shorter runs compared to Northern hemisphere standards, there is little to no wait time at lift lines.
Not on Mt Hutt to ski or snowboard? No problems! There is a dedicated Snow Play space which is free to access. Along with tobogganing, it is home to family snowball fights, snow angels and snowman building (BYO carrot nose).
Firstly, you will need some gear if your haven’t BYO’d. Equipment can be hired from the Mt Hutt Snow Shop, including skis/snowboards, boots, poles and helmets. Highly recommend this option as storage is free of charge if equipment is hired from the Mt Hutt rental store. Beats lugging your gear back to your accommodation each day.
Dipping your toe into the skiing world for the first time? Save yourself some dollars and packing space by hiring snow jackets and trousers from the Snow Shop. These are the only clothing items for hire for hygiene reasons. Items including gloves, socks, sunscreen and other essentials are available for purchase from the Snow Shop.
For those who wish to whiz across the snow on a grounded device, toboggans are available for hire. Toboggans can be hired from the Snow Shop and piloted down the slope in the Snow Play area.
Want to hoon-er on a Yooner? What is a Yooner you say? Good questions people. Some describe it as a ski luge, others think of it a cross between skiing and sledding. Yooners also available for hire and you can secure lessons on how to ride these things.
Ski passes can be purchased either on the mountain or before you travel. We recommend being organised (and thrifty), by purchasing your ski lift passes before you travel in the early bird sale. The early bird sale usually runs until late May. Also, kids under 5 years ski free!
Individual and group lesson options are available for kids and adults. With regard to all day kids lessons, note that parents must collect kids for the lunch break. Once refuelled, you sling them back to the instructor for the afternoon session. Hugo would like to make special mention of the unlimited hot chocolate included with the lessons.
For our newbie child skier, we locked in two full day lessons for ski days 1 and 3. We booked the full day lessons ahead of time, however snagged an extra half day lesson on day 5 . Laura thought the kids full day group lessons were a little on the expensive side at NZD$175 per day. But let’s call it an investment and be thankful that our 4 year old’s ski lift pass was free.
To refuel or grab a sneaky beer, cafes and a restaurants can be found at the base of the mountain. Sky Hight Cafe offers a great range of options but is slightly expensive, to be expected given its location. The Corona Bar is a pop-up bar which wasn’t open midweek for our skiers.
For the brave, there is the famous Mt Hutt outdoor hot spa located at the summit. BYO towel, bathing suit and sanity. Note, there are no change rooms in the vicinity of said spa.
So, what is the skiing like you ask? I’m calling in our resident snow expert for this advice.
You wont find long runs and deep snow like you would find in Northern hemisphere ski resorts. We are skiing in the Pacific region after all people. Runs are shorter but so are the lifts lines. Snow is can be icy particularly at the start of the season if snowfall has been lean. Our team skied in early July, so later in the season would have allowed more snowfall.
In conclusion, Mt Hutt is great for beginners to learn to ski and the experienced to have a play. Mt Hutt availability to lessons and the storage of rental gear on mountain is a great perk. A cost-effective and easy destination to visit if you want to give your family that skiing experience!
Mt Hutt is accessible by either private car or shuttle buses operating from both Methven and Christchurch.
To drive, there are two car parks on the mountain. Depending on the conditions, chains may be required from the information booth onwards. Check Mt Hutt website for more information.
Methven Travel run a shuttle service from Methven to Mt Hutt. The ski bus collections patrons from various ski lodges and hotel locations around town. The trip takes approximately 45 minutes, enough time to charge kids pre or post-skiing.
In 2024, the bus leaves Methven at 7.45am and 9.45am daily. An additional service departing at 11.30am is only offered on weekends and school holidays if there is a demand.
The ski bus departs Mt Hutt at 3.00pm and 4.15pm. The 3.00pm shuttle requires a minimum number of punters before it will roll down the mountain home. To secure your shuttle bus seats, book online.
Located behind the Dubliner Pub in town, you can find a sweet bike track for those two-wheel action seekers. Maintained by the locals, this park includes BMX, pump and general mountain biking skills tracks.
Don’t have any wheels? You will find a range of bikes for all ages available for hire from Big Al’s. These include kids bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes. It’s a short ride to the BMX park from Big Al’s.
https://www.bigals.co.nz
Mt Hutt Bike Park has a bunch of trails for bikers of all ages and abilities. From family friendly runs to double-black diamond runs, Mt Hutt Bike Park has a trail network of over 40km. It is located 11kms from Methven and is free to access.
Big Al’s offer a bike delivery service to take your rental wheels to Mt Hutt Bike Park for you. How good!
If your crew wish to unleash their inner Chazz Michael Michaels, the Staveley Ice Rink is your destination. Located 20 minutes from Methven, the Staveley Ice Rink is open 3 months of the year from June to August. Opening times include Wednesday and Saturday evenings, plus weekend afternoons.
Bookings are recommended so your trip to Staveley is not in vain and can be made online via their website. For the non-skaters, there is a small fee to spectate.
Skates can be hired at the rink. BYO your ski helmet if you have one as there are a limited lids available for hire. Beginners can nab a skating chair to help guide their journey around the ice. Skate chairs are free and offered on a first in gets dibs basis.
If you have ever wanted to give curling a crack, you can do this on Friday evenings during the season.
Staveley Ice Rink is a community run venture. To further support this project, you can buy snacks, hot and cold drinks from the kiosk. You can bring food along and make use of the free bbqs available to cook up a snag or two.
Rink opening is weather dependent. If its raining, check out their Facebook page for updates to confirm the rink will be open.
Opuke Thermal Pools & Spa are located on the edge of Methven. Loosen up those tight ski muscles, exhaust the kids or relax while taking in the magic Mt Hutt views here.
The facility is are split into two areas: the Discovery Pools and Tranquility Pools.
Swimming time slots start on the hour with 2 and 4 hour sessions available. 2 hours was plenty to sap the energy out of our two little ones. You can either book online or pay at the check-in desks. Places are limited so best to check availability online to guarantee your spot. Booking online also makes the check-in process much quicker too.
Change rooms have the usual showers and loos, with a couple of baby change table rooms available. Towels can be hired from the facility or otherwise BYO. Lockers are located both inside and outside the Discovery Pools area and are free to use.
Hot tip: There aren’t any hooks to hang towels outside around the pool. I recommend the lockers located outside and leaving your towels there. Your towel will stay dry and gives you peace of mind that it won’t get nicked.
Discovery Pools have three different sections. Firstly, there is a calm river pool which snakes around and includes with caves to explore. Note the water does get a little deep in places, particularly around the caves. But it is the best pool to find a space for yourself to unwind and take in the mountain views.
The second section includes a whirlpool aka the “crazy river” and a bomb dive plunge pool. Our fav with the kids was the “crazy river”. Luca and I floated around the whirlpool on a couple of pool noodles, which are found scattered around pool. Meanwhile, Hugo was occupied with the crazy river water guns and jumping into the bomb dive plunge pool.
Water was a perfect temperature. Also, with the capped numbers you can find your own personal space to relax (if your kids allow it). It was NZ school holidays when visited so there were plenty of kids young and old in the pool. The lifeguard staff were running word find and bomb dive competitions for the kids.
For eats, Opuke Café is your kid friendly food and beverage area. Options include a cake and snack cabinet and a full restaurant menu. You can snag a wine here and also a hot beverages. Seating is available areas both inside and out. Recommend rugging up and heading outside to take in the magic Mt Hutt views.
If you are sans kids, this is your stop. This area is for 18+ punters only and comes in at double the price of the Discovery Pools. For your extra coin, you get a towel, swim up bar and the best views of Mt Hutt.
The swim up bar offers a full restaurant menu along and is licensed. If you want to have brunch with a glass of bubbles whilst immersed, then the Tranquility Pools are for you. There is also a day spa if you are in the market for some pampering.
Main Street Playground
In the middle of town, there is a large playground with a few different sections catering to all ages/levels. Located in Main Street, I recommend wandering across the road for a coffee from Alpine Grind first. Let kids hit the park while you take in the mountain air and enjoy your brew. In the mornings, the equipment can be damp so don’t be afraid to dress the kidlets in wet weather gear.
On the corner of Bank and McMillan Streets, you will find Methven Skate Park. A favourite for local kids, let the family skaters get their kick flips and ollies in here.
The Garden of Harmony which is lovely park with bridges, local flora and small undulations. Note it only take adults and older kids less than 5 minutes to walk the loop. It will take toddlers longer to potter around and explore though. Good place for a game of hide and seek or flags for the older kids!
Need a rest day from your ski Mt Hutt adventure, or the mountain weather is not so good? Here are some ideas on how to keep ya’ll occupied.
Ashburton Aviation Museum is located approximately 30 minutes from Methven in Ashburton. Its open 7 days between 9.30am to 3pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and 1pm-3pm all other days. The cost is $10 per person, except for humans under 16 who are free.
It is run by lovely airplane buff volunteers who are happy guide you around the planes and have a yarn. It has a surprisingly large number of planes to explore, with expansion plans in the wings. Young kids will love scooting around in the handmade wooden planes found in the main hangar. We had to pry Hugo from one these to leave.
Hot tip: Make sure you dress for the snow when visiting here. The airplanes are located in non-airconditioned warehouses with no heating. I think the coldest I felt on our trip was wandering around this museum.
Yes, although this is a small town, there is a cinema! Movie times commence most days at 11am with the last flick starting from around 7.00pm.
NZ Alpine & Agricultural Encounter
Located in Methven, this museum will give you a local outing when the conditions to ski Mt Hutt aren’t prime. We didn’t venture here on our trip, but I’m slinging this unvetted rainy day activity here.
Another rainy day activity is Opuke Thermal Pools (except if it is storming of course). Who doesn’t love a swim in the rain!
For a small town, Methven has a fab variety of eating options. From cafes to pubs, it has everything you need for a ski town.
The Methven Eats website provides details on the local options on offer and their operating days. Now don’t take this website as gospel. Establishment trading days can change and are usually notified to the public via a handwritten note on the premises door. Although it does give you an idea of options and links to the venue’s online presence for booking purposes.
Where coffee and cutesy homewares meet. A local favourite serving a wide variety of café beverages, cakes, toasties, hot pies (in particular venison pies) and ice-cream. Even at 2.30pm, this place is buzzing and full of patrons.
It has a fabulous little kids area which includes a cute caravan and toy kitchens. A lovely place to chill with a chai latte, while the kids play barista in the coffee van. Also stocks an array of homewares and kids knick knacks for you to peruse.
Neat establishment located across the road from the Main Street playground. Great chai latte and offers an awesome array of brunch sandwiches. Grab a hot beverage or snack from here on your way to ski Mt Hutt or hit the playground.
Fabulous and cosy restaurant open for lunch, dinner or an in between drink in front of the fireplace. Special mention goes to the nook for kids to hang out, stocked with a play kitchen and books. Wine list was pretty good and their mulled wine is delightful. A must try in Methven!
We lunched on a weekday and the fish and chips were sublime. I’m still dreaming of the lightly battered Orange Roughy, hand cut chips and simple salad with the most epic dressing. Plus the glass of chardy also went down a treat.
Although our weekday lunch timeslot was fairly quiet, I recommend booking for dinner when patrons return from skiing Mt Hutt. I noticed most of the tables were reserved when we popped in for a pre-dinner drink one afternoon. It would undoubtedly be a popular choice!
It is everything you want from an Irish pub. Kilkenny on tap, Irish tunes, cosy atmosphere and Irish pub fare. I was slightly obsessed with their chips. Cute booth seating areas with the food delivered fast and beers flowing. Open for dinner every night and lunch on Saturday and Sundays.
Purple Dragon is a pop up eat which operates on Friday and Saturday nights. This food truck offers a great range of Japanese options including ramen and gyoza. After a ski on Mt Hutt, you can slurp your ramen onsite or take it away. A green tea thermos is set up so you can sip on a tea while you wait for your goodies.
Nawab Eatery – Taste of India – Quite disappointed we didn’t get to try this place. It has really impressive ratings. Offering either eat in and take away, this is the top of the list to try next time in Methven!
Frydays Fish & Chips – Every good town needs a sneaky little fish and chip shop. Open from 4.30pm every day for takeaway.
Thai Chilli Restaurant – Open for dinner each night (except Tuesdays). A buffet is on offer for those dining in. For take away, you can either filling a bucket (ok container) from the buffet or order dishes from the menu.
Dom’s Burgers & Pizzas – A Methven institution open since the 1980s. Dom’s is open every day from 3pm for dine in or takeaway. Get your pizza, burger and fried chicken fix here.
Aqua Japanese – Aqua Japanese has an izakaya style menu. Its open every day for lunch and dinner for either dine in or takeaway.
Ski Time Restaurant – Alpine ski lodge instantly enters your mind when stepping in here. Open every day for dinner from 4.30pm. Parents will be happy that kid’s meals are accompanied by carrot and broccoli.
Staveley Store – If you are up for a road trip, Staveley Store is located 20 minutes from Methven. Pop in for a post-hike breakfast, pre-skate woodfired pizza or hit the cabinet for savory and cake options. Its licensed for a beer, wine or their specialty hard thickshakes. Open every day from 9am to 3pm.
FourSquare is where you get your basic supplies, fruit and vegetables. Expect the range like Australian an IGA or FoodWorks. A limited meat selection however stocked some lovely sirloins which were perfect for the bbq. Also, has an instore bakery and self service hot food cabinet with options like chips, pies and battered savs. Holds a decent wine and beer range too.
A slightly smaller supply store than FourSqaure, but is definitely the go to for hot roast chickens. FreshChoice stocks various Woolworths branded items, basic groceries, meats and fresh veggies and fruits.
From hay bales to colouring books, Hammer Hardware has a wide and varied range of items crammed into its store. If you need anything (random), make this your first port of call. For example, we required a coffee making device as our AirBnB only had instant coffee supplies. I’m half Italian, I need proper coffee straight up in the morning thanks. Impressively, Hammer Hardware stocked 3 different sized Avanti stovetop coffee makers and plungers. Saviour!
Methven Pharmacy is open Monday to Friday. For chemist supplies on the weekends, you will need to head to Ashburton located approximately 30 minutes from Methven.
To get in a holiday workout or secure a sports massage, hit up Garage Gym. Staffed only on weekdays for casual visits, check out their website for details of these hours.
Need some clean threads and in need of a laundromat? Seek out Love Laundry located next to Fry Days in The Mall.
New Zealand Dollars (NZD) is the home currency and card is king here. Some EFTPOS machines give you the choice of paying in NZD or Aussie dollars, saving you some conversion fees.
Emergency number in New Zealand is 111.
In case of ski mishaps (and from experience), the closest hospital to Mt Hutt is located in Ashburton. Ashburton Hospital is located approximately 30 minutes from Methven and will treat standard breaks and bumps. For anything serious and requiring surgery, you will be shipped to a Christchurch Hospital.
We have cheated a little on some items of the major items. I’m a known Qantas Frequent Flyer point hoarder, so our flights including business class one way was a steal.
Inviting my parents along for the trip, allowed us to split the cost of the accommodation and car. Not to mentioned, a sneaky a child-free pub lunch. However if my folks did not join us, we were aiming to spend similar amount on a car and lodgings.
Our cost breakdown excluding food and knick knacks were:
| Expense Type | Supplier | Cost |
| Flights from Brisbane to Christchurch return | Qantas | AUD$671 for taxes plus 217,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer points |
| Hotel Accommodation x 1 night including buffet breakfast | Novotel Christchurch Airport | AUD$336 |
| Self contained Accommodation x 7 nights (our 50% share) | AirBnB Methven | AUD$2,518 (50% share) |
| Car rental – Hyundia Staria x 8 days included comprehensive insurance, baby & booster seats | Budget | AUD$757 (50% share) |
| Ski rental (Skis, boots & stocks) for 1 Adult & 1 Child x 5 days | Mt Hutt Snow Shop | AUD$425 |
| Ski lift pass – Adult x 5 days (NZD$525) | Mt Hutt Early bird sale | AUD$509 |
| Full day Child Group ski lessons x 2 days (NZD$175 per day) | Mt Hutt Ski School | AUD$339 |
| Travel insurance including snow cover (2 adults + 2 kids) | Qantas Travel Insurance/AIG | AUD$280 |
| Airport parking – Brisbane International Airport (valet) | Brisbane Airport Parking | AUD$214 |
| Total cost | AUD$6,049 |
All in all, our trip was fantastic value without skimping. I priced snow trips to Australian resorts and Queenstown at around $12k for the same listed items. Very happy with paying only half and didn’t skimp by any means. We found skiing Mt Hutt great bang for your buck!
With regard to snow gear, we borrowed, hit the sales and had some stuff already. Aldi’s famous snow gear sale is always worth a pick over. We bought ski pants for Hugo, snow boots for me and a snow onesie for Luca, which she used once. Aldi ski pants are really good value and work an absolute treat. I have a pair which I bought 8 years ago they are still going strong. A game changer for me though were the Aldi snow boots. So comfy and worth the $40 I paid for them and will last a bunch of future trips.
Keep an eye on Facebook Marketplace for high quality items. We snapped up Hugo’s Kathmandu snow jacket a couple years back via Facebook Marketplace. For $50, the ski jacket was two sizes too big at the time but was in mint condition. It was only used a couple of times and came with a rain jacket too. It is fluorescent yellow so you can track him really easily on the snow.
Don’t get suckered into goggles for the kids. They wont need them and you will end of carting them around everywhere. Helmets are absolutely essential for everyone and available for hire.
Double check you have snow sports coverage included on your travel insurance policy, especially when purchasing it online. I thought we were covered and called the day before our trip to confirm. Lucky I did because I somehow very cleverly did not include snow sports on the policy I purchased online.
If you have some time before your flight home, check out the International Antarctic Centre. Located super close 5 minute walk to the Christchurch airport, it is a great way to expend some pre-flight energy.
You will need at least an hour to explore everything and another 30 minutes to include the haggelund ride. We didn’t catch the haggelund ride as Hugo didn’t meet the 120cm height minimum. The International Antarctic Centre exhibits were really well set out and informative. Our highlights include the huskies, Storm Dome and 4D Antarctic doco.
So soft and relaxed, the kids loved patting the three resident huskies. Note the working pups do take a lunch break so . The Storm Dome was pretty cool, literally, throwing-18c snow storm conditions at you. If you get inside the room early, you can sit in the igloo. Snow jackets are available to don for the storm if you haven’t one with you.
We enjoyed the 4D short film which takes you cruising around to the Antarctic and visits its wildlife. There are so many marvellous exhibits and don’t miss the hand in freezing water challenge. We loved it and would definitely check it out again on another trip flying out of Christchurch.
Highly recommend purchasing your tickets online to avoid a long queue and cutting into your visit time. We waited in line about 15 minutes to buy tickets from the kiosk onsite. This wasted queue time meant we didn’t get to around to see everything. Speaking of purchasing tickets, see our below special link to buy your International Antarctic Centre tickets:
After check-in, we headed upstairs to level 1 to the main hall. There is a nice variety of eats, a colouring wall for kids, and importantly a bar. We set up camp in the Mac Bar chesterfields for a few frothies and snacks.
Customs is quick as there are not too many international flights to/from Christchurch. Recommend staying in the main hall area until around 20-15 minutes before boarding is to be called. Not much on the other side of the security gates unless you want to hit the duty free shopping.
Finally, would we take this holiday again Methven and Mt Hutt? The answer is…. Yes! It undoubtedly ticked all the boxes on the holiday we were chasing. A winter experience close to home at a reasonable price. Snow, skiing, thermal baths and a quaint village suitable for families. Furthermore, there are hikes, bike tracks to explore hence a summer road trip is on our to-do list!
