6 Unique Activities to Try in Christchurch

Whether you’re an avid boulderer or just a fan of Free Solo, Uprising is the bouldering gym for you. With an easy-to-follow colour-coordinated system, beginners and experts alike can face the wall for a challenge. Needing only climbing shoes and some comfy clothes, the barrier to entry is low, but the thrill is high. Once you’re wrapped up your session, head upstairs for a pint and some pizza and watch other climbers take on the wall or head to a yoga class to stretch it out.

When you’ve worn yourself out with Christchurch’s adventurous offerings, head to O Studio for a new take on relaxation. Offering a range of yoga and meditation classes, plus float pools, sauna rooms, and massages, there’s something for everyone. Located in The Welder Wellness Centre, the stunning space inspires a deep inhale when you walk through the doors. Focusing on mind and body health, O Studio is exactly what you want after a stressful week.

If you prefer unique tours of cities, Āmiki Tours is for you. Offering culture and food tours in Christchurch with a Māori lens, Āmiki places importance on indiginious storytelling. During their tours you’ll learn Te Reo phrases and words and gain a deeper appreciation of Ōtautahi and its history and future. Choose between their city meander tour, a dinner tour - described as a kai safari - or get in touch to create your own bespoke tour. If you’re wanting a unique way to see the city, whether Christchurch is home or not, Āmiki Tours will deliver.

If you’re wanting to explore more of what floatation therapy has to offer, head down to Cloud 9 in Riccarton. Known as a holistic treatment, floatation triggers the body’s ‘relaxation response’, the opposite of fight or flight, offering a more intense version of relaxation than you might get from yoga or meditation. With spacious, private float pods and a serene atmosphere, you’ll leave feeling rejuvenated.

Is whizzing down a mountain on two wheels more your jam? Head over to the Christchurch Adventure Park, located in the Port Hills, for some mountain biking. With 50 possible trail combinations of varying grades, the Adventure Park even has a chair lift to make sure you get the most out of your downhill time. If you’re into adrenaline rushes, they also have the highest and longest ziplines in New Zealand, a thrilling way to see Christchurch, the hills, and the mountains from above. If you’d rather just take in the scenery on your own two feet, enjoy the many free walking tracks or treat yourself to some cafe treats, located on site.

Have a need for speed? Velocity Karts is for you then. With blokarts - mini go-kart-like things that use wind power to move - and driftkarts, you’ll be slipping, sliding, and spinning around the track in no time. Race friends, track your time, and find thrill in the chase. If you have boundless energy and aren’t tired after all that racing, gather up your friends for a game of human foosball. Exactly as it sounds, you replace the board game, kicking the ball and scoring goals. If only this were appropriate to set up in your living room!