Private Hanmer Springs Day Trip from Christchurch
Thermal pools in an alpine village north of Christchurch, with a private driver so you can relax properly and be driven home.
Current day-trip rates
The pickup point chooses the rate card
Auckland & Christchurch
Starts within the Auckland or Christchurch service area
- Half day
- 4 hours · 100 km
- from $299
- Full day
- 8 hours · 200 km
- from $499
- Out of town
- 10 hours · 400 km
- from $799
Everywhere else
Regional North Island and the rest of the South Island
- Half day
- 4 hours · 100 km
- from $399
- Full day
- 8 hours · 200 km
- from $699
- Out of town
- 10 hours · 400 km
- from $999
Prices vary by season and vehicle. If no vehicle is based near the pickup, driver travel is shown as a separate line before payment.
Why book this one privately
- Hanmer Springs thermal pools and spa
- Alpine village setting and forest walks
- Waiau gorge and North Canterbury countryside
- Wine stops in Waipara on the way back
About this day
Hanmer Springs is a small alpine village built around natural thermal pools, tucked into the mountains a couple of hours north of Christchurch.
The point of going is to do nothing energetically — soak, eat, walk in the forest, soak again — which works far better when somebody else is driving home afterwards.
The route passes through the Waipara wine district, so a cellar door on the return leg is an easy and popular addition.
A private driver, not a group tour or a shared ride
Highway 1 Tours & Transfers is a New Zealand owned private transfer company with NZTA-licensed, P-endorsed drivers. Everything here is a private hire: your own vehicle and chauffeur for the day, an agreed fixed price rather than a meter, and a plan you can change on the road. It is a calmer, more flexible alternative to a taxi or cab for the day, a rental car, or a seat on somebody else's schedule — and the same drivers handle airport transfers, intercity point-to-point trips and multi-day private touring anywhere in the country.
Return day or one-way? Both work — decide before you book
A private day tour does not have to finish where it started. You can do a return day, back in Christchurch that evening with the same accommodation waiting for you — or a one-way day, where we collect you and your luggage in Christchurch, sightsee along the way and drop you at your accommodation in the next town. Auckland out to Rotorua, or Christchurch through to Queenstown, are two of the most popular one-way days we drive.
Either way it is one private vehicle, one driver and one fixed price agreed before you travel. Just tell us on the booking form where you want the day to start and where you want it to finish, and whether your bags are coming with you.
Frequently asked questions
Other private tours nearby
- Private Waipara Valley Wine Tour from Christchurch
North Canterbury's riesling and pinot country, less than an hour from Christchurch, with a driver for the day.
- Private Kaikōura Day Tour from Christchurch
Whales, seals and the mountains-meet-sea coast road north of Christchurch, in a private vehicle timed around your tour booking.
- Private Arthur's Pass Day Tour from Christchurch
Across the Southern Alps and back, taking in Castle Hill, the beech forest and the Otira Viaduct, in a private vehicle.
- Private Day Tours from Christchurch
Canterbury reaches from the Pacific to the main divide. Every trip here is a private vehicle with a driver for the day, door to door.
Other services we offer
A private transfer is only part of what we do. The same NZTA-licensed drivers and vehicles cover tours, hourly hire, airport and cruise work, corporate travel and group bookings throughout New Zealand.
Private, luxury & multi-day travel
Private touring, chauffeur hire, honeymoon travel and a driver for your whole New Zealand trip.
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Private airport transfers instead of a shared shuttle — your group alone, direct to the terminal, price agreed first.
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A fixed-price private car instead of the taxi rank — city-by-city guides across New Zealand.
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Keep the same driver for the day and shape the route around what you'd like to see nationwide.
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A driver and vehicle held for a block of time — best when your travel starts and finishes in the same town.
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Multiple vehicles on one booking for larger parties, or a driven alternative to hiring a car.
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Ride there and ride home for the big nights — concerts, festivals and events across New Zealand.
Event transport
Please note: by-the-hour driver hire is only suitable when your travel starts and finishes in the same town. If you're finishing somewhere else, book a private transfer or a day trip so your fare covers the driver's travel.