Punting On The Avon (Antigua Boat Sheds)

We were visiting Christchurch for just a few days, and on our last day we decided to book the Avon River punting cruise. We were able to secure an evening spot the same day and purchased our tickets online as a combo with the tram ride, which was very convenient. Overall, the experience was lovely. Our guide, Chris, was excellent—his informative and witty commentary throughout the ride made the tour especially enjoyable. The boats were clearly well maintained and easy to get in and out of, with comfortable seating and plenty of legroom. Along the way, we spotted a variety of tree species, ducks, geese, and even eels, and learned a lot about the statues lining the river and across Hagley Park. I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone looking for a relaxing and enjoyable way to explore the Avon River and Hagley Park.

Had such a lovely time punting in Christchurch on 14th Dec 2025! 🌿🛶 Our guide was awesome — she introduced us to all the ducks (yes, by name 😂) and pointed out some fascinating trees along the way. The whole experience was super chill and relaxing, perfect for a slow cruise on the water. We were punting close to Christmas, and funnily enough we met our special band on another boat on the way back — they ended up playing instruments as we headed in, which made the trip feel extra festive! One tiny bummer was that the photographer missed my solo photo as we departed (classic 😆), but to make up for it he gave me a free group photo, which was a nice touch. Totally worth doing if you’re in Christchurch — great guide, beautiful scenery and good vibes all around. Highly recommend!

This was a profoundly fun experience. Highly recommended as a tourist attraction. We had Shane as our punter and he definitely made the trip memorable. The boat ride was very comfortable and felt very safe the whole time. The commentary and guided tour was exemplary, the customer service at the entrance was amazing. The wild life on the trip is very fun to see from gigantic eels, to the ducks and the mesmerising trees. Carve out some time for this wonderful experience.

Our family had an amazing time on the boat ride at Punting on the Avon! Our guide, Sian, was a fun and cheerful lady with the sweetest voice. She shared lots of interesting history along the way and added just the right touch of humour, keeping all 10 of us entertained from start to finish. The ride felt relaxing, scenic, and full of charm. If you’re heading there, we highly recommend Sian, she truly made the experience memorable and special. A wonderful outing we would happily do again!

Absolutely loved our experience at Punting on the Avon! Our tour guide John the Irish legend himself, was amazing. He made the whole ride both educational and entertaining, sharing fun stories and history while keeping everyone laughing. We also loved the beautiful photo taken after the tour, such a great souvenir of a perfect day. Highly recommend this experience for anyone visiting Christchurch!

Extremely relaxing and enjoyable punting experience. 100% recommend if you’re looking to explore the city of christchurch in more relaxed manner. Our guide John or John the Irish man (as he would say) was super informative and made the experience a lot more enjoyable.

Lovely and calming experience, good for all ages. Lots of birds and ducks around, and we also saw eels. Bohan was our tour guide and did a great job. We had quite a few adults on board, so there would have been a bit more weight for him to manoeuvre, and he handled it very well. Thank you.

We purchased the 3 in 1 pass (gondola/tram/punting). Stopped by for morning coffee at Hummingbird Coffee Roasters before heading for our punting session at avon river. We met chino, the black cat and a resident at punting in the park shed, such a cutie! Our punter, Shane, was such a funny guy, who's absolutely passionate about punting. Pleasant ride back and forth the avon river. We saw diving ducks and eels (which my son had later plead to purchase the plushie back to SG). We had lots of fun learning the history and culture behing punting - not to be mistaken as Gondola at Venice though. Highly recommend to buy tickets in advanced too!