E S Tours

E S Tours

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E S Tours offers day tours to Christchurch from Akaroa via Banks Peninsula for cruise ship passengers. As ex-teachers we run an informative tour telling you about the history of the area and New Zealand in general......and stop at lots of points of interest along the way. With a maximum of 11 passengers we like to keep our tours small, friendly and interactive. Our smaller vehicle allows us to get onto some of the more scenic roads that are not suitable for big bus tours and keep away from the crowds. Our other area of expertise is South Island Tours which we can adapt to suit your needs.
Christchurch, New Zealand

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles56 reviews
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Karlie M
Brisbane, Australia15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Friends
We booked E S Tours to do a tour from Akaroa to Christchurch when our ship arrived on March 14th. I had corresponded with Dermot via email prior to this. His responses were quick and much appreciated. We arranged to meet on the dock (we were a group of 11) and true to his word Dermot was waiting for us. We left the itinerary in his hands and we were not disappointed. His commentary and knowledge like the views we were seeing was amazing. I know I speak on behalf of everyone in our group and we could not recommend Dermot and E S Tours enough. Was the highlight of our cruise. Thank you Dermot
Written March 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
An absolute pleasure showing your group Banks Peninsula, Lyttelton and Christchurch !.........we will be ready to show others the area when the Covid 19 situation has passed and visitors return ! Thank you for taking the time to write a review......much appreciated !
Written April 2, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Betty and Bob
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Couples
What an amazing tour. We came in on P & O Explorer. We were dropped at the Tourist Information Centre in Lyttleton where we had the good fortune to meet Dermot who did a tour to and around Christchurch. This tour is a local tour, full of local knowledge both past and present. We were taken on back roads with lots of information. Our tour of Christchurch was very informative, including lots of information about the earthquake. This was an amazing value, small group tour.
Written February 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glad you enjoyed the tour route and commentary. Always a pleasure to show cruise ship groups around. Safe travels, Dermot
Written November 12, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

hope_star78
38 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2015 • Couples
I told Dermot that I would write a review because I want him to have more reviews displayed on TripAdvisor, we would not hesitate to recommend him!
Dermot was very prompt and very easy to communicate with in booking, however
meeting/choosing independent tour operators on a pier was a new experience for us, since we always book ahead, it took us a bit to understand that he also takes people from the ships that have not signed up prior to the tour. This was not a problem and worked out very well. It actually gave us a few minutes to walk around Akaroa and get online which we had not been able to do for several days.
My husband and I both enjoyed his tour very much. Dermot started from the moment we entered his very comfortable van by telling stories and giving us information on the area. He has an intercom system that he uses, this was a welcome change for us, in that we had been on several tours before his in other areas that we barely heard a word the guide said. We had heard that there was not a lot to see on a tour of this area, however we did not feel that way. The drive to Christchurch was very interesting and had some beautiful views. Christchurch itself is just what it is and that is a city in repair however we found it interesting and a very nice day off of the cruise ship.
When you choose a tour you just never know, but we were completely comfortable from beginning to end, felt well informed and felt this tour was worth the money spent.
Written March 11, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

missfussbudget
Los Angeles, CA31 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2015 • Couples
There was a line of tour kiosks lined up when we got off the ship. We settled on English School Tours, because Dermot was the owner/operator, a teacher, and seemed knowledgable about the area. He tried very hard to give us the best tour possible despite the rain! He went out of his way and was willing to do whatever it took to make all of us strangers happy, even stopping at a prime cherry picking farm on the way back, and buying a large box of the juiciest cherries one could have. Dermot knows the history of the area, and the best places to catch a view. His van fits about 11 people. Maybe 12, but that would've been too much. When you get off the cruise boat in the Cristchurch area, look for Dermot, and tell him Miss Fussbudget sent you. Also, know that Cristchurch is a war zone. It has not been rebuilt since the earthquake a few years ago, so you are really seeing it at its worst. It's interesting that they live our of containers, and hopefully will fix it up in the next five years as promised. The countryside getting there is beautiful and full of hills, sheep, and ocean views.
Written February 14, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PumpkinJess
Melbourne, Australia1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2014
An amazing tour, great sights and great facts, fantastic guide from Akaroa to Christchurch, Thank you soooo much, highly recommend, a trip with E S Tours- Jessica
Written April 5, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks very much for the review ! I hope the rest of your cruise went well !
Written April 8, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Planner55
Australia1,769 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2017 • Couples
I booked this tour online through Dermot because it looked interesting and because he was happy to take us to 'The Giant's House' in Akaroa at the end.

The Holland America ship was one hour late berthing and even though we got down there early for a tender ticket we had to wait our turn to get off the ship. I wish I had known that one person could have got the tickets super early and gone back to the cabin where you are called over the loudspeaker or just do what the Americans on our minibus did. There was a group of them so they had that advantage. They said 'we just acted like pushy Americans and told them we were meeting someone at 9!' It's a bit of a problem at Akaroa because so many people are on ship's tours and are given priority.

We were met by Nick, our guide because Dermot was guiding another minibus group. The American group of 8 on our bus were getting coffee from a nearby hotel so we quickly did the same.

As the two of us had arrived last we sat in the back of the minibus with one other person. Dermot's bus looked much more comfortable and newer. This one was a ski bus that they were leasing for the Summer and was OK for most of the time but the suspension particularly going back was not good. There was also a bit of a problem especially for the guy next to me with air. I am pretty sure that the back seat was the reason for both.

There was a beautiful scenic drive first. After that we had a 20 minute toilet, shopping and coffee stop at Little River, a tourist stop on the side of the road. We didn't really need that long because it was crowded and you probably could not have got it in time anyway. Much better to get coffee in Akaroa. Thanks Nick.

Next stop was Lyttelton where we walked around for some time and Nick explained what happened during the earthquake there. Interesting and terrifying no doubt.

We drove around Christchurch and stopped near the cathedral and walked to the container eating area. I saw 'Quake City' and wished we had time to go there. Maybe if we didn't want to eat.

The container eating area was great and wished we had another ten minutes or so there to look at the quirky shop at the end opposite the toilets.

It's interesting that the banks and building companies have already rebuilt. I was in Christchurch in 2013 and a lot has been done since but it still looks like a shattered place. I feel sad for all the people who have had to wait so long to have their futures decided.

We drove back to Akaroa a different way. It felt much faster and a lot more corners in the back seat! We stopped briefly at a cheese shop and back at Akaroa Nick dropped us up the hill at 'The Giant's House' at 4.30. We walked up the driveway and had 30 glorious minutes there before Nick drove us back to the ship in plenty of time.

We did see Dermot with his group and bus on the way back. It was a great price for such a long tour and interesting itinerary. We are so grateful to have seen 'The Giant's House.' Definitely superior to a big bus tour. Recommended.
Written April 8, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am glad you enjoyed our tour, the pricing and were happy with Nick's flexibility (dropping you at the Giant's House then picking you up again at the end). It does pay to line up early for a tender ashore (especially if you have a pre-booking) and that depends on the cruise ship company....some run a lot more tenders than others and are quicker getting them in the water and the passengers ashore. It is the end of our season and we are currently looking into which minivan to lease next year....so thank you for your input ! Regards, Dermot Hall E S Tours
Written April 11, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bustopher_Deane
Gosford, Australia68 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2015 • Couples
In 2012, my ex-wife and I did a Princess cruise to New Zealand. Apparently it didn't work. Three and a half more years passed and I just had to do it again, and took along my housemate. We did the same trip, but in reverse order,so we hit Akaroa as the second port.

This was one tour we had actually planned. I'd contacted Dermot by email, and after we got a NZ sim card in Dunedin the day before I was even able to ring him that night because we could shoot a land based mobile tower from the ship.

We'd had overcast weather all the way across the Tasman, and the day before, but as we pulled into Akaroa, it was a magical blue sky day (one of only two, the whole fortnight of the cruise).

I got the front seat this time as Dermot saw my cameras attached. I was able to get some incredible photos of the trip.

This time we had a general visit of Christchurch, plus the route Dermot takes gives you a great insight of the surrounding countryside, including Lyttleton Harbour (where Dermot lives) from the heights of the volcano rim Akaroa Harbour is in.

We were not disappointed. Top notch tour, with an incredibly knowledgeable host. The comfort stop at Little River along the way provides an introduction to the rural areas around Christchurch, and is quaint and quiet.

In Christchurch itself we saw the very slow recovery after the earthquake nearly five years ago. There's still a "container city" of "temporary" shops in the heart of the city, which had moved slightly as permanent buildings were slowly being (re) built.

We saw a very moving memorial of 185 white chairs in a vacant lot; one for each person killed in Feb 2011. We saw the crumbling cathedral - which has less upright structures than what we saw in March 2012 which I could see by carefully analysing the photos from both trips.

Just a few notes - it's about 90km from Akaroa to Christchurch which takes a little less than two hours. Add half an hour for lunch and the return journey (via a slightly more direct route), and you're looking at well over four hours for the "mechanics" of the tour. It doesn't leave a huge amount of time for exploring Christchurch, as the ship is only in port for about 6-7 hours (varies).

We managed to get about half an hour to look over Akaroa before the tour departed, and so despite being there twice now, there's a LOT of this quaint little town I still haven't seen. So sorry Dermot, next time I do this cruise (will definitely be doing it) I reckon I'll spend the day in Akaroa.

Mind you, if you are in Akaroa, make sure that at one point you get yourself up to the rim of the volcano (there are several options - eg a London double decker bus tour, a motorbike trike thingy, or just a taxi) and look down over the harbour. It's a magical view.
Written January 10, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

kimbir2015
Christchurch, New Zealand1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2015 • Business
Our small company was going away for a strategy day, we had guests flying in from other cities and different pick up and drop offs. Dermot was able to work with flexibility and with his charming manner more than met all our requirements. I would recommend him.
Written March 2, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jacky M
Melbourne, Australia1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2014 • Friends
A recent cruise stop in Akaroa provided us with an opportunity to tour Christchurch. I had pre booked Dermot through ESTours before leaving Australia. He was most helpful with his correspondence and was waiting for us at our pre arranged time of departure.
We had our own tour as we were in a group of 8.
Dermot s knowledge of the local area and history of New Zealand was most informative. He took us a different way to Christchurch from the return route and we saw different country side. Dermot spoke about the earthquake and his first hand experience as he showed us places of devastation and effects on this city.
We had lunch in the container precinct area before heading back to Akaroa .
Another highlight was we wanted to see the giants house in Akaroa. Not all of us wanted to see it so he dropped some off and came back and got us to take us back in time to catch the tender back to the ship.
Overall we had a great day with Dermot and would high recommend this tour to anyone visiting Akaroa or Christchurch .
Written April 18, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SolarAraras
Petropolis, RJ49 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018 • Couples
Guide Dermot Hall is the most dedicated, knowledgeable, friendly guide we have ever encountered. He took us up the ridge road between Akaroa and Christchurch so we could see the snow-capped NZ Alps in the middle of the South Island which were visible 50 miles away with decent weather. He was perfect in every way, ie he guided us without talking too much and cramming too much info into our heads in a short time. Bravo, Dermot !!!
Written November 23, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Many thanks for taking the time to write the review !
Written January 5, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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