Tailor-made Christchurch & Canterbury: Introduction

Stretching between the mountains and the sea, the Canterbury region boasts some of New Zealand’s most imposing scenery. Vast landscapes, endless pastures and alpine panoramas serve as the backdrop for a scattering of townships, perfectly blending the rural and the rugged.

At its heart is colonial Christchurch, ‘the garden city’, where punts ply the waters of the Avon River and tramways line the streets. Inland the Alps rise to New Zealand’s highest peak – Aoraki Mount Cook, the ‘Cloud Piercer’ - and a National Park surrounded by a wonderland of ice and rock. As the peaks tail away, the landscape is dotted with turquoise lakes milky with the dust of glacial movement. Finally the land plunges into the sea, creating trenches of enormous depth which in turn provide a unique marine environment teeming with wildlife. These rich, warm waters are home to dolphins, seals and whales, who are year-round residents.

The diversity of the region can be appreciated by travelling the Alpine Pacific Triangle, giving you a taste of the gourmet delights of Waipara, the thermal activity of Hanmer Springs, and the wildlife of Kaikoura, while for many a highlight is the dramatic rail journey across Arthur’s Pass on board the TranzAlpine Train.

Selected Highlights

Our specialists have travelled the length and breadth of the country to research the best places to stay and things to do. Here they list a few of their favourite “unmissables”. Click here for more highlights

Explore Akaroa and the Banks Peninsula

Just an hour's drive from Christchurch is the Banks Peninsula, formed from two collapsed volcanoes which now form back-to-back bays with beautiful turquoise...  [more]

Discover cultural Christchurch

Christchurch city has a wonderfully elegant feel about it. The city centre can be explored by tram, taking a stop at the Arts Centre, one of New...  [more]

Frolic with the marine life in Kaikoura

Due to its unique marine environment, Kaikoura is home year-round to sperm whales, as well as pods of dolphin and colonies of fur seals. Observing...  [more]