Stretching out like a patchwork quilt, the Canterbury Plains cradle the South Island’s largest city, Christchurch. Discover the diversity of the region by visiting Waipara, Hanmer Springs, Kaikoura and Mount Cook National Park.
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New Zealand and the South Pacific
Enjoy the spectacular views of the Canterbury Plains from the air.
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.