Christchurch - Canterbury

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The City of Christchurch has always been our Garden City and today the people of Christchurch and Canterbury with their immense sprit and fortitude are rebuilding our beloved city to be the Garden City of the future once more after the earthquakes of the past.

We wish to thank all of our clients wishing to visit Christchurch, know that your visit is helping the rebuild of this fine City and shows your support to the people of Christchurch and Canterbury along with their families that the World unites with them.

Visit the Botanical Gardens and enjoy the glass house with its stunning collection of rare and endangered plants, why not take a punt down the River Avon where you will glide pass willows that graceful touch the waters.

There is a Christchurch shopping center called the Start-up Mall with Shipping Containers that have been designed to be single and two floored shops both contemporary in appearance with just a little bit of fun and colour.

Many of our clients visit Christchurch prior to the boarding of Kiwi Rail's Tranz AlpineScenic train from Christchurch via the Canterbury Plains, and the Southern Alps through Arthur's Pass and Alpine Region to Greymouth on our West Coast.

On the Eastern Shores of Christchurch are the Port Hills and onwards to the Banks Peninsula, being home to Port of Lyttelton, which leads to the French Town of Akaroa. Here you can swim with our friendly Hector Dolphins.

Sub Regions

Kaikoura

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Kaikoura is the home of our Whales in New Zealand, there are here all around due to their favourite food source being in abundance. The most Northern part of Canterbury Region, Kaikoura is blessed with Mountains and Ocean Vista's. If you like Crayfish it is reported to be the very best place to try this colourful dish. The Maori People have a rich heritage in this area and will share with you Whale Watch Cruises and a host of other marine activities

Akaroa

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Akaroa is located 75 km's from Christchurch and accessed via the most beautiful and scenic Banks Peninsula. Historically a French Settlement, later British, it today retains its French Charm with French street names and beautiful colonial buildings. With beauitful cafes on the edge of the Harbour and an array of fine restaurants, its the perfect place to stay and explore the heritage of the area. Also home to the Hector Dolphins, the World's smallest and most friendly Dolphins can be seen on Dolphin Watch or Swim Cruises.

Geraldine

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Geraldine is a small Canterbury Town and is the gateway to Mackenzie Region and the Southern Lakes

Timaru

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Timaru is today a major Port in the Southern part of Canterbury Region and is the second largest city. There are beautiful Botanical Gardens that are well worth a visit. Timaru is also home to the little Blue Penguin Colony located at Caroline Bay.

Waimate

Waimate is a rual town located between Timaru and Oamaru and has some beautiful Edwardian buildings from the saw-milling days. The beautiful St Patrick's Catholic Church is well worth a visit. This area has a long history of Maori who used it for hunting through the seasons. Today Forest and Farming are the key industries of the region.

Twizel

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The Town of Twizel is located in the Mackenzie Basin and is the closest town to Aoraki Mt Cook and the Tasman Glacier. Also a film location of Lord of the Rings and a great place to observe the canopy of stars in the night sky.

Fairlie

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Fairlie is another Gateway Town to the Southern Alps and Mackenzie Country. There is a great Heritage Museum with Vintage carriage collection, there is also a township carriage ride to enjoy.

Ashburton

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Ashburton is located close to Christchurch and the perfect place to relax or try your hand at fishing on the Rakaia River. Canterbury Region – Mid-Canterbury, McKenzie, Arthur’s Pass & Selwyn, & South Canterbury Through Selwyn district & Arthur’s Pass, enjoy the ever-changing scenery from the patchwork quilt of the Canterbury Plains to the mighty Southern Alps. The Selwyn district is home to distinctive limestone formations, intriguing alpine flora & fauna & a vast range of walking tracks in Arthur’s Pass National Park. Savour a glass of wine at one of the boutique vineyards, stop for some white-knuckled jet boating on the Waimakariri Gorge or explore the depths of the cave at Cave Stream Scenic Reserve. Snow-capped Southern Alps, rich agricultural pastures & breath-taking braided rivers make Mid-Canterbury an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. From skiing or snowboarding to rafting, skydiving, fishing, touring stately gardens, mountain biking or hiking, there is definitely plenty do see & do! The McKenzie Country offers a tapestry of rich golden landscapes, powder blue canals & bright turquoise glacial lakes. At the heart of it all towers New Zealand’s highest mountain peak, Aoraki Mount Cook at 3,754 metres. Travel the well-worn paths of New Zealand’s mountain climbing pioneers, explore the Tasman Glacier by air or boat & in the evening count the stars in the clearest of night skies. South Canterbury’s sweeping plains, rolling hills, gourmet food, strong culture & heritage & true kiwi hospitality provide the perfect environment for holidays, recreation & all manner of sporting pursuits. Lovely Caroline Bay sits at the heart of the city of Timaru. The quaint township of Geraldine has become a gourmet mecca – home to delicious local cheeses, fruit preserves & chocolates. Canterbury Region / North Canterbury Surrounded by mountains and forests with crisp alpine air and award winning natural thermal pools, the village of Hanmer Springs is a simply magical place. With vibrant boutique shopping, an exciting array of adventure activities (from fishing to jet boating and bungy jumping!), world class cafes and restaurants and family friendly farm parks and golf among what's on offer, there is literally something to entertain everyone here.Our most popular attraction is Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa - a stunning complex of natural thermal pools, massage pools and masses of fun in our family friendly area complete with a water playground, hydro slides and New Zealand's only Super bowl aquatic thrill ride. Waipara Valley is a master class in cool climate wine making. Best known for exquisitely spicy and rich Pinot Noirs and Rieslings, the region has a great reputation for other aromatic varieties such as Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer as well as its own distinctive take on Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Now is your chance to experience the distinctively different shape, structure and architecture of our premium wines in the place they are created. Few places in the world can boast of such natural wonders as those offered by land and sea in Kaikoura, the whale-watching capital of New Zealand. The seaside settlement is the most northern district in the Canterbury region located on the east coast of the South Island on a rocky peninsula protruding from lush farmland beneath the mountains. In the waters off the peninsula, a complex marine system provides an abundantly rich habitat for marine animals & seabirds. Among them are the Giant Sperm Whales, Dusky Dolphins, the rare & endangered Hectors Dolphin, New Zealand fur seals & a wide variety of sea birds including the Royal Albatross. The Waimakariri district is only 15 minutes north of Christchurch and is home to the fast growing towns of Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Woodend, Oxford & New Zealand’s newest town, Pegasus. With natural unspoiled scenery, rivers, beaches, forests, mountains, foothills and natural wetlands easily accessible, the Waimakariri is the biggest & closest playground to Christchurch.

Lake Tekapo

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Lake Tekapo is a small lakeside town located in the heart of the Mackenzie Basin of South Canterbury; the lake has a beautiful turquoise colour that is fed from melting glacier waters. The stunning nigh time sky is the pure magic of this region, with clean air the stars and Milky Way will astound you and we always try to locate suitable properties with outdoor seating areas to enable our clients to experience the greatest show on earth. Lake Tekapo is the perfect place to stay and explore Mackenzie Country and Mt Cook just 1 hours 15 Minutes journey away via the stunning Lake Pukaki.

Mt Cook

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Aoraki / Mt Cook is a small lakeside town located in the heart of the Mackenzie Basin of South Canterbury; the lake has a beautiful turquoise colour that is fed from melting glacier waters. The stunning nigh time sky is the pure magic of this region, with clean air the stars and Milky Way will astound you and we always try to locate suitable properties with outdoor seating areas to enable our clients to experience the greatest show on earth. Lake Tekapo is the perfect place to stay and explore Mackenzie Country and Mt Cook just 1 hours 15 Minutes journey away via the stunning Lake Pukaki.

Canterbury Region – Mid-Canterbury, McKenzie, Arthur’s Pass & Selwyn, & South Canterbury

From Selwyn district as well as Arthur’s Pass you can enjoy the ever changing colours and scenery of the patchwork quilt of fields across the Canterbury Plains that lead you up into the mighty Southern Alps. The Selwyn district is home to distinctive alpine flora and fauna to limestone formations. There are many walking tracks to enjoy the delights of the Arthur’s Pass National Park. Visit one of the Boutique Wineries and enjoy a glass of their fine wines, stop and feel the excitement of a Jet boat on the Waimakariri Gorge or explore the Cave at Cave Stream Scenic Reserve and take tot the depths.
 
Snow-capped Southern Alps, rich agricultural pastures & breath-taking braided rivers make Mid-Canterbury an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. From skiing or snowboarding to rafting, skydiving, fishing, touring stately gardens, mountain biking or hiking, there is definitely plenty do see & do!
 
The McKenzie Country offers a tapestry of rich golden landscapes, powder blue canals & bright turquoise glacial lakes. At the heart of it all towers New Zealand’s highest mountain peak, Aoraki Mount Cook at 3,754 metres. Travel the well-worn paths of New Zealand’s mountain climbing pioneers, explore the Tasman Glacier by air or boat & in the evening count the stars in the clearest of night skies.
 
South Canterbury’s sweeping plains, rolling hills, gourmet food, strong culture & heritage & true kiwi hospitality provide the perfect environment for holidays, recreation & all manner of sporting pursuits. Lovely Caroline Bay sits at the heart of the city of Timaru. The quaint township of Geraldine has become a gourmet mecca – home to delicious local cheeses, fruit preserves & chocolates.
 
Canterbury Region / North Canterbury
 
Surrounded by mountains and forests with crisp alpine air and award winning natural thermal pools, the village of Hanmer Springs is a simply magical place. With vibrant boutique shopping, an exciting array of adventure activities (from fishing to jet boating and bungy jumping!), world class cafes and restaurants and family friendly farm parks and golf among what's on offer, there is literally something to entertain everyone here.Our most popular attraction is Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa - a stunning complex of natural thermal pools, massage pools and masses of fun in our family friendly area complete with a water playground, hydroslides and New Zealand's only Superbowl aquatic thrill ride.
 
Waipara Valley is a master class in cool climate wine making. Best known for exquisitely spicy and rich Pinot Noirs and Rieslings, the region has a great reputation for other aromatic varieties such as Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer as well as its own distinctive take on Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Now is your chance to experience the distinctively different shape, structure and architecture of our premium wines in the place they are created.
 
Few places in the world can boast of such natural wonders as those offered by land and sea in Kaikoura, the whale-watching capital of New Zealand. The seaside settlement is the most northern district in the Canterbury region located on the east coast of the South Island on a rocky peninsula protruding from lush farmland beneath the mountains. In the waters off the peninsula, a complex marine system provides an abundantly rich habitat for marine animals & seabirds. Among them are the Giant Sperm Whales, Dusky Dolphins, the rare & endangered Hectors Dolphin, New Zealand fur seals & a wide variety of sea birds including the Royal Albatross. 
 
The Waimakariri district is only 15 minutes north of Christchurch and is home to the fast growing towns of Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Woodend, Oxford & New Zealand’s newest town, Pegasus. With natural unspoiled scenery, rivers, beaches, forests, mountains, foothills and natural wetlands easily accessible, the Waimakariri is the biggest & closest playground to Christchurch.