Christchurch Canterbury New Zealand

Cheviot is the main town on the coastal route between Amberley and Kaikoura. Named for the Cheviot sheep, it’s clear that the primary local industry is wool growing. The museum depicts the history of the area, including the discovery of moa bones.

Cheviot Hill Domain, with its extensive planting of English trees, is a pleasant picnic spot in all seasons. During summer months, Gore Bay on the coast is popular for surfing and both the Hurunui and Waiau Rivers reward fly fishermen with sea-run salmon and trout. If you’re not just passing through, a Cheviot farmstay can introduce you to the delights of sheep mustering, pony riding and other rural entertainments.

The alpine village of Arthur’s Pass is a base for mountain adventures. Walk to a waterfall, hike to alpine meadows, climb a peak or hunt for red deer.

One of the highest settlements in the country, Arthur’s Pass sits in the middle of a national park of the same name. The village has a choice of cafes and a few shops. Arthur's Pass National Park offers a range of walks, from easy strolls to demanding climbs. Tracks lead through rich forest to waterfalls, alpine meadows and mountain peaks. The Devil's Punchbowl Falls is a popular one hour return walk from the village. The highly scenic Tranz Alpine rail service runs through Arthur’s Pass. From late May to October, the highway through the town is sometimes closed, due to snow or black ice.

The eastern side of Arthur's Pass National Park is characterised by wide, shingle-filled riverbeds and vast beech forests. The western side of the park, where wet weather is more common than dry, has deeply gorged rivers flowing through dense rainforest. Down the middle of 'the great pide' is an alpine dreamland of snow-covered peaks, glaciers and scree slopes.

The park includes many peaks over 2000 metres - the highest is Mount Murchison at 2,400 metres. All the main valleys of the park are deep and steep sided, with the U-shaped profile typical of glacial action. Above the sub-alpine shrublands, there are enchanting alpine fields with wild flowers.

Most people arrive in Arthur's Pass National Park by road - a spectacular piece of extreme civil engineering involving viaducts, bridges, rock shelters and waterfalls redirected into chutes. When Arthur Dobson first encountered the precipitous Otira Gorge, the pass was almost impassable - he had to leave his horse at the top and lower his dog on a rope.

The village at Arthur's Pass is New Zealand's highest town, and the starting point for many short walks. The entrance to the historic Otira rail tunnel can be seen here - an epic engineering feat through 8.5 kilometres of rock.

Situated in the foothills of the Southern Alps, the resort town of Hanmer Springs is an attractive year-round holiday destination for adventure, relaxation and indulgence.

Local activities are all about experiencing the beautiful environment. Go forest hiking, mountain biking, horse trekking, skiing (in winter), bungy jumping or jet boating. A round of golf (mini or regular) is another option.

At the end of the day, head for the thermal reserve to soak in the naturally heated pools – or treat yourself to a range of indulgent spa therapies. There’s a modern shopping centre and plenty of choice when it comes to meal times.

The thriving country town of Rangiora serves the local agricultural and horticultural community. There’s no better place to enjoy Canterbury lamb.

Rangiora was occupied by Maori for several hundred years before the arrival of Europeans. The beauty of the area and the potential for grazing lands inspired a Canterbury surveyor, Charles Obins Torlesse, to build the first dwelling in the town in 1851.

The main industries in the area are lamb production, dairying, fruit growing and mixed farming. Southern hemisphere truffles are a new specialty crop. The town has several interesting museums and some wonderful heritage buildings, including one of Canterbury's oldest wooden churches. The beaches of Pegasus Bay are within easy reach and the nearby rivers are popular for fishing and walking.

Kaiapoi was once the site of a major Ngai Tahu trading settlement. You can visit the pa, which appears as a series of low grassy mounds.

This attractive town, just north of the Waimakariri River, was an important trading centre in the 1850s and 60s, when its waterways allowed cutters, schooners and paddle steamers to service the needs of the pioneering settlers. In earlier times, it was the site of the Ngai Tahu tribe’s largest settlement. The pa had an estimated population of over 5000 and was a centre for trading. Today the site appears as a green field covered in low mounds. Kaiapoi serves as a dormitory suburb for the city of Christchurch. It has an extensive shopping centre and a full range of services.

The city of Christchurch promises an eclectic mix of historic elegance and contemporary culture. It’s an excellent base for Canterbury explorations.

The South Island’s largest city, Christchurch is an entertaining mixture of refined lifestyle and cultural excitement. The tranquil Avon River meanders through the city, historic buildings house a lively arts community and restored trams make it easy for visitors to get around.

The first four ships arrived from England to settle Christchurch in 1850, and their legacy lives on in the city’s grand heritage buildings and stately parks. Visit historic sites, museums and art galleries, and enjoy the highly developed restaurant scene. For an unforgettable scenic experience, travel up the Christchurch gondola or go punting on the Avon River.

Crouched at the base of the Southern Alps, one and a half hours inland from Christchurch, Methven is a welcoming town for visitors looking for adventure. In winter, it’s a base for snow sport enthusiasts who come to conquer the slopes of nearby Mount Hutt. Despite the fact that Methven is so close to Christchurch, a major international city, it retains a charming community feel.

At other times of the year, activities such as jet boating, sky diving, hot air ballooning and mountain biking are popular. If you enjoy fishing and golf, you won’t be disappointed with Methven. The town offers an excellent choice of eating places and bars. Accommodation ranges from backpacker lodges to character B&Bs.

Nestled in the heart of the Southern Alps is Mt Hutt Ski Area, which receives some of the deepest, lightest, driest powder in Australasia. It also has one of the longest ski seasons in the Southern Hemisphere lasting from early June to late October. Close to Christchurch city and with more than 365 skiable hectares, Mt Hutt offers plenty of variety and every facility for snow sports enthusiasts.

Whether you are an absolute beginner or an advanced professional, if you’re into skiing or snowboarding then Mt Hutt is the place to do it. With plenty of adrenaline-pumping Black Diamond runs on the South Face, extreme skiers and boarders will have as many different challenges as they can handle.

Harbour cruises and great cafés attract visitors to the historic port town of Lyttelton, just twenty minutes from the centre of Christchurch city.

Lyttelton is a port town with a long history. Christchurch’s first European settlers landed here in 1850 before trekking over the Port Hills to establish their new home. Today Lyttelton is accessed by an impressive road tunnel.

As you’d expect, the local museum has a maritime theme; it also has an excellent Antarctic gallery (Lyttelton was an expedition launching point in the days of South Pole expeditions). Another place of interest is the neo-Gothic Timeball Station, which was erected in 1876 to keep Greenwich Mean Time. Harbour cruises depart from Lyttelton every day - with any luck, you’ll encounter Hector’s dolphins.

The most French town in New Zealand, Akaroa will have you entranced with its historic buildings, magnificent harbour and passion for fine food.

Akaroa sits at the edge of a beautiful harbour inside the eroded crater of a huge extinct volcano. Originally a French settlement, the town is elegant and full of character. The streets have French names and local restaurants focus on French cuisine.

The French settlers who arrived to establish the town in 1840 thought they were the first colonists of a new French territory, however the Treaty of Waitangi was signed just days before they arrived, which gave Britain sovereignty over the whole of New Zealand. Visit the Akaroa museum and take a self-guided walk to see historic cottages. Harbour cruises provide a chance to view dolphins, penguins and fur seals.

Ashburton is a large town that serves the surrounding farming district. It sits between two major rivers, so fly fishing is the local obsession.

A major service centre for the local farming district, Ashburton sits between the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers. When European settlers first arrived here, the area was a dry, tussock-covered expanse with hardly any trees. Extensive irrigation schemes have transformed the land, and the story of Ashburton’s triumph over drought is told at the town’s main museum (there are six museums in Ashburton, including a vintage railway museum, aviation museum and car museum).

Local art and craft galleries provide interesting shopping. Both of the nearby rivers are known for salmon and sea-run trout.

Make a stop at the Asburton Robert Harris Café, on West Street opposite the Shell service station. They sell different coffees, teas and a variety of cold drinks. Their cabinets have a large variety of sandwiches, savoury and sweet items. They also have a breakfast and short order menu.

This park offers thirteen walks and hiking trails through 500 hectares of virgin native forest that survived the early logging days.

The aptly named Big Tree Walk, 30 minutes, begins at the Te Wanahu picnic shelter and leads into Mills Bush where fine specimens of huge native totara trees, one almost three metres across, are thought to be about 1,000 years old.

Fern Walk, three hours return, follows the forest edge from near Te Wanahu Flat along the southern boundary of the reserve to Blandswood. Many of the 68 species of fern in Peel Forest Park can be seen along this track.

From the Clarke Flat area, the Acland Falls Walking Track, one hour return, climbs steeply, levels off a little and then drops to a small stream. The 14-metre high falls are a short walk up the streambed. Native fuchsia, mahoe, kowhai and kanuka are the botanic highlights on this walk.

A more challenging hike, four to six hours return, leaves from the Blandswood lookout and climbs to the summit of Little Mount Peel (1311 metres). The track is steep but well-formed and the views and alpine flora are worth the effort. A small alpine lake at about 900 metres makes a great lunch stop. From here the main ridge leads to the summit. On a clear day, the views extend to Mount Somers, Mount Hutt and across the plains to the coast.

A commercial camping ground at Clarke Flat offers tent and motor home sites. This is the only area where camping is allowed in the reserve.

Lake Tekapo is a photographer’s dream come true. The snow-topped mountains, turquoise blue lake and tussock-covered hills will have you enthralled.

Lake Tekapo and the other lakes in the Mackenzie Country are a wonderful opaque turquoise colour, the result of glacier-ground rock sediment in the water.

The township at the lake’s edge knows how to look after visitors; it has a choice of cafes and several souvenir shops. The exquisite Church of the Good Shepherd is possibly the most photographed church in New Zealand - its altar window perfectly frames Mount Cook. Another photographic opportunity is the sheepdog memorial, which pays tribute to the role of dogs in high country farming. Make the most of the fresh, alpine air on the Lake Tekapo Walkway. On a clear night, you can watch the stars at Mt John Observatory.

Geraldine is a pretty country town with an artistic streak. Shop for arts and crafts, refresh at a friendly café and take a stroll around the historic trail.

The friendly village of Geraldine is in the heart of a prosperous farming area. The local people are mostly involved with sheep, cattle, deer, dairy cows, cropping and fruit growing, but the area is also known for its population of artists and crafts people.

You can learn about the early history of the town at the Geraldine Historical Society Museum. The town also has a highly regarded vintage car and machinery museum. Another way to appreciate Geraldine is to walk the Historic Town Trail. Just beyond the town, you can visit gardens and artists’ studios. Sporting pursuits include skiing, white water rafting, golf and fishing.

Fairlie is known as the ‘Gateway to the Mackenzie Country’. It’s an attractive rural service town that doubles as a ski town in winter.

Just west of here, Burke Pass takes you into the high altitude, tussock-covered expanses that characterise the region. The Mackenzie Country is named after Jock Mackenzie, the legendary Scottish sheep rustler who once roamed the hills.

There are several ski fields close to Fairlie, and recently created Lake Opuha is popular for boating and fishing. The Raincliff Historic Reserve is the place to see Maori rock art. Resident artists and potters provide craft buying opportunities. Consider a farmstay, to get a feel for life on a high country sheep station.

Will you stop in Temuka to fish for salmon or shop for stoneware? This South Canterbury country town is a centre of angling and pottery.

Bring up the subject of aviation in Temuka and you’ll quickly have an interesting conversation on your hands. This town was the home of Richard Pearse, who raced the Wright Brothers to become the first man to fly. In 1902 Pearse flew his home-built machine for a short distance before landing ungracefully on a gorse hedge. While in Temuka you can visit the Richard Pearse memorial.

Other local attractions include the pottery shop (Temuka is a centre for stoneware production) and a fruit winery. Fishing is big here. The main target is quinnat salmon (November to April). A favourite fishing spot is where the Rangitata and Opihi Rivers meet the ocean.

The town of Twizel was purpose-built in the 1960s to provide a home for workers involved with the Upper Waitaki Power Scheme.

Today it is a well-positioned base for mountain climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing, horse trekking and hiking. The peaks and trails of Mount Cook National Park are just up the road. You can fish for salmon and trout in the local rivers, canals and lakes. If you don’t have any luck, call into the salmon farm and buy a fish - fresh or smoked. In summer Twizel’s population more than trebles, as holiday houses and camp grounds fill to capacity.

Glider pilots love the air above Omarama, a small township near the southern end of the Mackenzie Basin. World and national gliding records are regularly broken here, as pilots make the most of the clear, empty skies and accommodating updrafts.

Omarama is Maori for "Place of Light", a reference to its extraordinarily pure and clear sky, which also makes it of great interest to astronomers.

Nearby attractions include the Clay Cliffs, Lake Ohau Forest, Benmore Power Station and Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, which is about an hour's drive away. Omarama activities include gliding with experienced local pilots, golf, horse riding and fly fishing. You'll know you've arrived when you see the large merino sheep statue.

Take a break in Timaru and enjoy the beachside attractions of Caroline Bay. You’ll find a maze, mini golf, gardens, an aviary and wonderful walks.

Timaru owes its existence to the shelter provided by reefs of solidified lava (bluestone) from an extinct volcano beyond the town, named Mt Horrible

Timaru sits about midway between Christchurch and Dunedin. It has everything you need for a pleasant stopover. Caroline Bay has a safe swimming beach, a maze, a landscaped piazza and walks.

A collection of restaurants and cafés links the beach to the main shopping area. If you’re thirsty, consider a tour of the local brewery. The city’s excellent museum has moa-hunter artefacts and all kinds of whaling relics; the art gallery holds the third largest public art collection in the South Island. Timaru has many grand Victorian and Edwardian buildings, constructed in local volcanic bluestone.

Aoraki/Mount Cook village nestles below New Zealand’s tallest peaks. It’s an ideal base for alpine walks that will leave you breathless in more ways than one.

The village of Aoraki/Mount Cook is a comfortable haven in one of the most unforgiving parts of New Zealand. On every side, the Southern Alps scrape the sky. Even in summer, the weather can change in the blink of an eye. The region is only 44 kilometres from the coast, so storms can arrive suddenly from the Tasman Sea to create dangerous conditions for climbers. However you don’t have to be a mountaineer to interact with the stunning scenery; there are various alpine walks beginning near the village, all about three hours return. Flightseeing, tours to the Tasman Glacier and heli-skiing (in winter) are other ways to optimise your time here.

The Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is alpine in the purest sense - with skyscraping peaks, glaciers and permanent snow fields. Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain, helped Sir Edmund Hillary to develop his climbing skills in preparation for the conquest of Everest. According to Ngai Tahu legend, Aoraki and his three brothers were the sons of Rakinui, the Sky Father. While on a sea voyage, their canoe overturned on a reef. When the brothers climbed on top of their canoe, the freezing south wind turned them to stone. The canoe became the South Island (Te Waka o Aoraki); Aoraki and his brothers became the peaks of the Southern Alps.

Following the settlement between Kai Tahu and the Crown in 1998, the name of the mountain was officially changed from Mount Cook to Aoraki/Mount Cook to incorporate its Maori name, Aoraki.

Although it encompasses 19 peaks over 3000 metres high, this park is very accessible.  State Highway 80 leads to Aoraki/Mount Cook Village which is situated beside scenic Lake Pukaki and provides a comfortable base for alpine activities.

Mountaineers regard the area to be the best climbing region in Australasia, while less skilled adventurers find plenty of satisfaction with the mountain walks that lead to alpine tarns, herb fields and spectacular glacier views. Encounters with cheeky kea (mountain parrots) are part of the fun.

At 27 kilometres in length, the mighty Tasman Glacier is a powerful piece of landscaping equipment. While it slowly carves the valley sides, it provides a landing place for small ski planes and helicopters. Surreal, milky lakes are a feature of the park - suspended, glacier-ground rock sediment makes the water opaque.