Canterbury & West Coast

Photo credit:Gareth Eyres

With rainforest on the western side, pastoral plains on the eastern side and the awe-inspiring Southern Alps right down the middle, this slice of New Zealand is totally breathtaking. It’s easy to cover all the bases - city living and mountain adventures in Canterbury; glaciers and non-stop scenery on the West Coast.

The city of Christchurch is both elegantly historic and refreshingly modern. Take the tram ride that starts in Cathedral Square and hop on and off to visit galleries, museums, shops and restaurants. From Christchurch, the French village of Akaroa is an easy day trip. Admire the heritage cottages and take a harbour cruise to see Hector’s dolphins. North of the city is a touring route known as the Alpine Pacific Triangle. It encompasses Waipara Valley, for wine tasting; Kaikoura, for whale watching; and Hanmer Springs, for a soak in the hot pools.

At the southern end of the alps, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park showcases our highest peaks. Mountaineers like to hang out here, but there are many alpine trails suitable for non-climbers. West of the great divide is glacier country where the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers tumble down from the mountains, almost to the sea. The West Coast is pure scenery - Lonely Planet recently named the drive between Karamea and Haast as one of the top 10 road trips in the world. Rainforest, wilderness beaches and quaint historic towns are easy on the eye.

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
This park is a land of ice and rock. Glaciers cover 40% of its area and there are 19 peaks over 3,000 metres, including New Zealand's highest mountain Aoraki Mount Cook. Mount Cook Village is a base for climbers and hikers.

Alpine Pacific Triangle Touring Route
The Alpine Pacific Triangle takes you to the gourmet area of Waipara, spa delights of Hanmer Springs and marine mammals of Kaikoura. Between destinations, enjoy the beautiful country scenery.

Akaroa and Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula and Akaroa Harbour were formed by volcanic eruptions, many thousands of years ago. Originally a French settlement, the historic town of Akaroa is a place to enjoy fine cuisine and wildlife cruises.

Ancient rivers of ice
Of all the glaciers in the Southern Alps, only the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers have crept as far as the rainforests. These giant tongues of ice have squeezed down their valleys to just 250 metres above sea level.

Punakaiki's pancake rocks
The pancake rocks and blowholes at Punakaiki are among the West Coast's most famous sights. The fascinating 'pancakes' are thin, horizontal layers of limestone, about two to four centimetres thick.

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