Canterbury Trails — Local services in Christchurch

We took the Canterbury Trails Transalpine Train To Arthurs Pass which included a walking tour and lunch. Our guide Tim picked us up at our hotel in Christchurch, gave us a quick ride to the train station, and explained the day ahead. There were 6 of us in the group. Tim got us all on the train, and gave us instructions as he was driving our van to the end of the train ride. The train ride was amazing. The scenery is beautiful along the way, and train is very comfortable.

Upon arrival at Arthurs Pass, Tim took us in the van to a great hiking place for a 45 minute hike. As I have a bit of a knee problem I stayed behind and Tim was kind enough to entertain me with a few sites along the way to meet up with the hikers. One stop was a beautiful chapel with a waterfall view out a big picture window.

Lunch was next on the agenda at a cute cafe in Arthurs Pass. French fries were to die for! Tim does a great job of taking everyone’s order and keeping the day moving forward.

After lunch we were in the van and heading back to Christchurch. Our final stop along the way was what I feel the most spectacular. Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area is a very special place. The limestone formations are spectacular and there is a very spiritual feeling as you spend time on the grounds.

All in all, we felt like we had a very special day, and Tim was just the guide to take our group. He’s quite good with trivia, so don’t think you...

Akaroa: An intimate encounter with dolphins and history: Our driver Hugo was charming and most knowledgeable having lived in the area his entire life. The door to door trip from Christchurch was glorious, as we were still struggling to drive on the left and get a chance to see the scenery. Hugo drove us with scenic stops along the way, telling us about the history and French culture of the region. He took us to a tour of the harbor on a boat run by Akaroa Dolphins where we saw Hectors dolphins (the smallest in the world), little blue penguins, and seals. Captain George and his dolphin guide dog Wilbur were delightful. The harbor tour was followed by lunch in a cafe along the harbor. At my request to shop for Merino wool, he took us to a small store off the beaten path where I purchased some reasonably priced items. We didn’t want the day to end. Ask for Hugo. You...

Just simply a great day. We got picked up by our guide at our hotel, brought to the trans-alpine train and shown to our seats where we then enjoyed the comfortable ride and spectacular scenery up to Arthur’s Pass. We then disembarked from the train and were met again by our guide who had simultaneously driven up to meet us there in a comfortable touring van. From there, our small group was treated to several short hikes for close up viewing of many beautiful sights a bit further into the pass, and then back down toward Christchurch via the very different car route, with a stop for an included hearty lunch along the way. The spectacular Castle Hill rock formations and their surrounding hills and mountains were just one of the truly memorable sights. Our guide, Maria, was terrific; friendly, knowledgeable, and interactive. Definitely the highlight of our stay in...