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Luxury Lifestyle Awards 2026 winner badge: Canterbury Trails, Best Luxury Guided Tour Company, New Zealand

Winner · Luxury Lifestyle Awards 2026

Best Luxury Guided Tour Company in New Zealand

Read about the award

Luxury Guided Tours in Christchurch & the South Island

Your gateway to unforgettable adventures across the stunning landscapes of the South Island of New Zealand. Immerse yourself in the natural wonders, rich history, and unique cultures of this diverse region with our expertly guided tours.

Guests looking at mossy bank
Guest and guide laughing
Guest asking questions of guide
Guide Linda with guest, standing on bridge
Luxury tour of South Island New Zealand. Three people standing on a gravel path overlooking a valley with mountains in the background.

Creating unforgettable memories

Your South Island adventure, crafted with care by our passionate guides, for 30 years.

Why it matters

The same trusted guide, from the first morning to the last

Whether you join us for a day in Akaroa or travel the length of the South Island, one expert driver-guide stays with you throughout. No handovers, and no retelling your story to a new face each morning.

Your guide learns what you love, reads the weather and the mood, and quietly shapes each day around you. Thirty years on, it is still the heart of how we travel.

Meet our guides
A Canterbury Trails guide talking with two guests on a guided walk at Arthur's Pass

Travel in Unrivaled Comfort

Our modern fleet offers a luxurious touring experience. We have prioritised for your comfort, for a more spacious and premium experience

Drag to look around · tap the arrows to move through the vehicle

Arriving December 2026

Step inside our new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Hand-finished quilted leather, reclining captain's chairs and timber flooring — a genuinely first-class way to travel the South Island. Take a look around before it arrives.

A 360° preview of the interior specification. Joining our fleet in December 2026.

Enquire about 2027 tours

Come explore this wonderful land with us

Expert guides, unforgettable experiences

Luxury Lifestyle Awards 2026 winner seal awarded to Canterbury Trails, Best Luxury Guided Tour Company in New Zealand

Winner · Luxury Lifestyle Awards 2026

Best Luxury Guided Tour Company in New Zealand

The recognition belongs to our guides, who have shared Canterbury and the South Island with guests for thirty years. It sits alongside our Qualmark Gold rating, New Zealand tourism's official quality mark.

30Years guiding
GoldQualmark rated
3rdGeneration, family owned
Read about the award

What our customers are saying..

Rated 4.9 out of 5 by guests on TripAdvisor and Google

"Wonderful experience... Beautiful drive to Akaroa and Banks Peninsula. Fortunate to have multiple dolphin and whale sightings, also seals. Gorgeous day."

Carole G, May 2026

"We greatly enjoyed our trip to Arthur's Pass, which included the TranzAlpine Train, hike, lunch, Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area, and other stops along the way. Ollie was a fantastic guide, as he was the exact combination of informative, entertaining, and patient!"

Nick H, April 2026

"Our tour guide Grant is our favorite! Grant was very knowledgeable, professional, and had a great sense of humor!"

Dan Perkins, March 2026