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Travel News and Articles

Guests beside a Canterbury Trails Mercedes-Benz Sprinter at a lookout above Akaroa Harbour

Self-Drive or a Private Driver-Guide: Which Suits the South Island?

Hiring a car looks simpler and costs less. Here is an honest look at what the South Island's roads are...

Snow on the mountains above Glenorchy at the head of Lake Wakatipu in winter

Lord of the Rings Filming Locations in the South Island

The South Island stood in for much of Middle-earth. Where the most memorable scenes were filmed, what you will actually...

Guests stepping out of a Canterbury Trails private Mercedes-Benz vehicle in the Southern Alps

How Much Does a Private Tour of New Zealand Cost?

A straight answer on what guided touring in New Zealand costs, what the price actually buys, and how to compare...

The Crossing in the rebuilt central city, Christchurch

Christchurch's Earthquake Rebuild: The Story Behind the City

Fifteen years on from the earthquakes, Christchurch is a young city rebuilt to its own taste. The memorials, the cardboard...

The Otira Viaduct on the alpine crossing between Arthur's Pass and the West Coast

Franz Josef from Christchurch: Getting to the Glacier Coast

The glacier coast is a full journey, not a day out. Arthur's Pass, Hokitika pounamu, Franz Josef and Fox as...

Vineyard rows in the Waipara Valley north of Christchurch

Waipara Valley in Spring: What Happens in the Vineyard

Bud burst, helicopters fighting frost at dawn, and shoot thinning by hand. What is happening in the Waipara Valley between...

Yachts moored in Akaroa Harbour on a calm summer morning

How Far Ahead Should You Book a New Zealand Tour?

Six to twelve months for summer, two to four for shoulder, four to six weeks in winter. Why guides and...

Mitre Peak rising from the still water of Milford Sound

Milford Sound from Queenstown: What the Day Involves

Twelve hours door to door, and the drive is half the experience. The Eglinton Valley, the Homer Tunnel kea, Mitre...

A gentle forest walk in the Canterbury high country

Hanmer Springs from Christchurch: Worth the Day?

Thermal pools, redwood forest and the limestone country of Weka Pass, 90 minutes north of Christchurch. An honest look at...

The historic red Glenorchy shed beside Lake Wakatipu with snow capped mountains beyond

Glenorchy, New Zealand: The Road at the End of the Lake

Forty five minutes along Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown, the road reaches Glenorchy and keeps going to Paradise. The lookouts, the...

Hagley Park in central Christchurch, the heart of the Garden City

Christchurch in Spring: The Garden City at Its Best?

September to November is when Christchurch earns its name. Daffodils, blossom, lambs and snowmelt, plus an honest word about the...

That Wanaka Tree, the lone willow in Lake Wanaka at golden sunset

Bespoke New Zealand Tours: What Planning One Actually Involves

Bespoke sounds vague until you see the process. The first conversation, how a route gets built around what you actually...

The lakeshore road along Lake Wakatipu in Central Otago at sunset

Gibbston Valley Wine: Your Guide to Central Otago

Twenty five minutes from Queenstown, Gibbston grows Pinot Noir at the southern edge of the wine world. What makes it...

View over Akaroa Harbour and Banks Peninsula from the Summit Road

Banks Peninsula: The Two Volcanoes Christchurch Sits Beside

Christchurch sits beside two eroded volcanoes whose craters the sea flooded to make Lyttelton and Akaroa harbours. The geology, the...

A Canterbury Trails guide talking with a guest on a gentle South Island nature walk

Gentle Walking Tours in New Zealand: The South Island Unhurried

Many travellers assume New Zealand's best scenery is reserved for the very fit. It is not. The flat tracks with...

The historic tree lined main street of Arrowtown in autumn colour

Arrowtown, New Zealand: The Best Preserved Gold Town

The best preserved gold town in New Zealand sits twenty minutes up a side valley from Queenstown. The 1862 rush,...

View over Lyttelton Harbour, the cruise port for Christchurch

Christchurch Cruise Ship Excursions: One Day from Lyttelton

Your ship berths at Lyttelton and sails before dinner. What a Christchurch port day realistically holds: the city and gardens,...

The open road through the golden Mackenzie Country toward the Southern Alps

How to Plan a Luxury South Island Itinerary

How many days you really need, the two ways to travel the Christchurch to Queenstown spine, where to build in...

The Hooker Valley Track boardwalk leading toward Aoraki Mount Cook

Mount Cook Walks: Which Aoraki Tracks Are Worth Doing

Six walks in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, honestly compared: how long each takes, how hard it really is, and what...

Aerial view over Christchurch at sunset with the Southern Alps beyond

Where to Stay in Christchurch, and How Hotel Pickup Works

A local's guide to where to stay in Christchurch, area by area, and a straight answer to the question every...

The Church of the Good Shepherd beneath the Milky Way in the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve

Lake Tekapo Stargazing: Inside the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve

Tekapo sits inside one of the world's largest gold tier dark sky reserves. What you can see overhead, why the...

Canterbury Trails luxury Mercedes-Benz Sprinter at the Akaroa harbour lookout, Banks Peninsula

Inside the Fleet: What a Luxury Sprinter Journey Feels Like

By hour six of a day through the alps, the vehicle is most of the experience. What our Mercedes-Benz Sprinters...

New Zealand fur seals on the rocks along the Kaikoura coast

Christchurch to Kaikoura: The Coast Road, Done Properly

State Highway 1 runs north from Christchurch to a coast where whales feed within sight of snow. The route, the...

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

One Guide, the Whole Journey: Why We Never Hand You Over

Many multi-day South Island operators pass guests between regional drivers. We do not. Here is what one guide for the...

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