Description
A day tour to Akaroa, the only settlement attempted by the French in New Zealand, passes through the beautiful landscapes of the Banks Peninsula. This region was formed following violent eruptions of volcanoes over 6 million years ago and the picturesque town of Akaroa itself sits in an ancient volcanic crater.
You will travel to Akaroa NZ over the beautiful Banks Peninsula on a high summit route which gives glorious views of farmlands, Akaroa Harbour, the Canterbury Plains and the distant Southern Alps as well as remote bays indenting the coastline.
You have an opportunity to wander around the charming 175 year old French harbour side village of Akaroa with it’s museum of settlers’ history, art and craft shops and studios before enjoying lunch at an award winning cafe. After lunch we take a spectacular drive over the summit road to Paua Bay Farm. Here you will experience a slice of life on a working sheep farm. A working sheep dog demonstration, sheep shearing and stories from the owner Murray Johns will entertain and delight along with a farm style afternoon tea to end the day.
If time permits on the journey back to Christchurch we visit the Cheese Factory at Barry’s Bay, the only one remaining on the peninsula from a bygone era.
canty1 –
“Our tour of the South Island began in Christchurch and the agent engaged Canterbury Trails to take us today on a tour to Akaroa for a cruise and a visit to a sheep farm. Every aspect of the day was perfect and the scenery is hard to even describe but certainly jaw-dropping. But the best part of it all was.”