This tour was operated by Canterbury Trails. Jock was our guide and he was an absolute delight! He picked us up at our hotel, drove us to the train station where we took the TranzAlpine train to Arthur’s Pass. We had a lovely day of hiking, sight seeing, a delicious lunch, & afternoon tea. This was a wonderful way to see some of the beauty that Christchurch has to offer.

Excellent day trip from Christchurch to Arthurs Pass hosted by Canterbury Trails. Pick up.from your motel, delivered to Trans Alpine train, for a breathtaking scenic train journey past lakes snow capped mountains and various historic places. You are then collected by a comfortable mini van for a guided tour of various interesting Arthur's Pass attractions before and after Lunch. Canterbury Trails friendly local tour guide Dave enhances the experience with great.local knowledge of the region and its history.

Great experience, Great views. When you get there it is a good idea to have a tour arranged as we did as you would miss out on a lot otherwise.

Our tour was a custom earthquake focused tour of Christ Church. Tia was an excellent tour guide. One of our group had studied the liquefaction of soils for her university degree, and so much of the story of the earthquakes was of great interest to her. I was moved by Tia’s descriptions of her experiences on the day of the earthquake, which she and her family survived, and was moved also when she drove us through the "red zone" of her old neighborhood, where no building will ever be permitted again, to see all the fruit trees which were soon to be harvested.

This was basically a private tour, as only my husband and I were booked. Sue (if I remember the name) drove us in a van to the Port Hills. It was amazing to see the serious bicyclists ride up that hill. The views from various locations was cool. Then Sue took us to three wineries for tastings. It was a very pleasant time. The wine was very good. I even found a red that wasn’t bitter. We did not see much in Christchurch proper other than to drive by places we should see.

Our small tour was wonderful. Jock, our guide was very knowledgeable about Christchurch, Banks Peninsula and Akaroa. Dolphin cruise was great, saw many dolphins, seals, penguins and birds.

Canterbury Trails took care of us for 4 days…Akaroa, Arthurs Pass, Canterbury Plains, Mount Cook ending at Queenstown. All our drivers/guides were very knowledgeable and professional. All the vehicles were clean and comfortable and we enjoyed ourselves very much! Saw many unique and beautiful sights and would highly recommend Canterbury Trails! Big shout-outs to Hugo, Kate and Irene.

We expected our day tour to be very nice but didn’t know how phenomenal it would end up to be. Fortunately, we had Sue Szabo as our guide. She took us to what were some of her favorite places, stopping at many scenic lookouts for wonderful views and photo opportunities. Her knowledge of the region’s geography, history, and culture was especially appreciated. Sue was personable, brought us to a lovely seaside restaurant for lunch, and by the end of the day, we felt we gained a new friend. Our boat cruise was with a family-owned business, Akaroa Dolphins, who helped us spot Hector dolphins, white-flippered penguins, and fur seals. The hosts on the boat were hospitable and helpful. Buster, the dolphin-finding dog, was a delightful companion on board. The beauty of the Banks Peninsula was beyond expectations. If you don’t have this on your wish list for a visit to Christchurch, do yourself a favor and book this tour!

The train ride was beautiful. There is a narrated experience through headphones though the sound was a bit spotty and we missed some of the history and explanation. The train itself was very clean and comfortable. We took two hikes in the national park to waterfalls -- one was 15 min. and the other 45 min. They were moderately easy and we saw some beautiful scenery. One the way back we drove with a guide through Caste Hill and hiked there -- it is a short hike and a popular and beautiful spot.

We had a wonderful day with our tour guide, Mandy. She was knowledgeable and fun. The train trip, hiking and included lunch at a quirky restaurant made for a great experience.

We had the pleasure of having Sue of Canterbury Trails as our guide when we visited Christchurch. Sue greeted us warmly at the airport and took us on a wonderful tour of Christchurch and the surrounding area. We were treated to the botanical gardens, the harbors where the Sail Grand Prix was to be held as well as many other sights in Christchurch. During the tour she made recommendations of places to eat and shop. We took her recommendations and had a great evening. However, it was on our second day with Sue that made our stay in Christchurch unforgettable. My wife, Ann, and I took the Kaikoura & Swim with Dolphins Experience. Sue drove us and another couple to Kaikoura and she pointed out wildlife and views along the way. While having lunch in Kaikoura before our tour we found out that our scheduled trip on the Tranzalpine train scheduled for the next morning was canceled. This would have caused significant problems for us as we were to pick up a rental car in Greymouth at the end of our train trip. Sue helped us sort this problem out by making several phone calls for us. While we enjoyed our Swim with Dolphins Experience she followed up and made sure we had a ride to Greymouth the next day. When we returned from our tour everything was in place so that we could continue our journey through New Zealand without any problem. Ann and I have traveled internationally quite a bit and this was the best customer service we have encountered. Without hesitation we recommend Canterbury Trails knowing that you will be well cared for especially if you have Sue as your guide.

We were lucky enough to have Peter as our guide for two different tours. First a half day tour of Christchurch where we were the only passengers. Peter made us so comfortable. By the end of the afternoon we had learned much about this delightful city and also felt as if we had made a new friend. We were so pleased when Peter picked us up today for our trip to Arthur's Pass. With only 2 other couples, we had a marvelous day exploring the magnificent scenery. Canterbury Trails treated us wonderfully including snacks and lunch. Peter really made the day perfect. We would definitely recommend these tours.

We had a great day even though it was too wet to do the walks. The waterfalls were awesome as a result. Would be amazing on a dry day!

The train was great. Our tour guide, Stuart, did not take us to lunch. Instead, we were given potato chips and tea out of the back of the van,

Make no mistake NZ is stunning! This tour, however, was marred by an uncomfortable van trip... and you're in the van a LONG time. The TranzAlpine Train trip to Arthur's Pass was incredibly beautiful. The scenery along the way was striking and the short trek at Arthur's Pass was delightful. However, when boarding the van at pickup (we were the last to enter) we found that instead of the 'small group tour, max 8', it was a VERY FULL van. I was shocked as I had expected a maximum of 8 passengers but there were 10 of us on board plus the driver. Now a 12 seater van is designed for 12 people of average size and there were a few onboard (like myself) who were larger than average. Hubby is well over 6ft and I'm just under 6ft. We sat with our legs around our ears for most of the drive and it was terribly uncomfortable. The driver was fantastic... very knowledgable, thoroughly pleasant, and a good driver to boot. However, being stacked in like sardines really spoilt the day. She apologised several times, saying that they don't normally have so many on the tour. We knew it wasn't her fault so we didn't address our concerns to her. I emailed the company about this issue but it took three separate points of contact before I finally received a response. And that response was 'well the operator said it was comfortable enough so that's it'. My point is, if your advertising says Max 8 persons, you can't just stack another couple in there to make more money! The Train Trip was lovely but I'd recommend taking it all the way to Greymouth. If you want to visit Arthur's Pass, rent a car and take a day trip. You'll save money and be much more comfortable!