Mandy was a wonderful guide She picked us up punctually at the hotel and took us to the station for the amazing ride through breathtaking scenery on the transalpine train Mandy then met us again at Arthur’s pass and the day continued with visits to a fabulous waterfall , various local beauty spots and viewpoints, words do not do the day justice Mandy was not only able to answer our questions, she had a encyclopedic understanding of the area , its history and geography and it was a pleasure to spend the day with her An unforgettable day Thank you

First class experience and one of the memorable highlights of our 3+ week tour of Australia and NZ. We were fortunate enough to have Dave Sandford as our guide and he was phenomenal—knowledge, patience, answers to random and offbeat questions, east to understand which is important for American visitors. Obviously loves and has mastered his craft. I could not recommend this tour any more highly!

The scenery was spectacular & the boat trip was wonderful. Lunch was delicious. The disappointing part was we did not get to walk around & have a look at Akaroa itself which was advertised as being included. We were under the impression that we didn't have time however we were back at our hotel by 4pm so should have been able to have an hour looking around.

Had a wonderful tour today with Dave of Christchurch and the surrounding areas. Dave took us to lookout areas of Governors Bay, a forest walking path, the beach in Sumner and beautiful overlook in Lyttleton. We all want to buy property here and spend time in this beautiful part of NZ! Dave was knowledgeable, friendly and kind - just a great guide.

We went on the Arthur's Pass, TransAlpine train tour. Hugo, our guide, was amazing! He was friendly, knowledgeable, easy to talk to and understand, a good driver and an all around good guy! The tours were excellent. Lots of excellent views from the train and on the return trip in the van. The mountains and trails we walked were just the right length to get some exercise but not tire us out. Loved our entire day.

The driver/guide was excellent. We unfortunately did not get to go out to see the whales due to the boat not running on the day (no whales about), but the guide improvised with a winery visit which was very enjoyable. We enjoyed the stops enroute, and the visit to Fyffe House.

We had one of the most otherworldly scenic trips from Queenstown to Christchurch and then from Christchurch to Kaikoura. Our guide was Dave Sanford(request him). Along a 6 hour trip he talked us through the history and geography of what we were seeing with strategic and memorable stops along the way. He is an excellent driver (and on these roads that is exactly what you want). So intelligent and conversational. So enjoyable to be with on a long journey.

We had a full day tour of Botanical Gardens including Governor's Bay and Ohineta Gardens. We also toured the Kate Shepherd house. Very interesting and beautiful. We had a thoroughly interesting, educational and beautiful tour today. Dave is an excellent and very knowledgeable guide.

The whole trip was awesome. Dave was super sweet and had lots of knowledge about the area. The views were amazing and he was super sweet and stopped a few times for photos!

A wonderful day out thanks to our friendly, knowledgeable & experienced tour guide Mandy. After leaving a sunny Christchurch we enjoyed the TranzApline rail journey to arrive at a very wet Arthur’s Pass. Mandy made it clear we could do as much or as little as we wished given the weather. We did opt for the hour trek to the waterfall - well worth the effort & drenching! We then dried off over lunch and made a few stops as we headed back to Christchurch. Very well organized and the small group made it very comfortable & flexible. Highly recommend!

Our tour guide SUE SZABO picked us up before sunrise & took us to a Christchurch (CHch) overlook to watch the sun rise, hit the city, and "pink up" the distant mountains. She knew which scenic route to take leaving CHch for more great views. When she learned my interest in birding, she made several stops so I could do some photography. She has a wealth of knowledge about CHch and the area from CHch to Akaroa. We enjoyed a morning tea stop at a cozy restaurant/art gallery as well as a tasty lunch by the Akaroa Harbour. We hit the jackpot on our Dolphin watching cruise with a pair of Hector's dolphins obligingly appearing as well as albatrosses attending to our tour boat for many minutes. Then she introduced us to her pearl-selling friend, and now I have a snazzy new necklace! Sue is a very accommodating guide, and I hope you will get to enjoy her professional, informative service. She's great!

Our excursion into this alpine environment was filled with lush forests, stunning geology, rushing water and interesting history. Rail and road making in such a challenging landscape is impressive. We also experienced the Narnia filmset. Our guide really made our day.

We had a perfect two days with our tour guide Dave to Arthur's Pass and back the 1st day and a wine tour the second day. The scenery was absolutely beautiful from the bridges, water falls, nature trails, and the ancient rocks. Dave captured a wonderful picture for me of the sky thru the trees that I'll develop for framing. The second day we went to two excellent wineries, especially the Bone Line. Thank y'all for making it special for myself and my daughter and her partner. We would love to go back one day. Sharon M

What a fabulous two days with our tour guide, Dave, from Canterbury Trails! We started with the TransAlpine train trip from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass on day one and went to Kaikoura on day two. Dave was wonderfully friendly and knowledgeable about the area and shared all about life in New Zealand. When our whale watching cruise got canceled due to rough seas, he was ready with Plan B! We enjoyed a breathtakingly beautiful drive along the coast with stops to see seals and explore the seaside. Both days included a lovely lunch at a local restaurant. We came as customers and left as friends. Touring doesn’t get better than that! We highly recommend the experience.

This exceeded all expectations. We were picked up and taken on a tour by Dave who is a real local! He showed us around from his point of view. He always knew someone everywhere we went. He could answer all our questions. The boat ride was fantastic! The lunch was delicious.