Top Things to do in Canterbury Region
Things to do in Canterbury Region, South Island: The Best Nature & Wildlife Areas
Christchurch, the Garden City, and the Canterbury region are the perfect destination for daredevils. From northern Kaikoura to Waimate in the south, Canterbury is an adventure sports paradise. Hangliding, helibiking, bungee jumping, snowboarding, jetboating, rafting and skydiving get the adrenaline going. Golfing, flightseeing, swimming with dolphins and soaking in thermal pools are more laid-back temptations. Christchurch, a city of parks and gardens, is the countrys third largest urban area.
Restaurants in Canterbury Region
1. Alpaca Walks
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
2. Hinewai Reserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 90 reviews
Reviewed By Dotty919
Wonderful place, filled with a variety of native trees. Fabulous bird song as we walked the tracks. Glorious views.
3. EnkleDooVery Korna
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 80 reviews
Reviewed By BarbarajrB - Otaki, New Zealand
Wow kids and I loved walking through all the wallaby enclosures to hand feed the very tame wallabies and pet them. Peacocks a great attraction too putting up their feathers and trying to get the wallabies food. Owner is awesome and great instructions. Left very happy after parrot told us he loved us awwwwwwe
4. Cave Stream Scenic Reserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 49 reviews
Reviewed By Shirotai - Hakodate, Japan
I stopped here by chance one 30-degree afternoon and only had the tme and equpment to walk to the cave entrance. The path is well maintained and access to the cave is free. Next tme ...
5. Gem Alpaca Stud
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 144 reviews
Gem Alpaca Stud is situated on the main highway from Christchurch to Queenstown - perfectly placed for your stop over. Come on in and feed, touch and meet our Alpaca, Llama & sheep. Get your up close photos with our beautiful animals. Large covered veranda and outdoor seating with our farm shop open 7 days featuring a huge range of alpaca products. We also now have refreshments, ice creams, coffee and cold drinks. Farm Visits daily 11am, 1pm and 3pm $25.00 per adult, $15 per child, children 5 and under are FREE. PLEASE NOTE: No public toilets on site. please use facilities in the township just 1 minutes drive away.
Reviewed By taniat358
This farm + tour was amaze-balls!! We highly highly recommend this place. Lovely staff, lovely shop selling souvenirs and alpaca related goodies. The tour was amazing, the guide was very informative walking us through the different Alpaca sections, giving us food we can feed them. She knew the name of every Alpaca, and they were all so friendly and super cute. You got up right close to them all. Loved our experience. You even get wellies to wear so your own shoes stay clean. Towards the end of the tour, the guide also gave us top tips of what to see and do during our South Island road trip! We did this tour in Jan 2020, we got there for the last tour (think about 4pm), and we were lucky enough to be the only ones in the group, so felt like we had a private tour. Loved it. THX U, we had a great time!!!
6. Hakatere Conservation Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By WeDreamOfTravel - Texas, United States
Our family took a two-week vacation to New Zealand and Australia and, being fans of the Lord of the Rings books and films, our intinerary included visiting filming locations in New Zealand. This is an easy, free, DIY experience that will take your breath away. Using GPS, it's easy to find Mount Sunday (the filming location of Edoras) by car. As you approach the location, the road turns to gravel and all signs of civilization disappear. You see fences along the road, but nothing else to indicate that humans have touched the land. It takes awhile of driving on gravel, so slow down and soak in the outstanding natural beauty that surrounds you. The approach to Mount Sunday is stunning, and if you're a fan of the films you'll recognize Edoras immediately. There is a car park and a farm gate that locks to prevent the cattle from getting out. There are black Angus cattle wandering in the pastures you will walk through, and they do what cattle do, so look where you step. They watched us but left us alone as we picked our way through their pasture. The walk to the base of Mount Sunday is pleasant, scenic, and gentle on the muscles. Once the incline becomes steeper, you may be tempted to stop climbing. That would be a huge mistake. Adjust your technique, pause to catch your breath, but keep going. The view as you climb is spectacular, so you can use the excuse of taking photos to rest a bit. The wind was very strong so if that's the case when you visit, you'll want to secure all your items before climbing. The view from the summit is unbelievably stunning. You have 360 degrees of mountainous splendor to admire. No sign of human life, you'll feel alone in a spectacular world of raw natural beauty. This climb, challenging as it was for some of us, was a high point of the entire vacation. It cost nothing but time, and even our LOTR-indifferent family member was thrilled by this visit. If you plan a visit to the South Island and admire natural beauty, whether you are a LOTR fan or not, this excursion may be one of the best things you could do on your trip.
7. Orana Wildlife Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,031 reviews
Set in 80 hectares within 15 minutes’ drive of Christchurch Airport, Orana Wildlife Park is New Zealand’s only open range zoo. We get you up close and personal with the animals. Imagine hand feeding a majestic giraffe; seeing New Zealand's only gorillas; eye balling the magnificent white rhino; meeting New Zealand’s national icon, the kiwi, or travelling through the Lion Reserve! Over 400 animals representing more than 70 species are displayed at the Park. Regular animal feed presentations occur daily and are accompanied by a presentation from a wildlife guide. Visitors can enjoy the antics of tigers, cheetah, Tasmanian devils, monkeys, meerkats and more. Two large walk-through aviaries enable you to see some of New Zealand’s unique native birds and Orana is home to a wide range of native reptiles. Visitors can pet domestic animals in the Farmyard. Orana is internationally renowned for its involvement in zoo-based breeding programmes for endangered exotic and native species. When you visit, you are supporting our conservation work. It’s a full day of fun for everyone at Orana Wildlife Park!
Reviewed By ants811 - Wellington, New Zealand
Absolutely in awe, i have seen animals in Zoos and they do not compare to the size of the animals in this wild life park. The enclosures were ginormous which let the animals freely move around. The Giraffes, Yaks, Buffalo, Lions, Tigers, Spider Monkeys, Gorillas, Orangutans, Cheetahs, Meerkats even the Turtles just seemed closer, bigger, more interactive and available to see. I feel like we must have come at the perfect time because we saw everything, my son loved the silver back, didn't want to leave.
8. Willowbank Wildlife Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,043 reviews
See Kiwi in a natural environment - there is no glass! Get close to Kea, Tuatara and other native icons. Willowbank Wildlife Reserve is also home to introduced and exotic breeds. Make your own way around the park and animals will eat right out of your hand. Willowbank is open from 9.30Am daily - kiwis are able to be viewed from 10.30am until close.
Reviewed By 757denised - Parks, United States
Wonderfull done with lots of beautiful birds and original farm animals for this area and a great Kiwi habitat were you can see the birds up and personal. went to several other but this was by far the best.
9. Cheviot Hills Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10 reviews
10. Travis Wetland
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 25 reviews
Reviewed By Ezra710 - Christchurch, New Zealand
After a few months without visiting it was time to do the Travis Wetlands walk again. It was good to see more planting had been done and there were now signs identifying and describing some of the plants. Easy track, suitable for wheelchair and push chair in most places. Well formed [solid] dirt track, with boardwalk in some of the western sections.
