Attractions
Sydney
Sydney Opera House
The most famous symbol of the modernity and beauty of Sydney is the Sydney Opera House. The building is a wonder of 20th-century architecture and acoustic science. As deliberate and gorgeous inside as it is outside, the Opera House holds performances and events that provide the experience of a lifetime.
Sydney Skywalk
The recently constructed Sydney Skywalk has quickly become a staple on Sydney’s tourist circuit. Located at the top of Sydney Tower, 260 meters (850 feet) above the city, the Skywalk has a moving glass floor that provides a panoramic view of Sydney.
Darling Harbor Formerly a dockside area, the Darling Harbor is now a major tourist site and exhibition center. The recent addition of the Cockle Wharf restaurant and the café complex has made the small harbor popular among visitors of all ages.
Sydney Harbor Bridge The Sydney Harbor Bridge is arguably Sydney’s greatest tourism icon. On par with San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, no trip to Sydney is complete without a visit to the bridge.
Sydney Aquarium The Sydney Aquarium boasts a collection of more than 5,000 species of Australian fish.
Taronga Zoo
The famous Taronga Zoo is home to a large collection of rare and endangered Australian animals.
Bondi Beach If it’s beach time you’re after, Sydney is the place for you. There are a number of beautiful beaches located in Sydney; Bondi Beach is often regarded as one of the most beautiful. During the summer, this busy beach is filled with sun-basking locals and beach bums with surfboards. The shops and restaurants located nearby make spending an entire day at the beach hard to resist.
Blue Mountain National Park Located a short distance from the city, the popular Blue Mountain National Park offers breathtaking landscapes, waterfalls and trails for easy exploration.
Christchurch
Caterpillar Garden Tours These tours offer informative and fully guided electric shuttle tours through Christchurch’s spectacular city centre Botanic Gardens. Established in 1863 the gardens span an area of 21 hectares undoubtedly hosting the finest collection of exotic and indigenous plants to be found anywhere in New Zealand. This is one of Christchurch’s best attractions.
Cathedral Square Market
The Cathedral Square Market is located in the heart of the city, Cathedral Square. An outdoor market with stalls offering handcrafted and imported goods such as New Zealand wood-ware, handknitting, jewellery, pounamu, paua, bone carvings, possum fashions, sheepskins, clothing, healthcare products, sunglasses, t-shirts and much more. Grab something to eat at one of the food vendors and enjoy the atmosphere which makes the Square unique.
University of Canterbury
When established in 1873, Canterbury College, as the University was originally known, was only the second university in New Zealand. Housed in graceful stone buildings on a central city block, it was dependent for survival on rents from high country farms with which it had been endowed by the Canterbury Provincial Council.
Hagley Park
Hagley Park has been at the heart of Christchurch since the 1850s and is today the most significant central city park. It offers a diverse range of entertainment and recreational facilities close to the city centre. It is renowned for its extensive area of 165 hectares (407 acres), its wide-open spaces and mature woodlands. The park is a major sporting and cultural focal point with netball courts, a golf course, soccer and rugby pitches.
Sign of the Takahe
The Sign of the Takahe is today a function centre and tea rooms built in the style of an English Manor House. Designed by J.G. Collins, construction was carried out between 1918 and 1948. The Takahe also provides one of the better panoramic views of the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, the Canterbury Plains and the Southern Alps.
Punting on the Avon River
Sink back into the velvet cushions of your boat as the Edwardian punter gently glides you down the Avon River, through the beautiful historic inner city of Christchurch. From our Park landing site, sit back and let your troubles melt away as you pass the trailing willows and leafy banks of the stunning Christchurch Botanic Gardens. Our City landing site takes you on a peaceful journey through the central city, gliding beneath weeping willows and alongside historic buildings.
Balloon Adventures
Christchurch's geography and climate are ideal for ballooning - they provide a unique situation where passengers can enjoy a superb view of the ocean, mountains and plains.
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch is one of the top New Zealand visitor attractions, where you will experience New Zealand wildlife first hand and learn about the diversity of this country's natural environment and history. Willowbank prides itself on its conservation and rehabilitation of rare & endangered New Zealand species.
Queenstown
Lake Tekapo
In the centre of the South Island of New Zealand lies Lake Tekapo. This highland lake and settlement at 710 meters (2300 feet) is in the heart of the Mackenzie District and surrounded by a vast basin of golden tussock grass. The name Tekapo derives from Maori words Taka (sleeping mat) and Po (night). Finely ground rock in the glacial melted waters give Lake Tekapo a beautifully unique turquoise color.
Bob's Peak
A cableway, the Skyline Gondola, runs up to the summit of Bob's Peak (446 m; 252), from which there is an overwhelming view. Immediately below is Queenstown; beyond this is Lake Wakatipu; and beyond this again, forming a striking backdrop, are the peaks of the Remarkables.
Steamship Ride on Lake Wakatipu
15,000 years ago during the last ice age, a huge glacier moving from the north west carved out what is now Lake Wakatipu. The lake is relatively thin, but the mountains run straight into the lake, forming a deep canyon, 399m at its deepest point. Queenstown's famous steamship, "Lady of the Lake" has been in operation since 1912, when it first set off on its Maiden Voyage from Kingston.
Originally designed to carry sheep, cattle, and passengers to high country stations around the lake, today the Earnslaw runs tourist cruises to Walter Peak high country station. The beautiful steamship was refurbished in 1984, when the 12m high funnel was painted bright red, and the hull a brilliant white. And living up to the town's name as being fit for the Queen, in 1990 the Earnslaw carried Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip.
Milford Sound
Milford Sound is a world-renowned natural wonder. Nowhere else in Fiordland do the mountains stand so tall, straight out of the sea. Luxuriant rainforest clings to sheer rock walls and waterfalls tumble hundreds of metres to the sea below. In Maori legend, this landscape was created by Tu Te Raki Whanoa, a godly figure who carved the fiords with a magical adze. Without doubt, Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) is his finest creation.
Auckland
Mount Eden
Offering panoramic views of Auckland and beyond, Mount Eden is worth visiting. Just two kilometers south of the city center, Mount Eden can be reached either by walking up Mount Eden Road or by catching one of the city buses. The mountain is the highest natural point in the whole of Auckland.
Auckland Musuem
Overlooking the Waitemata harbour and occupying one of New Zealand's finest heritage buildings, the Auckland Museum War Memorial Museum is the cultural and spiritual touchstone for New Zealanders. The Museum includes priceless Maori treasures, amazing natural history, daily Maori cultural performances, and an ever-changing feast of local and international exhibitions.
Auckland Botanic Gardens
Stroll around the garden paths and discover plants from all around the world. If you are after a refreshing drink or a bite to eat, stop in at Café Miko, which has sweeping views of the gardens and is open for brunch, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Huakaiwaka, the Visitor Centre is open daily and features the integration of artworks and landscaping, with themed displays. Peter Raos Glass Gallery
Peter Raos is one of New Zealand’s most well known hot glass artists. His products have included commissions for Louis Vuitton, and paperweights presented to important dignitaries including former American President, Bill Clinton. Raos finds inspiration for his work from 19th century glass makers Emile Galle, Daum, Henri Cros and Argy-Rousseau. Raos’s work also clearly illustrates his deep respect for the natural world. Visit the gallery to see the finest examples of Raos’s work and take the opportunity to meet the artist himself.
