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The charm of this
old French town with the incredible scenery
encountered on the way has assured Akaroa’s
popularity as a unique destination. Travel to
Akaroa over the beautiful Banks Peninsula,
formed following violent eruptions of two
ancient volcanoes. The high summit route gives
glorious views of Akaroa Harbour, the Canterbury
Plains and the distant Southern Alps and the
remote bays and farmlands. The Akaroa crater
nurses the picturesque harbor and Akaroa
village, the only French settlement established
in New Zealand.
Visit the Barry's Bay Cheese Factory for a
cheese tasting of locally made cheeses, the only
remaining cheese factory on the peninsula from a
bygone era. Enjoy the quaint colonial style
architecture and wander around the charming 150
year old French harborside village of Akaroa
with its museum of settlers' history, art and
craft shops and studios, cafes and wine bars. |
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Ian’s Comments |
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Brian Lucas, apart
from being a very
good friend of mine,
has this incredible
ability to make you
feel like you are at
home immediately. He
has such passion and
knowledge about the
South Island of New
Zealand and he and
his team are so
happy to share this
with you when you
join one of his
exclusive tours in
New Zealand. |
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Ian Swain |
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Cruise around the extinct volcanic crater of
Akaroa Harbour and see dolphins, seals and
penguins. Cruise highlights – Your modern
catamaran, the 60 feet / 20 meter Black Cat is
perfect for viewing the natural wonders of the
harbor. The vessel is the largest and most
luxurious on the harbor and there's lots of
space on the 2 decks for unimpeded viewing. The
cruise is fully narrated by your skipper who has
extensive knowledge of the nature, wildlife and
history of the harbor. |
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The highlight of
this trip is undoubtedly the sighting of one of
the world's smallest and rarest dolphins, the
Hector's or New Zealand Dolphin. These friendly
and inquisitive mammals meet the boat most days
throughout the year and their calves can be seen
between October and March.
Also on the trip you
will catch glimpses of the White Flippered Blue
Penguin, the smallest penguin in the world.
There are many different bird species in the
Harbour, including five different cormorant
species and the chance of sighting the
endangered yellow-eyed penguin.
You'll also see
the New Zealand Fur Seal sunning themselves on
the harbors rocks near the entrance at Seal Bay. |
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On each two-hour cruise we will endeavor to show
you wildlife plus the many sea caves and
volcanic cliffs. |
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Tour Inclusions |
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Travel by deluxe minicoach
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High scenic drive with spectacular views
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Cheese factory visit
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Delicious picnic morning and afternoon teas
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Cafe lunch in Akaroa
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Eco-marine
Nature
and Harbour Cruise on
the
Black Cat catamaran or Guided dolphin swim
in Akaroa Harbour
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Courtesy city hotel / homestay pickup and drop off
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Fully escorted with informative commentary
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Depart Christchurch at 8.30am and return
approximately 5.45pm
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What to bring
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Why Choose
Canterbury Trails? |
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Their aim is simple…
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to
present our guests with the best possible
experience of New Zealand that time will
allow.
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to provide magical personal small group and exclusive
private tours to show guests the wonders of
the South Island.
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to offer tours for those who do not want to be part of large
groups or who do not want to self drive,
with first class service and the comfort
that should be expected.
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They aim to give guests a truly memorable visit
to New Zealand, a visit that will be both
relaxed and unique. They do this by...
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taking small groups of independently minded
travelers to the heart of what makes New
Zealand unique
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designing their tours to encompass those
things that make New Zealand truly unique –
its ecology and natural history, the Maori
mythology and history, the European history
and of course, its incredible scenery
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believing in quality over quantity and so
accordingly, their tour participation is
usually limited to six to eight guests per
tour
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providing a highly personalized,
interactive and spontaneous experience
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sharing with their guests the genuine
hospitality of real New Zealanders
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priding themselves on their thoroughness,
the personal touches and their attention to
detail,
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operating the tours as “deluxe safaris”.
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Journeys of learning,
discovery and adventure. |
