Les incontournables à Canterbury

Canterbury Region's Unmissable Highlights

The Canterbury Region encompasses the Southern Alps and the turquoise glacial waters of Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki. It is home to Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak, and the Mackenzie Basin’s International Dark Sky Reserve at Mount John. The landscape features the weathered limestone formations of Elephant Rocks, the volcanic terrain of the Banks Peninsula, and the high-altitude route of Arthur's Pass. Coastal Kaikoura offers deep-water marine life encounters, while the Hooker Valley provides pedestrian access to terminal glaciers.

Canterbury Region's Unmissable Highlights — Carte

Paul Stewart / CC0

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Hooker Valley Track

A 10-kilometer return walking trail featuring three suspension bridges over the Hooker River. The track concludes at the proglacial Hooker Lake, providing direct views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and the Mueller Glacier icefall.

Christian Michel / CC BY 2.0

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Church of the Good Shepherd

The Church of the Good Shepherd on the shores of Lake Tekapo on the South Island of New Zealand is a small Anglican church used by various…

Paul Carmona / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo is the second-largest of three roughly parallel lakes running north–south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin in the…

mujtaba / CC BY 2.0

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Mount Cook

Aoraki / Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand. Its height, as of 2014, is listed as 3,724 metres.

eGuide Travel / CC BY 2.0

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Christchurch Gondola

For those who desire to see Christchurch from bird perspective, the gondola ride is a perfect occasion.

Pseudopanax / CC BY 4.0

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Mount Cook National Park

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is in the South Island of New Zealand.

mark benger / CC BY-SA 2.0

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Whale Watch Kaikoura

A boat-based wildlife tour specializing in encounters with Giant Sperm Whales off the Kaikoura coast. The area’s deep underwater canyon also attracts Dusky Dolphins, New Zealand Fur Seals, and various albatross species throughout the year.

Mchung / CC-BY-SA-3.0

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Banks Peninsula Track

The Banks Track is a 31 kilometre private walking track on the Banks Peninsula on the South Island of New Zealand in the Canterbury region.

Fabiana Valera / CC-BY-SA

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Lake Pukaki

Lake Pukaki is the largest of three roughly parallel alpine lakes running north–south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin on New…

paul (dex) bica / CC BY 2.0

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Mount John Observatory

University of Canterbury Mount John Observatory, previously known as Mt John University Observatory, is New Zealand's premier astronomical…

Pseudopanax / Public domain

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Elephant Rocks

The Elephant Rocks near Duntroon in North Otago, New Zealand, are a collection of large weathered limestone rocks.

Ville Miettinen / CC BY 2.0

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Arthur's Pass

Arthur's Pass, a mountain pass in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand, marks part of the boundary between the West Coast…