Canterbury, New Zealand – Stunned, But Still Stunning

This post is part of my Blog4NZ series. Blog4NZ, running March 21-23, is an initiative by travel bloggers to share memories, photos and stories from New Zealand in order to bring awareness to the fact that, despite the Feb. 22 Christchurch earthquake, the country is still very much open for business.

Before a massive earthquake rocked Japan, another large temblor shook both the buildings and the nerves of Christchurch, New Zealand.

Christchurch — New Zealand’s “Garden City” — was hard-hit by this quake. But, while they have been temporarily knocked down, you had better believe that they will get back up again.

One day, Cathedral Square will look like this again.

And, as the resilient people of Christchurch work on getting back up on their feet, the rest of the world cannot forget about them.

Christchurch, the Canterbury Region, and New Zealand itself are still very much open to travel and tourism.

In fact, Canterbury, while currently stunned by this tragedy, is, nonetheless, still stunning.

The Canterbury Region is the largest region by land area in New Zealand, and the second-largest region in the country by population. With the city of Christchurch at its seat, this is one NZ region that is not to be missed.

But Christchurch isn’t the only thing worth seeing in this large part of New Zealand.

Other Canterbury Region highlights include:

The town of Kaikoura

Kaikoura is a quaint little coastal town, roughly halfway between Picton and Christchurch. The town is situated right on the water, in the shadow of the Seaward Kaikoura Range — a branch of the Southern Alps. Along with some stunning coastal and mountain views, the town is also know for its marine life — most notably, its whale watching. Other popular activities in Kaikoura include hiking, relaxing in one of the town’s charming cafes, and swimming with dolphins and/or seals.

The Canterbury Plains

The area immediately outside of Christchurch to the south is known as the Canterbury Plains, and is characterized by contrasting landscape and fields that seem to stretch on for an eternity under a big open sky. I could drive through this part of the country forever.

Erewhon and Mount Sunday

Any “Lord of the Rings” fan will recognize this location as the spot where the Rohirrim city of Edoras was situated in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy. The real location of the rocky outcrop that once housed Edoras is in the Rangitata Valley – on top of Mount Sunday, to be exact, near the Erewhon Station and the Mount Potts Sheep Staion. The lonely valley that Mount Sunday sits in is criss-crossed by streams and rivers, and surrounded by snow-capped mountains on nearly all sides. It’s as pretty as a postcard — prettier, even.

Lake Tekapo

Located in the Mackenzie Basin with the Southern Alps to its north, Lake Tekapo is a popular stop for travelers passing through the Canterbury Region. The Church of the Good Shepherd — a small stone church dating back to 1935 — sits on the lake’s southern shore. Because of its picturesque location, this is possibly one of the most photographed churches in all of New Zealand.

Lake Pukaki and Mount Cook

Not far from Lake Tekapo lies Lake Pukaki, the largest of three alpine lakes situated in the Mackenzie Basin. This lake, like Lake Tekapo, was formed as glaciers receded from the area. The minerals left behind by the giant blocks of ice help give the long lake its unnatural blue hue. At the far end of Lake Pukaki sits Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, which boasts New Zealand’s tallest mountain. Mount Cook stands at a respectable 12,316 feet, and its craggy summit is recognizable from miles away.

Mackenzie Country

Mackenzie Country (technically called the Mackenzie Basin) is located near the center of the South Island, and has traditionally been used for sheep farming. It was named after James Mackenzie, a notorious shepherd and sheep thief of the 1850s, who would herd stolen sheep into the area because it was so sparsely populated. A bus driver I had while there regaled us with stories (as well as songs!) about Mackenzie and his herding dog.

Ben Ohau Range

West of Lake Pukaki lies the Ben Ohau mountain range, part of the Southern Alps. Driving along this range is stunning — it’s just mountains and lakes and untouched New Zealand countryside for ages.

Twizel

Located in the southern part of the Mackenzie Basin near the edge of the Canterbury Region sits Twizel, a small town that’s popular in the summer months with tourists. Fun fact about Twizel? It was built in 1968 as a greenfields project, and was never meant to be a permanent town. It was supposed to eventually revert back into farmland, but residents fought for Twizel, and were successful in 1983 in saving it for good. I visted Twizel on a “Lord of the Rings” tour of New Zealand, because nearby land was used to film the battle at the Pelennor Fields in “The Return of the King.” The area surrounding Twizel is beautiful.

Canterbury Map

I probably don’t even have to say any more. By now, you should be convinced to visit the Canterbury Region.

It’s such a unique and relatively untouched part of New Zealand. And I’m sure it would be happy to welcome you.

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Have you traveled through New Zealand’s Canterbury Region at all? If so, tell me about it! What were some of YOUR favorite sights?

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Please note: All photos in this post were taken by me in New Zealand. To see more from this album, head over to Flickr.

And, if you liked this post, I would love if you would tweet it with the #blog4NZ tag, stumble it, and share it on Facebook to help promote this awesome blogging effort!

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