Ashburton is located in South Canterbury and is within one hour's easy driving from Christchurch International Airport in the South Island of New Zealand. If you are planning a self-drive journey we suggest you take advantage of the district's two highway's - State Highway One and the Inland Scenic Route 72.
The Ashburton district now offers some fabulous dining options boasting fresh, contemporary cuisine, outstanding customer service and award winning New Zealand wines. There is a decent supply of eateries in central Ashburton offering a range of menus to suit your tastes, budget or dietary requirements.
Located in South Canterbury, the town of Ashburton is the gateway to some of the most breath-taking scenery, attractions and activities to be found in this South Island district. Ashburton is the perfect base for your outdoor holiday adventure due to its close proximity to Lake Hood, Methven, Mt Hutt, Mt Somers and Rakaia.
Ashburton is a popular base for your South Canterbury holiday due to the close proximity of Christchurch, Mt Hutt, Methven, Raikia and other popular holiday destinations. The district offers a wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets!
Staying in a semi rural town offers the best of everything, you can still enjoy the convenience of a large township with major shopping, restaurants, cafes, fast-food outlets and supermarkets, while enjoying a more relaxed and laid back atmosphere, where things move at a slower pace.
Arrowtown is unique as a perfectly preserved, picture perfect, gold rush village, that just gets better with age. The town is a little golden nugget - born of gold and still maintaining its original character. You can easily visualise the pioneer diggers swaggering down the street.
Visiting the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island is always a unique experience filled with many wonders. On this occasion we stayed in the small community of Charleston. Charleston was founded during a major gold rush in 1867 and the remains of around 99 hotels have recently been discovered.
Slide into your seat, buckle yourself in, grip the handrail and wait for the adrenalin to flow. Later when the driver says ‘Hold on" respond quickly before he executes a white-knuckle jet-spin. These simple instructions are all you require to enjoy a uniquely New Zealand experience - jet-boating on the wild West Coast rivers.
Take a hike on a massive river of ice sliding inexorably down the precipitous slopes of the Southern Alps. Glacier walking is one of New Zealand’s top attractions. Experienced guides can lead you into an alien world of blue-tinged ice caves, seracs and pinnacles on the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers on the South Island’s West Coast.
Welcome to the heart of Glacier Country - the township of Franz Josef - nestling at the foot of the Southern Alps. Feel the buzz of excitement as coach loads of expectant tourists are whisked away from the Alpine Adventure Centre, and aerial sightseers soar skywards in a whirl of rotor blades, bound for Mt Cook.
New Zealand has a dynamic duo of glaciers, which are easily accessed and provide a fascinating and unique holiday experience. Nowhere else in the world, at this latitude, do glaciers flow down into a temperate rainforest so close to sea level.
What do you fancy as an appetiser? Was that whitebait or worm patties, huhu grub sushi or battered snails? You will be spoiled with choices at the Hokitika Wild Foods Festival, a culinary celebration of the Kiwi's innovative ability to ‘live off the natural resources of the land and sea’.
