Organized Tours

For a good overview of Akaroa and Banks Peninsula, call Canterbury Trails (tel. 03/337-1185; www.canterburytrails.co.nz), which offers comprehensive day tours to the area that include a nature harbor cruise or an opportunity to swim with dolphins. If mountain scenery is more your thing, take the trip to Arthur's Pass National Park, which can also include a ride on the TranzAlpine train (one-way). Prices begin around NZ$280.

Unlimited New Zealand (tel. 03/960-9119; www.unlimitednz.co.nz) will get you out into the wide-open spaces of Arthur's Pass for a firsthand experience in Canterbury's magnificent high country. Their walk up Bealey Valley takes in several different ecosystems, right up to the sub-alpine zone. It's a full day out and you return to Christchurch on the TranzAlpine. You need warm, wet-weather gear and good boots, and it costs NZ$325 per person.

In the food and drink line, Taste Canterbury (tel. 03/326-6753; www.goodthings.co.nz) offers a terrific set of personalized gourmet food and wine tours of the greater Canterbury region. Mavis Airey is a knowledgeable guide and food writer, and her half-day tours cost NZ$140 per person for two (less if there are more of you), or NZ$240 per person for a full day. You'll get a lovely overview of rural Canterbury on the Akaroa and Ellesmere tours. I strongly recommend them -- and all the goodies you get to sample and buy.

And for something entirely different again, allow a full day for the TranzAlpine & High Country Explorer (tel. 0800/863-975; www.high-country.co.nz). You'll never forget this standout adventure. You'll leave Christchurch on the TranzAlpine, traveling to Arthur's Pass where you'll be picked up by a 4WD tussock buggy for the trip to Flock Hill Lodge and a hearty three-course lunch. Then it's a 22km (14-mile) safari into spectacular and otherwise inaccessible areas of Flock Hill sheep station. The last leg of the journey is an exhilarating jet-boat ride down the Waimakariri River to Woodstock sheep station for afternoon tea. A coach returns you to the city. It's a big day but one you'll love. Make sure you take warm clothes as the high country can be chilly, even in summer. This superb tour costs NZ$375 for adults and NZ$188 for children ages 4 to 14. Don't forget your camera. There's dynamite scenery along the way!

Canterbury Leisure Tours (tel. 0800/484-485 in NZ, or 03/384-0999; www.leisuretours.co.nz) has a comprehensive selection of half- and full-day tours that cover everything from whale-watching in Kaikoura to wine trails, sheep-farm tours, horse trekking, Mount Cook, Hanmer Springs, and more.

And if you still haven't gotten The Lord of the Rings out of your system -- and believe me, plenty haven't -- you're a sure thing for Hassle-Free Tours' adventures. Call tel. 0800/427-753 in New Zealand, or 03/385-5775, or visit the website at www.hasslefree.co.nz to find out about their 4WD excursions that deposit you in the thick of Edora, the capital city of the Rohan people of the film trilogy. The cost is NZ$215 adults, NZ$150 children.

Adventure Canterbury (tel. 0800/847-455 in NZ; www.adventurecanterbury.co.nz) and Tuatara Tours (tel. 0800/377-378; www.tuataratours.co.nz) are two more excellent companies offering a wide range of half-day, 1-day, and multiday tours into the wider Canterbury landscape. I can personally recommend Tuatara Tours' 3- to 4-day Akaroa Walk, which takes you into spectacular landscapes -- make sure you're fit, as it involves a lot of uphill walking. Or try their much less taxing 4-day West Coast Trail, which is a truly beautiful introduction to things West Coast. The great thing about these tours is that, in addition to excellent guides, you only have to carry a small day pack, you eat well, and you sleep in comfortable beds.

Special Moment: An Unforgettable Train Trip

The TranzAlpine is rated as one of the five most spectacular train journeys in the world, and you can't fail to be impressed by the scenery as you make your way from Christchurch in the east to Greymouth in the west. The train travels over the Canterbury Plains; through the heart of the Southern Alps; and through tunnels, beech forests, and massive river gorges to the West Coast. It's a must-do for anyone visiting the South Island.

The round-trip excursion costs NZ$150 to Arthur's Pass and NZ$199 to Greymouth, with cheaper rates for children -- and cheaper specials if you book online. If you take the Arthur's Pass option, you'll have 5 hours there before the train returns, but there are many excellent bush walks in the area and a couple of nice cafes.

If you go to Greymouth, you'll have only 1 hour in the township before the train returns to Christchurch -- not a lot of time to do much more than wander about.

The train leaves from Christchurch's main railway station at 1 Clarence St., Addington. For reservations and further information, contact Tranz Scenic (tel. 0800/872-467 in NZ; www.tranzscenic.co.nz). Food is available on the buffet car, or you can bring your own picnic. The train makes six stops during the journey.