New Zealand is the country of varied cultures, diverse ecosystems and inimitable scenic beauty. Every New Zealand city has something unique to itself. Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island region of New Zealand, is one such city that stands out among many. The name of the city comes from Christ Church, Oxford. It was established in 1856, officially making it the oldest city in New Zealand.
The city of Christchurch is swarming with tourists as there are many world class attractions located here. Orana Park is one of them. As New Zealand’s only open-air zoo, Orana Wildlife Park is renowned for providing insight into a variety of animal and bird species in their natural habitat. Spread over 80 hectares, the park is home to more than 400 animals of some 70 different species. Willowbank Wildlife Park is the contemporary of Orana Park. Divided into ‘Wild NZ’, ‘Heritage NZ’ and ‘Natural NZ’, the unique point of this park is that it offers a close encounter with the kiwi, kea, along with the rare takahe, tuatara and bush parrot. called the Kaka.
The city is called by a variety of names. One of Christchurch’s nicknames is the ‘Garden City of New Zealand’. A distinctively English city, Christchurch has many public open spaces and parks, and is full of greenery all around. The gardens and parks have been beautifully integrated into the architecture of the city itself. Whether it’s the central Hagley Park, Mona Vale or the exotic Christchurch Botanic Gardens; Christchurch and the gardens go hand in hand. Also called the “Gateway to Antarctica”, the city is active in Antarctic exploration, and the Canterbury Museum in the city houses a variety of historical artifacts, documents and stories from Antarctic exploration. The International Antarctic Center is famous among tourists for the penguin encounters, exhibits and Hagglund rides on offer.
The best part of many of these places is that, apart from being famous, they enjoy the privilege of being very close to Christchurch airport. Many other notable places like Kaikoura, Akaroa, Mt Hutt and South Canterbury are less than two hours’ drive from Christchurch. Many car rental services provide travelers with superior comfort and luxurious travel, adding to their experience in the city of Christchurch. The tourist’s comfort is taken care of to the maximum, and the added advantage of improvising the trip always falls on the tourist. Therefore, the best way to travel is by car hire, which is a great help in exploring Christchurch.