Christchurch

On Friday morning we took the Intercity bus to Christchurch, a journey of about 6 hours. In the afternoon, we arrived in Christchurch and checked into our hostel. We then took a bus to the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, which is located just outside the city. We had the opportunity to explore the wildlife reserve at our own pace, as there were very few visitors. There were a lot of animals to see, including ducks, swans, birds, deer, horses, llamas, and alpacas. Our highlight was seeing the kangaroos. Unfortunately, we only saw one kiwi, and it was in the dark, which was a bit disappointing, but maybe we'll have the chance to see another kiwi in the future.

On Saturday, we booked a day tour to Kaikoura to swim with dolphins. During the journey to Kaikoura, we learned about the city of Christchurch and the previous earthquakes. When we arrived in Kaikoura, we visited the seal colony and got to see many adorable seals up close. Then, the long-awaited adventure of swimming with dolphins began. It's probably every child's dream, and we were lucky enough to experience it. After getting dressed in wetsuits and receiving instructions, we boarded the boat. It all happened quickly once we were in the water, with dolphins swimming close to us and playing with us through diving and singing. We had a total of 3 stops where we could swim with the dolphins. We couldn't really believe that we were swimming with these wonderful creatures. We highly recommend it!

On Sundays, we explored the city of Christchurch, where many buildings were destroyed by the earthquake. We visited the Botanic Gardens, some landmarks, and the Christmas Street Parade. We also took advantage of the good weather and spent some time at Lyttelton's Corsair Bay Beach.

The next day, we spent at Adventure Park. We went on the Zipline, which is the longest and highest in New Zealand. There are a total of 4 lines, with the last one being the fastest and longest. At the beginning, we took a chairlift to the very top, where we had an amazing view of Christchurch. The Zipline was a real adventure and we had a lot of fun. We spent the evening in the city. We recommend trying the Little High Eatery for food. There's something for every taste, with several small self-service restaurants. The ice cream shops in Christchurch are also highly recommended!

The next day, we had planned a tour to Hanmer Springs. We booked a transfer with round trip. In Hanmer Springs, we spent the day at the thermal pools. It was pure relaxation and a much-needed break for us. The pools are around 40 degrees Celsius, which is very pleasant, but there are also slightly colder pools and slides for warmer weather, so it's not too boring.

On our last day, we stayed in the city to buy some souvenirs and stroll through the Riverside Market. It is definitely a must-do in Christchurch. There are many different food stalls with delicious specialties, including German bratwurst and pretzels. It's a nice change from the usual food in New Zealand.

For us, it was a very adventurous and beautiful weekend. We experienced and saw a lot, and we can highly recommend the things we did!