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New Zealand is the country of varied cultures, diverse ecosystems and inimitable scenic beauty. Each city of New Zealand has something unique about itself. The largest city of the South Island region of New Zealand, Christchurch is one of those cities which stand out amidst many. The name of the city comes from Christ Church, Oxford. It has been established in 1856, which officially makes it the oldest city of New Zealand.
The city of Christchurch is thronged by tourists as there are many world class attractions located here. The Orana Park is one of them. Being New Zealand’s only open range zoo, Orana Wildlife Park is famous for providing a glimpse of a variety of species of animals and birds in their natural habitat. Spread over 80 hectares, the park hosts over 400 animals from around 70 different species. The Willowbank Wildlife Park is the contemporary for Orana Park. Divided in ‘Wild NZ’, ‘Heritage NZ’, and ‘Natural NZ’, the unique point about this park is that it provides a close encounter with the Kiwi, the Kea, along with the rare Takahe, the Tuatara and the bush parrot called the Kaka.
The city is called by a variety of names. One of the nicknames for Christchurch is the ‘Garden City of New Zealand’. A distinctively English city, Christchurch has a lot of open public spaces and parks, and is filled with greenery around. Gardens and parks have been embedded beautifully in the architecture of the city itself. Be it the central Hagley Park, the Mona Vale, or the exotic Christchurch Botanic Gardens; Christchurch and gardens go hand in hand. Also called the ‘Gateway to the Antarctic’, the city has an active involvement in the exploration of the Antarctic, and the Canterbury Museum in the city hosts a variety of historical artifacts, documents and stories of the Antarctic exploration. The International Antarctic Center is famous among tourists for the penguin encounters, the exhibits and the Hagglund rides offered.
The best part about many of these locations is that along with being famous, they enjoy the privilege of being in close proximity to the Christchurch airport. Many other noteworthy places like Kaikoura, Akaroa, Mt Hutt and South Canterbury are less than a two hour drive from Christchurch. Many car rental services provide premium comfort and luxurious rides to the travellers, thus adding to their experience of the city of Christchurch. The convenience of the tourist is taken utmost care of, and the added advantage of improvising the trip always lies with the tourist. Thus, the best way to travel is via car rentals, which provides excellent help in exploring Christchurch.
