Terry brought us on a 7 days tour around the South Island. The itinerary planned by Terry is... read more
Terry brought us on a 7 days tour around the South Island. The itinerary planned by Terry is... read more
Terry Thomsen's 1-day tour of Christchurch and surrounds is excellent. Terry really knows his... read more
If you want a personalized tour, presented by a knowledgeable and passionate guide, you can't go past Terry Thomsen and The Inside Story. On a recent trip to Christchurch, we were keen to visit Arthur's Pass and Otira Gorge. We didn't want to take the Tranzalpine Train to Greymouth, and there didn't seem to be enough to occupy two seniors in Arthur's Pass if we got off there and waited for the train to return. The Inside Story provided the perfect solution. Terry's luxury van is spacious and comfortable. As we left Christchurch, he drove us around the centre of town, pointing out the devastation caused by earthquakes to some of the most historic parts of the city. We were driven to Springfield, caught the train to Arthur's Pass where we were met by Terry, given a tour of the small town site and driven down into Otira Gorge. The descent into the Gorge is spectacular and is missed if you take the train. Terry's depth of knowledge, historical, geological and botanical, meant he was able to provide an interesting and informative commentary, answer any questions we had, and take us to places of interest that larger vehicles may not have been able to access. Highly recommended.
Terry came out of his way to pick us up in Akaora when our cruise ship had to tender there instead of Lyttelton due to the damage it had received from past Earthquakes. Terry was a wonderful guide and gave our family a lot of insight into history of Christchurch. He took us to see the beauty of Christchurch that still remains after the damage that was done in the past Earthquakes. Terry was able to take us to place in and around Christchurch that the big tour bus don't go. We got to see lovely seaside suburbs and some great Arts and Crafts shops .We also got to take in some superb views of the city and surrounds area.We would recommend Terry to anyone that wants a tour guide that will design a tour around your personal needs.
Firstly I would like to thank Terry who went out of his way to come to Akaroa to pick us up when our ship was changed from Lyttleton to Akaroa. We decided to still go to Christchurch as originally scheduled and were not prepared for the devastation that we saw. Terry was fantastic and was able to give us so much information on the history of Christchurch and its surrounding areas such as Lyttleton and Sumner which were the hardest hit in the earthquakes. He took us through the town as much as he could and showed us the "container shopping centre" that they have set up while the city of Christchurch is being rebuilt. On the way to and back from Christchurch Terry was able to take us to places that any of the larger buses from the Cruise Ship Excursions would not have been able to take us. Thank you again Terry it made our trip to Christchurch a memorable, if not nostalgic trip for those of us who had been there pre-earthquake.
A group of (9) of us tour southern and northern island of new zealand for 26 days. People say you will be bore to death in new zealand, but to tell you we really appreciate to join "The Inside Story personal guided Tour. Mr. Terry Thomsen who was so helpful, trustworthy and responsible man to show us around and made everyday a happy day. He was so mild and gentleman, he double check with our booking of the hotel/motels to make sure everything goes right.
Thank you Terry, for sure we will look for you again if we were to visit New Zealand.
from Eileen
Terry has been very helpful in planning the location for our dream wedding photo shoot in the South Island. He is a very patient, well organised & knowledgeable guide. His attention to safety and friendly manner is what we as tourists would like to see in a guide.
Anyone who wishes to visit New Zealand should engage Terry as your personal guide.
Thank you Terry for all the wonderful memories in NZ.
Darren & Joanne
Singapore
We were debating whether to take the Tranz Alpine Train to Arthur’s Pass or to book a guided tour. After reading a couple negative reviews about the train and considering the costs, we decided to go with the guided tour provided by The Inside Story Tours, and we were extremely happy with our decision!
Terry, our guide, was very professional and knowledgeable. He gave us a great deal of insight into the natural and cultural history of CHCH and surrounding areas. He picked us up right from our hotel and drove us to Arthur’s Pass. The ride was very comfortable, with numerous stops on the way for coffee/lunch breaks and short scenic walks/hikes. Terry catered the tour to our tastes and fitness levels and provided us with a number of flexible options and alternatives.
Terry also offers private tours to other areas in the South Island at very reasonable rates. We highly recommend!