John Ellis - Guide / Managing Director

Outside of John’s love for family & Island life in the Pacific Oceans Cook Islands, he will be found engaging clients’ interest into the many aspects of New Zealand culture and everyday life & workings of our small humble nation.

Being from a 4th generation of a Canterbury family, John will bring you in touch with many aspects of our Canterbury region.
Owning businesses for himself for over 25 years, he now brings his knowledge, enthusiasm and love for his Island & country to all he meets.

He has often been found over the years Cycling the Canterbury region, being towed with enthusiasm on a single ski behind his Bayliner Boat or on a jet ski on summer days on Lake Benmore, lower South Island NZ.

Fiona Newsome - Guide / Operations Management

A born and bred local from Christchurch Canterbury, Fiona found her wings at an early age and took to discovering the big world.
She may have spent time earlier in life exploring other cultures and gaining worldly insight, but on her return to New Zealand to settle, she realised just how much inspiration her home lands had to offer the rest of the world.

Her enthusiasm, passion and respect for New Zealand, its Tangata whenua, and culture, helps guests experience and understand the diversity of all that New Zealand holds. Taking people on an insightful journey helping them connect to these lands & people in a more personal way.

A warm personality and travel experiences with many cultures throughout the world helps her naturally build great rapport with clients. She is quick to find inspiration, humour & delight in everyday life that is NZ. Her passion for cycling as a past cycle touring guide, her love for mountain biking and hiking the local hills helps Fiona stay fit and connected to the beauty that is Canterbury.

Eileen Keane - Guide

Eileen has been with Canterbury Guides since 2022. Having lived in Christchurch her whole adult life definitely makes her a Cantabrian.
Hosting her guests, showing them around, Eileen weaves tales of the area’s history, with the experience of bringing people closer to what it is to live in our beautiful country. She & her husband & two adult daughters have travelled extensively in the United States, Europe and more recently Asia, adding to her ever expanding love of travel and learning about the diversity of various cultures.

In her previous life she owned and operated two preschools for 28 years fitting in the challenges of being a business woman, she has always enjoyed her running, her hiking, and her social time with family and friends. Packed with a great personality and vitality for life, you will really enjoy your time with Eileen.

Jenny Wiikinson - Guide

Jenny is a born and bred local of Canterbury, growing up in rural Ashburton. At 17 moved to Christchurch and home ever since.
The thing she loves the most about living in Christchurch is enjoying the outdoor playground on our doorstep. Beaches to surf or paddle board, hills for hiking, proper snowy mountains to ski. Many years as a telecommunications engineer mostly being indoors and attached to a computer, Jenny is having fun being out and about introducing visitors to our stunning region.
From exploring some other parts of the world on holiday and through her competition gliding, she has a genuine curiosity about how others live, she likes to provide the best experience visitors could wish for when they are here. Outside of New Zealand her favourite holiday so far was hiking up Angel’s landing in Zion National Park, Utah, USA with her husband. Everyday life is hiking, yoga, glider pilot trainer and anything on water are her favourite pastimes.

Wayne Newsome - Driver / Guide

Newly retired, a born and bred Cantabrian in Christchurch New Zealand. Having a Wife, adult children and grandkids Wayne has found the balance of life with adding driving / guiding for Canterbury Guides since 2021.

He thoroughly enjoys his experiences with all his clients and them with him. A keen and experienced golfer / Club captain of Bottle Lake Golf Club situated in Christchurch, leaves him being quite the experienced person around different golf courses of not only Canterbury but New Zealand wide too.

Back from 9 weeks in and around Europe he now finds balance with guiding and travelling around in a motorhome with his wife, their 2 miniature schnauzers and a couple of E-bikes ready for finding various trails around Christchurch and soon to be the country.

Mike Burney - Driver

Mike has been driving with Canterbury Guides since 2022 with our Christchurch Airport transfers and sometimes longer distance transfers in the South Island. We have always had good feedback about Mike, his manner and safe driving ability.