Meet your Guides

Your very own private
New Zealand tour guides

Your local guides and hosts, Brian Lucas and Paula Sinclair offer completely customised New Zealand South Island tours for those looking for an authentic, unique guided experience, yet still wanting to see the highlights and beauty of New Zealand’s South Island.

Your Personal Local Tour Guides

Each of our tours includes your personal tour driver/guide and host/guide. Our guides
are locals, and are passionate about sharing this beautiful country of ours with you.

Brian Lucas - Tour Guide & Driver

I was born in England and lived in Australia for over 20 years before moving to New Zealand in 1993.

I am well travelled and although I was not born in New Zealand, I consider myself a “Kiwi born in the wrong country”. For me, New Zealand is home. My hobbies are hiking, woodworking, New Zealand’s heritage, aviation and photography.

In 1994, I had the idea of creating tours that guided guests on journeys of exploration and discovery to experience the diverse ecologies and scenic wonders of Te Waipounamu (South Island) of New Zealand. These “safari” style tours offered guests top service, superb accommodations and first-class cuisine.

So, in 1994 I created Canterbury Trails and began offering safari style tours. In 2009, I was one of three finalists in the prestigious national tourism award – the New Zealand Inbound Tour Operator’s Council Tourism Awards.

In 2010, I sold the business and looked forward to semi-retirement. However, as someone once said, “you can take the guide out of guiding but you cannot take the guiding out of the guide”.

My love of guiding bought me back into the fold, and together with my partner Paula, we created Wildsouth Discovery. We now offer a totally different and improved version of my original touring concept.

With over 25 years of guiding and hosting experience, I love providing our tour guests with an unforgettable, informative and absolutely superb experience.

Paula Sinclair - Tour Guide & Host
I am a fifth generation Kiwi, born in Lyttelton, and am very proud to be a New Zealander.Educated in Christchurch, I studied to become a pharmacist and have been practising pharmacy for over thirty-five years in Christchurch. In more recent years I built a wonderful home in the Christchurch seaside suburb of Sumner, from which I operated a B&B. I was pleased to meet my guests from all over the world and to show them Kiwi hospitality. Sadly my home was a victim to the 2011 earthquake and was condemned due to location and rockfall.South Island will always be my home and I love the spectacular scenery and its fascinating flora and fauna. My hobbies are gardening, cooking, hiking, sea fishing and playing golf.Over the years, I have travelled to Australia, England, North America, France and Italy and enjoyed walking and exploring in parts of those countries.I love meeting and getting to know Wildsouth Discovery’s tour guests and showing them some of the most beautiful parts of South Island, and the special and unique qualities that define New Zealand. Quite often, our tour guests become our friends. I also love hosting and enjoy sharing my homemade baking and other treats with our guests.

Please contact Wildsouth

Fill out our form or contact us for more information in helping book your magical guided South Island tour of New Zealand, completely customised to suit you.

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