Let’s connect

+64 3-343-0869
upperriccarton@hot.co.nz
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House of Travel Upper Riccarton

Let’s connect

+64 3-343-0869 upperriccarton@hot.co.nz
Cnr Riccarton and Waimairi Road
Upper Riccarton
Christchurch
8041
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Monday
9:30am - 4:00pm
Tuesday
9:30am - 4:00pm
Wednesday
9:30am - 4:00pm
Thursday
9:30am - 4:00pm
Friday
9:30am - 4:00pm
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
Book a video appointment
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Welcome to House of Travel Upper Riccarton


House of Travel Upper Riccarton was established in 1988 and is owned and operated by Dalwyn Sinclair and Debra Carnahan who have a combined total of over 50 years travel industry experience.

When you're planning a dream holiday, you want to be able to talk with professionals who have been there, done that and know how it feels.

The consultants at House of Travel Upper Riccarton are exactly that. They are passionate about travel, and because they are travellers too they have loads of experience & knowledge they’d love to share with you.

Whether you dream of an Amazon adventure, a French villa stay in Provence, exploring Vietnam, or a Pacific Island escape you can feel confident the team at House of Travel Upper Riccarton will guide you to make the right decisions to truly enhance your holiday experience.

Debra & Dalwyn

Owner Operators


🎄Our Christmas Hours:

22nd December: 8.30am - 12pm
23rd December - 2nd January: CLOSED
3rd January: Back to usual business hours


Meet the team

Headshot Dalwyn Sinclair

Dalwyn Sinclair Send email to Dalwyn Sinclair

Joint Managing Director
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Sharing my travel experiences, is the inspiration to create current and unique holidays for clients. We all crave a deep connection to a destination when we travel, through the local food, people and those "surprise and delight" experiences.
Sharing my travel experiences, is the inspiration to create current and unique holidays for clients. We all crave a deep connection to a destination when we travel, through the local food, people and those "surprise and delight" experiences.
Headshot Debra Carnahan

Debra Carnahan Send email to Debra Carnahan

Joint Managing Director
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With 30 years in the travel industry I would love to have the opportunity to share my experience with you and help you create your holiday dreams, then I also have a corporate side that enjoys the challenges of constructing business itineraries.
With 30 years in the travel industry I would love to have the opportunity to share my experience with you and help you create your holiday dreams, then I also have a corporate side that enjoys the challenges of constructing business itineraries.
Headshot Helen Ashton

Helen Ashton Send email to Helen Ashton

Senior Travel Consultant
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My goal is to ensure that all of my clients have an amazing experience wherever they are in the world and that their trip exceeds expectations.
My goal is to ensure that all of my clients have an amazing experience wherever they are in the world and that their trip exceeds expectations.
Headshot Kellie Worters

Kellie Worters Send email to Kellie Worters

Senior Travel Consultant
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Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen - Benjamin Disraeli
Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen - Benjamin Disraeli
Headshot Laura Hutchins

Laura Hutchins Send email to Laura Hutchins

Travel Consultant
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I am very passionate about travel that can immerse us into the cultures of the country we visit. Being sustainable and giving back to these communities whilst we travel is so important to me and I have many tips and experiences to help do this on all holidays.
I am very passionate about travel that can immerse us into the cultures of the country we visit. Being sustainable and giving back to these communities whilst we travel is so important to me and I have many tips and experiences to help do this on all holidays.
Headshot Leanne Newton

Leanne Newton Send email to Leanne Newton

Senior Travel Consultant
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Experiencing travel through the eyes of my daughter, has given me a whole new perspective and thirst for travel. It enables me to slow my pace, look around and just enjoy being in the moment as she interacts with local people.
Experiencing travel through the eyes of my daughter, has given me a whole new perspective and thirst for travel. It enables me to slow my pace, look around and just enjoy being in the moment as she interacts with local people.
Headshot Sophie Mcgready

Sophie McGeady Send email to Sophie McGeady

Sales Support
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What our customers have to say

  • I recently travelled to Africa with the help of Helen Ashton the Senior Travel Consultant. Absolutely amazing service. Not one fault or issue, I would highly recommend, Helen was prompt at responding to emails even when I was overseas with several questions. I will 100 percent be back for my next trip. Can not recommend enough.
    Sophie

  • Great business 2 deal with always very helpful
    Gavin

  • Just the best ,,had to change flights ,,very quick ,,just what you want ,,will go back for next trip
    Mac

  • We have just recently returned from the Ghan Rail Journey from Darwin to Adelaide. Way more than a train trip, this was a package of multiple new experiences each day visiting stunning locations, being guided by local experts, enjoying relaxed and comfortable cabins and lounges and the wonderful fine dining on and off the train. Helen was the ‘magic ingredient’ making it all happen smoothly with additional trips and stop overs before and after the Ghan. I cannot speak highly enough of her ‘can do’ attitude – always accompanied by a smile and helpful suggestions. She is super-responsive and always willing to do whatever she can to make the travel experience as relaxed and enjoyable as possible
    Rose

  • We have used Helen for a number of family trips. Helen is great to deal with - she is friendly, offers great advice and took care of everything for us - from booking flights, accommodation and activities and nothing was a hassle. Thanks so much Helen.
    Lucy

  • Helen is simply the BEST travel agent at House of Travel. She offers friendly, professional advice and is an authority on so many destinations. She listens to my needs and plans accordingly, giving me, the client, excellent value for my dollar. She has the ability to think outside the square and is full of ideas. A five star recommendation.
    Margaret

  • Helen has been instrumental in arranging our trip to Europe next year, After our initial brief she put together an itinerary that met every aspect of our wishes. Throughout the process she has made some excellent recommendations, helped organise accommodation and provided her worldly insights into the locations that we will be visiting. Helen has an amazing knowledge which she is happy to share.
    James and Gina

  • We have been looking for a flight to Europe with other travel agents for a long time now with no success in getting into our budget. But Leanne asked us if we could shift our dates and she found us a family ticket even cheaper than we expected, with options to stay over in SAN Francisco, my bucket list city since I was a kid. Once we decided, the whole process took less than 48 hours. Super efficient. Leanne is very knowledgeable about the places and made us feel super satisfied and happy with our purchase. We will buy the travel insurance soon, well done Leanne, thanks very much. Marlon, Luna and Mary.
    Mary

  • Excellent service, prompt response to questions and she organized an excellent looking holiday for my wife and myself. She made sure we would get the maximum time on Samoa by finding flights that arrived and departed at approximately mid-day and recommended we increase the holiday by 1 day at very little cost, from the basic brief I gave her she exceeded my expectations.
    Ken

  • Leanne listened to our plans and has booked everything we wanted and suggested a heap of extra things we didn’t know were options. This is our first family holiday and she has given us lots of ideas and hacks based on her own experience, making us feel more at ease and excited!
    Amy

  • Leanne was approachable, professional, completed the quote & finalized my trip in a short time. Recommendations were made for inoculations & followed up. Amazing experience. Keep up the good work.
    Sami

  • We have dealt with Kellie Worters senior travel agent here for many years and have always had excellent service. Her attention to detail has ensured our travel has been correct and we have taken her advice on numerous occasions on different activities and tours to take while away. We thoroughly recommend this branch and especially Kelly for all your travel arrangements.
    Ken & Anne

  • Laura is the most helpful and pleasant agent. Who is helping us to book the way to UK via Bangkok or China. We are going next August and not all options are available so she is looking around and her help has made us definitely want to book with her.
    Veronica

  • Debra hit it out of the ball park again when our student daughter had panic day before visa and flight issues created by embassy officials last week. In one phone call and within one hour, Debra had sourced and ticketed new flights on a new airline, re routed her via the embassy, organised a refund on her orginal flights and still texted our daughter on the day to ensure she had made all the connections and was on her way. Our daughter is so grateful she did not use the internet for her original booking, as the benefits of being able to call Debra and get help were priceless. We highly recommend Upper Riccarton House of Travel and Debra Carnahan.
    Ken

  • Debra has been very helpful sorting four trips for different reasons . Four long haul travels in 12months. NOT ALL PLANNED, and changes to airlines and flight bookings. She has given time to sort our problems. It's much appreciated
    Brenda

  • I went in and spoke with Debra. She asked me what I wanted and when I wanted to travel. she got onto it straight away and came back within 24 hours with a travel plan and bookings ready for me to confirm. Fantastic service. She asked what we wanted. Looked at options and provided me with a great travel plan. She offered travel insurance but I elected to go with Police Travel Insurance as I am a retired police employee.
    Gavin

  • She works to achieve all our requests for our travels.
    Zena

News and events

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    BOEING 787 LANDS IN ANTARCTICA

    The world's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner successfully skated on the 3000 metre ice runway in Troll, Antarctica. This ice-breaking moment carried 45 scientist and researchers from the Norwegian Polar Institute. The runway only operates between October and March, just before it sees it's last day of daylight for nearly 6 months. Despite this incredible feat, commercial flights show no indication of being in the talks.
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    ROLLER-COASTERS OR WATERSLIDES? WHY NOT BOTH?

    Norwegian Cruise Line is introducing a brand new, innovative hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide. The idea to be a worlds 'first oi the new Norwegian Aqua, aiming to set sail in 2025, the experience also includes a three-level go-kart track to make sure it fits into multiple tick-lists for their cruisers.
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    ENGINE ISSUES CAUSE 2 YEAR DELAYS FOR AIR NEW ZEALAND

    In July this year, engine manufacturer Pratt and Whitney announced that 700 planes across the globe need to be inspected. Air New Zealand has 17 Airbus A320 and A321 NEO's which fly to Australia, Pacific Islands and other domestic routes need to be inspected. Chief executive Greg Foran said most customers are still likely to fly on the same day however, some international flights will move a day either side of their original booking date. A refund will be available to the 150,000 affected passengers if their changed service doesn't suit there itineraries. This will see the pause to direct flights from Auckland to Hobart and Seoul from April 2024.
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    P&O TO INTRODUCE STARLINK CONNECTIONS

    From snapping your friends or uploading your cruise experiences on Instagram and Facebook, internet connection is a necessity. As more and more people choose to cruise around the world, demand for faster Wi-Fi is a must. P&O have a solution. P&O are introducing Starlink across all fleets, with Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter already offering the improved internet. Pacific Explorer is expected to to feature this later in the month. Starlink, the satellite internet project by SpaceX. Deploying a constellation of satellites to provide high-speed internet globally, especially in remote and underserved areas like the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
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    EXCITING INNOVATIONS TO THE WAY WE TRAVEL

    With the world reopening and travel is becoming more attractive than ever. Innovations are set in place to make the travelling experience so much better. Imagine not having to talk to anyone, show your passport to anyone, just a streamlined experience. Facial recognition systems, AI integration, robotic logistics, all to create a smooth and streamlined experience. We are also seeing hints of potential supersonic travel being re-introduced since Concorde's failure in the early 2000s. These exciting innovations are a matter of when, rather than if. Changi International Airport is taking these innovations and aiming to implement them in early 2024. Can we see the same for Auckland Airport? Definitely.
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    DELTA TOUCHES DOWN IN AUCKLAND FOR THE FIRST TIME

    Delta Airlines, one of the biggest American airline brands touches down for the first time in history in Auckland on the 30th October as the airlines introduced a new direct flight from Los Angeles to Auckland. The service will be all-year round with daily flights during summer, then reduing to a 3 flights per week schedule during the winter period (April to October) Delta will be using one of their Airbus A350-900, seating 339 passengers on the 13-hour journey across the pacific ocean.
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    QANTAS ALLOWS "NEIGHBOUR FREE" UPGRADE FROM NEW ZEALAND

    The Australian airline is now trialing a new feature which allows passengers flying on trans-Tasman flights alongside flights to the US and Singapore to purchase an empty seat next to them. The trial period is undisclosed, however, following an evaluation of the trial, more international routes may see this option become available. The way it works: Passenger's on eligible flights will receive a notification 2 days before departure offering this upgrade to "reserve" the seat next to them. As it's not guaranteed, if the seat is sold after "reserving," the passenger is refunded.
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    SINGAPORE'S NEWLY RENOVATED CYCLE PATH

    Planning a trip to Singapore? The newly renovated cycle path is a must-see. It's called the Singapore-Kranji railway and now you can enjoy a bike ride through Singapore on one of the countries most historic features which debuted 120 years ago. The final train journey operated in 2011 and it was then closed until it was revitalised into a bike path for locals and tourists to soak up the unique history of Singapore. The route passes through Singapore's beautiful wildlife to the urban infrastructure.

Our travel stories

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Postcard from Japan

Sophie McGeady

There is something for everyone in Japan. 

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Contiki

Laura Hutchins

CONTIKI!! I was lucky enough to travel to the Southern USA with Contiki and explore the amazing Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans.

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Postcard from Fiji

Leanne Newton

Fiji is one of the friendliest places on earth and the perfect place to travel with young kids.

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Postcard from Norway

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Travelling in Norway is like a picture postcard all the time!  Join a Hurtigruten Cruise translated as "Express Route" and spend 6-12 days cruising the coastline visiting beautiful quaint villages, towns and cities.  

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view all stories from House of Travel Upper Riccarton

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