If you happen to’re questioning whether or not so as to add Lake Tekapo to your New Zealand highway journey itinerary, I’m going to save lots of you from pondering it any longer… the reply is sure.
Positioned within the coronary heart of the South Island, Lake Tekapo is known for its wildly magical (critically wtf) turquoise waters, snow-capped mountain backdrops, golden tussock (a kind of grass) landscapes, and a few of the clearest evening skies on Earth. A killer mixture certainly. It’s protected to say that we spent most of our time in and round Lake Tekapo with our jaws on the ground. You’ll see what I imply as you begin scrolling by means of the photographs on this information.
And btw, not one of the images on this submit are closely edited. The blue lake actually IS that blue. This isn’t a case of seeing edited images on-line after which being disillusioned in particular person.
You will be blown away.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for the final word information to Lake Tekapo, the perfect issues to do in Lake Tekapo, the place to remain, when to go to and issues to not miss in Lake Tekapo, New Zealand – you’re in the correct place. This Lake Tekapo journey information covers every part you could know earlier than visiting, and all my ideas (having simply been there) that can assist you plan an unforgettable journey.
Whether or not you’re an energetic adventurer, a lakeside bum, an evening sky fanatic or just passing by means of and needing a lake swim, a breakfast pull up in your campervan or a hotspring dip… Lake Tekapo has you lined, and I’ve bought the perfect spots to share.
Let’s dive in.
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The place is Lake Tekapo?
Lake Tekapo is a part of the Mackenzie area on New Zealand’s South Island. It sits roughly midway between Christchurch and Queenstown, making it an ideal highway journey cease in case you’re making your means down that well-known route! It’s about:
- 3 hours’ drive from Christchurch
- 3 hours from Queenstown
- 1 hour from Aoraki / Mount Cook dinner Nationwide Park
It’s a small, peaceable, and extremely scenic lakeside city. It’s the sort of place you may pull up and soak in a slower-paced, relaxed afternoon or morning on the water.
When is the Greatest Time to Go to Lake Tekapo?
There isn’t any dangerous time to go to Lake Tekapo, however once you go to will have an effect on what the perfect issues to do in Lake Tekapo can be found so that you can take pleasure in. For instance, we visited in mid Feb, which was wonderful as a result of it wasn’t peak vacationer season (cheaper costs, fewer crowds), however it meant that we weren’t current for the well-known Lupin bloom.
Right here’s an concept of what to anticipate in every season:
- Summer time (Dec–Feb) – Warmest climate, benefit from the lupins in bloom, nice mountaineering situations. Busiest, peak season.
- Autumn (Mar–Might) – Crisp air, sunny days, fewer crowds, golden tones throughout the basin.
- Winter (Jun–Aug) – Snow on the mountains, magical alpine vibes, ski fields close by to take pleasure in. Chilly however gorgeous.
- Spring (Sep–Nov) – The quieter shoulder season of the 2, with contemporary alpine surroundings.
How Lengthy Do You Want in Lake Tekapo?
It will depend on what you’re keen on from the perfect issues to do within the Lake Tekapo part. I’d say you may completely take pleasure in the perfect of Lake Tekapo in 1–2 days. If you happen to solely have a day or just a few hours to move by means of, as we did, nonetheless do it. You’d be foolish to not!
One or two days provide you with time to:
- take pleasure in a dawn/sundown
- have a few alternatives to stargaze
- Go on a hike
- chill out by the lake
Two nights helps you to sluggish proper down, open a ebook, soak within the scorching springs and dive a bit deeper into the cultural significance of this spot – one thing I’d so love to come back again and do!
The place to Keep in Lake Tekapo
There are honeymoon-vibe luxurious lodges right here, backpacker hostels, and campervan parks. All I’d say is, in case you’re travelling in peak/shoulder season, ebook in early, as lodging is proscribed on this small city and fills up quick.
Lake Tekapo isn’t about ticking off a load of points of interest. It’s about environment. It’s about stillness. It’s about selecting whether or not you’d like to absorb the view from a hike, a scorching spring or out of your picnic blanket. It’s about wanting up at a sky you’ve by no means seen so clear earlier than and getting a brand new perspective on life. As a result of once you have a look at a view as lovely as this, it’s arduous to flee the truth that there’s something a lot bigger than you at play right here.
Earlier than we transfer into the perfect issues to do in Lake Tekapo, let’s reply the query on most peoples lips…
Why is Lake Tekapo so blue?
Okay, so that you’re questioning how on earth the lake will get that insanely mesmerising turquoise color?
The lake will get its color from ‘rock flour’ – a nice glacial sediment floor down by the encircling glaciers within the Southern Alps and suspended within the water. When daylight hits the suspended particles, it displays that surreal milky-blue shade.
It’s not a filter, I promise you! Wild hey?!
Go to the Church of the Good Shepherd
The tiny stone Church of the Good Shepherd is essentially the most photographed constructing within the area, and even within the shoulder season after we went, it was attracting a whole lot of vacationers and photographers.
In-built 1935, it sits proper on the lake’s edge with panoramic mountain views framed by means of its altar window. Dawn and sundown are particularly magical right here, however it’s additionally top-of-the-line foregrounds for astrophotography at evening.
As you may see within the photograph under, you may park proper subsequent to it, or park on the town and stroll throughout the bridge to discover it.
Stroll throughout the bridge on the town and take all of it in
I imply, critically, do I must say any extra? Speechless is what we have been after we bought out of the automotive right here.
As you drive into or by means of city, you’ll see the bridge – you can not miss it!
There are just a few eateries and bars on the entrance right here close to the bridge, so when you’ve got time, sluggish it down much more, seize a drink and a chunk to eat with a view.
Stargaze within the Aoraki Mackenzie Darkish Sky Reserve
Lake Tekapo sits inside the world-renowned Aoraki Mackenzie Worldwide Darkish Sky Reserve, one of many largest darkish sky reserves on Earth. Yep. This implies it’s right here in Lake Tekapo that you just’ll discover minimal gentle air pollution and crystal-clear views of the Milky Method, the Southern Cross and each planets and distant galaxies.
You may be a part of a guided stargazing tour at Mount John Observatory, or just drive a couple of minutes out of city and search for as soon as the solar goes down. On a transparent evening, it should genuinely blow your thoughts.
We didn’t have time for a guided tour, however we have been fortunate sufficient to have clear evening skies on each side of our time in Lake Tekapo, when tenting in each Fairlie and Mt. Cook dinner Nationwide Park, so don’t stress in case you don’t have time or the climate to expertise this. The evening skies are wildly lovely throughout the South Island of New Zealand, so maintain an eye fixed out for a transparent sky, get out of city after which search for!
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Hike the Mount John Summit Monitor
If you happen to solely do one stroll right here, make it the Mount John hike. That is the one which we did, and it was about 45 minutes up and 45 minutes down. Nothing strenuous, roughly 5.5 kilometres lengthy in size, with a complete elevation achieve of round 300 meters. If you happen to don’t need to or can’t hike, you may drive to the highest for a similar view, however there’s a toll highway it’s a must to pay, which was like $12 NZD or one thing.
In any other case, park without cost on the town by the Scorching Springs and climb steadily by means of the forest cover till you attain the highest, the place you’ll be rewarded with 360-degree views over Lake Tekapo, the encircling mountains and the Mackenzie Basin. You’ll end at Mount John Summit, dwelling to the observatory and arguably the perfect views within the area.
I’d depart round 2–3 hours, relying in your tempo and power ranges.
For sure, top-of-the-line issues to do in Lake Tekapo.
Have espresso and cake at Astro Cafe (or deliver your individual snacks)
If in case you have time, on the high of the Mt John monitor is a restaurant with a VIEW – Astro Cafe.
As you may think about, the place will get actually busy. They do have a buzzer system and a full espresso/drinks menu alongside a packed-out cake and dessert counter – so it’s price permitting time to be up right here and benefit from the insane view.
I imply, there’s greater than sufficient photograph alternatives and spots to learn your ebook with a view while you wait to your pot of English breakfast and freshly baked cookies to reach.
Top-of-the-line issues to do in Lake Tekapo? Completely. An actual spotlight from our time in New Zealand, to be sincere!
Soak at Tekapo Springs and benefit from the day spa
For a post-hike deal with, head again into city to Tekapo Springs, the place they’ve a day spa, scorching swimming pools, sauna, steam and alternatives to stargaze proper beside the lake. You may ebook in massages right here too!
I’m undecided there’s significantly better than inhaling alpine air overlooking snow-dusted peaks while soaking drained muscle mass in a scorching spring.
P.s. In winter, there’s even an ice rink and snow tubing right here.
Get within the lake or on the lake
On a peaceful day, getting out on the water on a paddleboard or canoe is nothing wanting magic.
The lake is, nevertheless, freezing (even in summer time), haha, however paddling throughout that shiny blue floor with mountains mirrored round you is a recipe for a kind of core journey reminiscences. Mornings are greatest for calm situations.
If getting on the lake isn’t your factor, soar on in! Have a towel and one thing heat able to chuck on afterwards, and go immerse your pores and skin within the contemporary glacial waters.
Having a dip, swim, or paddleboard is likely one of the greatest issues to do in Lake Tekapo – don’t miss it!
See the Lupins in bloom (Seasonal)
If you happen to’re visiting between late November and early January, you’ll be right here to witness the well-known lupin bloom. Purple, pink, and blue flowers line the lake’s edges and roads, making for a postcard-perfect picture.
There are some standard, particular spots to drag over and get these iconic photographs. If you happen to’re , you will get entry to ALL of my New Zealand pins, places, suggestions, free camp spots and pull-ups on my New Zealand Google Map right here.
Campervan life by the lake
Does it get significantly better than brewing espresso or making breakfast in your campervan with a view? Now add within the Lake Tekapo blues pouring in by means of each window, and you’ve got a scene out of your wildest tenting desires.
There are such a lot of spots to drag up for breakfast, lunch and dinner, identical to the one under. Take your time driving round and discovering your spot, cook dinner up, learn a ebook and contemplate for a second simply how lovely this life is.
To have entry to ALL of my New Zealand pins, places, suggestions, free camp spots and pull-ups, see my New Zealand Google Map right here.
Day Journey to Aoraki / Mount Cook dinner Nationwide Park
That is in all probability a vacation spot already in your highway journey/itinerary, however simply in case it isn’t and you’ve got time, get your self to Mount Cook dinner Nationwide Park. Positioned simply over an hour’s drive away, Aoraki / Mount Cook dinner Nationwide Park is dwelling to New Zealand’s tallest mountain.
Right here you’ll discover subsequent stage alpine surroundings, a number of day hikes and epic in a single day trails, glacier fed lakes and… one other insanely blue lake!
If you happen to’re constructing a South Island itinerary, Lake Tekapo + Mount Cook dinner is an unbeatable combo.
Have you ever been to Lake Tekapo, New Zealand?
What are the perfect issues to do in Lake Tekapo, New Zealand? Something you’d add to this Lake Tekapo, New Zealand bucket record?
Love as at all times and blissful adventuring…
Get lifetime entry to my limitless hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the perfect locations to eat, drink, chill out and discover in New Zealand. You merely open the Google Map in your system and ALL my suggestions are on the contact of your fingertips.
