Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo is a lakeside resort village in the Mackenzie Country in the South Island of New Zealand. It gets its name from one of the Southern Lakes in the Southern Alps.

Understand
Surrounded by mountains and far from the glare of city lights, Lake Tekapo's cloud-free skies make it the best place in the Southern Hemisphere to see the night sky. Local light-pollution laws require all exterior night-time lighting to shine down onto the ground, rather than into the sky. Status as a World Heritage Site is being sought for the area as the world's first starlight preservation area.

Get in
It is about 60 km north of Twizel on State Highway 8, the Central Southern Alps Highway, 2.5 hours south-west of Christchurch and three hours north of Queenstown.

Bus services to and from Lake Tekapo:
 * Southern Link Shuttles,, Fax
 * Intercity Newmans,, Freephone.
 * Intercity Newmans,, Freephone.

Do
There's excellent and relatively easy hiking around Lake Tekapo. Two tracks to the top of Mt. John starts near the western end of town (right before and right after Tekapo Springs). The shorter path takes 45 minutes to an hour to get to the top, following a switchback trail through some pine forest, while the longer path (taking 1½-2 hr) climbs more gradually along the lake shore, before doubling back to climb up to the top from the north. At the top of the hill you can follow a short loop track around the observatory for excellent views toward the Southern Alps, or stop at the cafe there for some excellent hot chocolate.

Another 1½-2 hr hike - the Peninsula Walkway - starts a short bit north of Mt John (most easily reached by car), and takes you around the peninsula which lies halfway along the length of the lake. This is a relatively new hike, and the path hasn't really been worn out yet. Make certain you're following the poles rather than sheep tracks which can divert in different directions altogether. This hike is closed from October to December for lambing.

There are also various organized activities:
 * Backcountry Ski Touring 2-5 days based at hut above snowline, touring the valleys, ridges and basins of the Two Thumb Range.
 * Hunting Safaris.
 * Backcountry Ski Touring 2-5 days based at hut above snowline, touring the valleys, ridges and basins of the Two Thumb Range.
 * Hunting Safaris.
 * Hunting Safaris.
 * Hunting Safaris.
 * Hunting Safaris.
 * Hunting Safaris.

Buy

 * Alpine Haven - Wide range of quality New Zealand products and souvenirs.
 * High Country Crafts - Good value New Zealand gifts.
 * Kiwi Treasures and Information Centre - Popular gifts and souvenirs, postcards.
 * Lake Tekapo Post Centre - Fishing licences and tackle also.
 * Tekapo Services - Supermarket and fuel.
 * Challenge petrol station - Snow chains, motor accessories.

Go next

 * Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park is about 100 km by road to the west.