Is Lake Tekapo worth visiting?

Tekapo is a great base for trips into Mount Cook National Park, one of New Zealand’s most striking mountain areas. There are several short hikes (1-3 hours), including the Hooker Valley, Tasman Glacier, Red Tarns and Kea Point or the much tougher hike up to Mueller Hut.

Is it worth staying in Lake Tekapo?

I think Tekapo is in a lovely setting as well but there is also not much accommodation there so it might also be relatively expensive. If it is much more affordable for you to stay there then it would be so bad, but you definitely should include at least a day at Aoraki in your itinerary.

How many days do you need in Lake Tekapo?

While there are not a load of Lake Tekapo activities, there are enough to easily fill 2 or 3 days, or more if you enjoy outdoor activities.

What is special about Lake Tekapo?

The southern hemisphere’s equivalent of the Northern Lights, Lake Tekapo is one of the best places in New Zealand to see this symphony of colour come to life. Best seen between April and September, Lake Tekapo is known for it’s clear nights and lack of light pollution, making it a great viewing destination.

How long does Lake Tekapo take?

The southern hemisphere’s equivalent of the Northern Lights, Lake Tekapo is one of the best places in New Zealand to see this symphony of colour come to life. Best seen between April and September, Lake Tekapo is known for it’s clear nights and lack of light pollution, making it a great viewing destination.

Can you walk around Lake Tekapo?

Lake Tekapo Walkway

Stunning views across Lake Tekapo and surrounding mountains, including the Church of the Good Shepherd. An easily accessible walk where you can stop along the way at one of the nice cafes in Lake Tekapo. Duration of walk: 1 hour.

What can we do at Lake Tekapo?

Is Mt Cook worth visiting?

Is it Mount Cook worth visiting? Absolutely! Mount Cook is the tallest mountain in New Zealand, and as such, is seriously impressive. There are tons of beautiful walks and hikes to do in Mount Cook National Park that lead to stunning viewpoints of Mount Cook and nearby glaciers.

How long is the drive from CHCH to Lake Tekapo?

Travelling south by car from Christchurch takes approximately three hours to Lake Tekapo, and Aoraki/Mount Cook is one hour further from here. Allow more time if you plan to stop at the rural towns Fairlie and Geraldine along the way. Allow 2.5 hours heading north from Queenstown.

Can you stay at Mount Cook?

Accommodation in the Mount Cook Village is limited, in fact, there are only 7 accommodation options. They include 5 hotels, 1 hostel, and 1 DOC (Department of Conservation) campground. Mount Cook Village is also home to a museum, café, a few restaurants, airport, visitor center, rental shop (Alpine Guides), and museum.

Can you see the Southern Lights from Lake Tekapo?

Known for its clear blue skies in the daytime and starlit nights, Lake Tekapo is an ideal location to view the Southern Lights. Not only does this haven provide the goods with their skies, but the landscape and scenery at Lake Tekapo are also absolutely breathtaking.

Can you drive around Lake Tekapo?

New Zealand has many beautiful scenic drives throughout the country. One of the best is the 47-km (29-mile) stretch between Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki. If you take Highway 8 through the heart of the Mackenzie Basin, you will be treated to many wonderful sights along the way. The road you take is fairly straight.

Can you boat on Lake Tekapo?

Lake Tekapo is a popular high country lake, located near the Tekapo township. The lake is surrounded by a gravel beach with trees and grassy areas further back and is a popular recreational area for boating and swimming in summer, as well as the picturesque views in winter. …

Why is Lake Tekapo so blue?

The blue (turquoise) colour is due to fine silt particles, or glacial flour, in the water. This is a result of glacial erosion. … This leaves the blue-green wavelengths to be scattered back to our eyes, so we see the lake as a blue/green colour.

Are there eels in Lake Tekapo?

Ngai Tahu visited Lake Tekapo and the nearby Lake Alexandrina as part of their seasonal food gathering patterns. The lakes were well known for eels and weka. These were gathered and preserved for the upcoming winter months.

Does Lake Tekapo have a tide?

Due to its unusual shape, the lake has “tides” which means the water rises and falls by 10 centimetres every half an hour. Lake Taupō is the largest freshwater lake in Australasia – it’s roughly the size of Singapore.

How high is Mt John?

How long does it take to drive from Christchurch to Mount Cook?

Drive from Christchurch to Aoraki/Mount Cook in around 5 hours.. There’s an option to take the longer inland scenic route and see more of the Southern Alps. Arrive in time for lunch and explore the region’s delights.

Is Dunedin NZ worth visiting?

Nowadays Dunedin has quickly become the one of the quirkiest, fun and up-and-coming spots in New Zealand, and it’s definitely worth checking out on any adventure on the South Island. There’s so much to see and do here, and it really has a local kiwi vibe that is often lost in the more touristic locals these days.

What should you not miss on the South Island of New Zealand?

Can you walk up Mount Cook?

This relatively flat hike takes you along the Hooker River between mighty peaks, over 3 picturesque suspension bridges until climaxing at the Hooker Glacial Lake showcasing the sheer rawness of New Zealand’s tallest mountain, Mount Cook. … The hike is really easy to follow and very well maintained.

How far is Mt Cook from Tekapo?

55 km drive from Tekapo along the edge of Lake Pukaki will see you arrive at Mount Cook Village framed by rugged, stunning mountain scapes with 140 peaks that are 2000metres high and located in the World Heritage site Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. Aoraki Mount Cook is New Zealand’s highest peak at 3754 metres.

Where do you stop between Tekapo and Queenstown?

How far away is Tekapo from CHCH?

Christchurch to Lake Tekapo: 226-kilometres (2-hours and 53-minutes)

How far is Twizel from Mt Cook?

Yes, the driving distance between Twizel to Mount Cook Village is 64 km. It takes approximately 43 min to drive from Twizel to Mount Cook Village.

Can you see aurora australis with naked eyes?

The Southern Lights rarely seem colourful to the naked eye. This is because humans struggle to see colours at night. Instead, they might look like a white or grey glow shifting and transforming on the horizon. But this doesn’t mean the colours are not there, with a camera, you can capture their true beauty.

What is Arora?

The Arora is a community of Punjab, comprising both Hindus and Sikhs. The name is derived from their native place Aror. Historically, the Arora section of the Khatri community had been principally found in West Punjab, in the districts to the south and west of Lahore.

What time of year is best to see aurora australis?

Unlike Aurora Borealis, which is subject to extreme seasonal light changes, the Southern Lights can be viewed all year round – although most commonly during winter, May to August, and during the spring equinox in September.

Where should I stop between Lake Tekapo and Wanaka?

Is the Tekapo Canal road open?

The Tekapo Canal, downstream of State Highway 8, and the Pukaki and Ohau canals remain open year-round, as do several large lakes of the Mackenzie Basin including Tekapo, Benmore and Waitaki.

How long drive from Queenstown to Mt Cook?

How long does it take to drive from Queenstown to Mount Cook? Without stopping, it should take about 3.5-4 hours to drive from Queenstown to Mount Cook. If you want to enjoy all of the best things to do along the way, you’ll need to allow much longer!

Where can you swim in Lake Tekapo?

Lake Tekapo

Turn onto Lakeside Drive and head towards Tekapo Springs. Directly opposite the Lake Tekapo Power Boat &amp, Water Ski Club is the best spot. There is a pontoon to swim out to and a boat ramp. Toilets are located across the road.

Are there fish in Lake Pukaki?

The shoreline of Lake Pukaki is generally quite barren and uninhabited. Fishing in the lake is sparse except near stream inlets and outlets. The canals, however, are more productive fisheries and hold brown trout, rainbow trout and a few salmon planted in past years.

Where is the cleanest water in NZ?

Blue Lake (Rangimairewhenua in Māori) is a lake in Nelson Lakes National Park, in the northern reaches of New Zealand’s Southern Alps and is sacred to local Māori, it now has been deemed to have the clearest natural fresh water in the world.

What is the cleanest lake in the world?

Blue Lake. Located in the top half of New Zealand’s South Island, Blue Lake is said to be the clearest lake in the world. Its waters are fed by another lake that sits above its height of 1,200 meters above sea level.

Where is the clearest water in NZ?

How many dead bodies are in Lake Tekapo?

New Zealand’s glacial lakes have claimed many lives. At least seven bodies still lay beneath the waters of Lake Tekapo.

Are there salmon in Lake Tekapo?

There is excellent fishing to be enjoyed in and around the Lake Tekapo region. Rainbow and brown trout are prolific and you are quite likely to catch a salmon in the canals. Fishing is available all year round in the lake and in the canals however the rivers are only open from November – April. …

Who owns Tekapo?

The Tekapo Power Scheme has been owned and operated by Genesis since 1 June 2011. The 190MW hydro scheme is located at the head of the Waitaki Valley in the Mackenzie District of the South Island.

What lives in Lake Tekapo?

Lake Tekapo is a very beautiful, turquoise coloured lake in a pristine environment that provides good fishing for both brown and rainbow trout. Lake Tekapo holds brown and rainbow trout in good numbers with some reaching very impressive weights.

How far above sea level is Lake Tekapo?

Tekapo. Lake Tekapo, the highest of the Mackenzie Country lakes (its maximum height is 712 metres above sea level), was first tapped for hydroelectric power in a project completed in 1951.

What is there to do in Lake Tekapo in the winter?

Can you drive up Mount John?

For safety reasons, you are not permitted to drive up Mt John or Cowan’s Observatories in the evening. You can park your car outside Dark Sky Project in the Takapō Western Carpark.

Can you drive up Mt John at night?

No you are not allowed to drive up at night. … Hi, unfortunately the road up to Mt John is closed to the public during night time to avoid light pollution .

Where are the stars in Lake Tekapo?

Lake Tekapo – Mt John Observatory

The night sky above Tekapo is truly magical and if you really want to enhance your experience, take a trip to the top of Mt John and visit the observatory up there where you can join the night tour and use the country’s most powerful telescope to spot up to 50 million stars.

How far is Milford Sound from Queenstown?

Milford Sound is 288km from Queenstown (4 hours 15 minutes) and 121km from Te Anau (2 hours 15 minutes). Choosing to drive to Milford Sound by car in your own time can be a rewarding experience, but there are risks involved.

How long does it take to drive from Wanaka to Mount Cook?

About the Drive from Wanaka to Mount Cook

The scenic drive from Wanaka to Mount Cook Village is a 206-kilometer (128-mile) journey that without stopping takes 2.5 hours. With that said, there are so many amazing attractions along the way you should allow 5 to 8 hours to truly enjoy the drive.

How do you get to Mount Cook New Zealand?

There are lots of buses to Mt Cook from Queenstown, Christchurch and Wanaka. Some buses are tours that stop for a short while at Mt Cook, or it’s possible to just get a one-way fare. Examples of bus operators include Great Sights and Intercity Coachlines.

Is Dunedin poor?

South Dunedin is the poorest area in Otago, and Sandymount, on the Otago Peninsula, is the richest, the latest Ministry of Health study on socioeconomic deprivation shows. … South Dunedin was the third most deprived area in the South Island, following Milford and Crinan, Invercargill.

Are the Catlins worth visiting?

In the Catlins, there are three well-known waterfalls worth visiting: the McLean Falls, the Purakaunui Falls and the Matai Falls. The most spectacular are supposed to be the McLean Falls. … The Purakaunui Falls are definitely worth seeing, but to be honest, we find the wild coastal landscape a little more intriguing.

Can you see penguins in Dunedin?

Penguins in Dunedin

Dunedin is one of the few places in New Zealand to see these beautiful birds in wild, going about the daily business of life on the beaches and amongst the sand dunes.