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

Lake Tekapo
Lupins in Lake Tekapo

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.

Tourist information

Get in

By car

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.

By bus

Buses depart from the bus stop outside the Dark Sky building. There is service to and from Queenstown, Mt Cook, Twizel and Christchurch.

  • 🌍 Tekapo Bus Stand. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Sep 2025)

From Queenstown, Aoraki/Mt. Cook Village, Twizel

InterCity, under brand Great Sights, operate one daily service from Queenstown to Tekapo via Aoraki/Mt. Cook. Pickup and drop off in Queenstown is by the car park on Athol Street; in Aoraki/Mt. Cook it is by the YHA and the Hermitage Hotel. Journey time approximately 7 hours, inclusive of 2.5-hour stop at Mt. Cook. From NZ$670. InterCity’s Flexipass is valid.

InterCity also operates one daily service from Queenstown to Tekapo, bypassing Mt. Cook. Pickup and drop off in Queenstown is by the car park on Athol Street. Journey time approximately 4 hours. From NZ$136, prices vary by demand.

There are a number of smaller operators offering scheduled transfer services including Tekapo Shuttle.

From Christchurch

InterCity operates two services daily from Christchurch. Pickup and drop off in Christchurch is outside the central bus station. Journey time approximately 3 hours.

Get around

Lake Tekapo is compact and extremely walkable. All major attractions are within walking distance of one another. There is no public transport available in Lake Tekapo.

See

Church of the Good Shepherd
  • 🌍 Church of the Good Shepherd (and sheepdog statue). The church is on the lakeshore and has an amazing view straight up the lake (almost picture-perfect behind the church). It is open during the day. Nearby is a bronze statue of a collie dog, in honour of the sheepdogs on which sheep farmers depend. Depending on the season, lupins can also be found here which is the main draw. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Oct 2019)
  • 🌍 Mount John Observatory, Godley Peaks Rd, ☏ +64 3 680 6000. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Nov 2023)
  • 🌍 Parkbrae Estate, 3 Sealy St, ☏ +64 3 680 6607. Daily 2–7PM. Walk or guided tours through beautiful private gardens - opposite Church. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Nov 2023)

Do

View toward the north end of Lake Tekapo from the top of Mt. John

Tramping

  • Tekapo High Country Trek, ☏ +64 3 680-6736, . 3-day guided alpine walk in the foothills of the Southern Alps, overlooking Lake Tekapo. 
  • 🌍 Tekapo Mt John Walkway. Mt John offers impressive panoramic views of Lake Tekapo. Beginning from right by Tekapo Springs, this track slowly rises up exotic forest and then open tussock hill slopes, right to the summit of Mt John. Allow 3 hours for a round trip. Dogs are not permitted. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Sep 2025)
  • Peninsula Walkway. Approximately 1½- to 2-hr hike. 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. (updated Sep 2025)

Stargazing

  • 🌍 Dark Sky Project Tours, 1 Motuariki Lane, ☏ +64-3-680-6960. 10AM-late. Do a Dark Sky Project tour at one of either two observatories - the famous Mt John Observatory (a research station run by the University of Canterbury, now also hosting night tours and a stunning cafe) or a smaller, more private observatory nearby at Cowan's Hill. On clear nights you can see the wonders of the night sky. If it's cloudy, see areas of the observatory normally closed to the public, and learn about the scientific work done here. The weather is changeable here, so perhaps stay a few days to make sure you get a clear sky. To see the most stars, avoid the full moon: between five days after full moon and ten days before it will give the darkest skies. $209/$169 (child). OSM directions target=_blank (updated Sep 2025)

Relax

  • 🌍 Tekapo Springs, 6 Lakeside Drive, ☏ +64 3 680-6550. 10AM-9PM. The Tekapo Springs complex includes a complex containing three inviting hot pools with bench-side seating, private nooks and crannies, and massage jets. The temperature of the pools are 35-37°C. Next to the pools is a sauna and steam room. Four fully-functional spa rooms provide massages, facials, pedicures, manicures and total body care, and each treatment booked gives complimentary access to the sauna and steam room. In addition, there is an ice rink, that is converted for inline or roller skating during spring and summer. Finally, there is also a snow park that provides an ice ramp used with inflatable tubes. This operates as a Summer Tube over the warmer months on artificial matting. Tekapo Springs also offers nightly star viewing from the hot springs pools, with viewers suspended in pool hammocks/floats. $27-149. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Oct 2019)

Outdoors

Winter sports

Golfing

Air tours

Buy

  • Alpine Haven - Wide range of quality New Zealand products and souvenirs ☏ +64 3 680-6656.
  • High Country Crafts - Good value New Zealand gifts ☏ +64 3 680-6905.
  • Kiwi Treasures and Information Centre - Popular gifts and souvenirs, postcards ☏ +64 3 680-6686.
  • Lake Tekapo Post Centre - Fishing licences and tackle also ☏ +64 3 680-6861.
  • Tekapo Services - Supermarket and fuel ☏ +64 3 680-6809.
  • Challenge petrol station - Snow chains, motor accessories ☏ +64 3 680-6933.

Eat

  • 🌍 Astro Cafe, Mt John Observatory (drive along Godley Peaks Rd (off the highway, just south of Tekapo Village) until you come to the gate), ☏ +64 3 680 6960. Summer 9AM-6PM, winter 10AM-3PM. Views, walks, and coffee and food. Drive time from Tekapo is 15 min, or you can walk up the trail starting at Tekapo Springs. The road is closed outside of cafe operating hours and during bad weather. Commercial vehicles require prior authorisation. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Sep 2025)
  • 🌍 Jade Palace Chinese Restaurant, State Highway 8, ☏ +64 3 680-6828. OSM directions target=_blank 
  • 🌍 Kohan Japanese Restaurant, 6 Rapuwai Lane, ☏ +64 3 680 6688. 11:30AM-2PM, 5:30PM-8PM. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Sep 2025)
  • 🌍 Dolce Pizza, ☏ +64 21 925 674, . 1-9PM. Serves pizzas, pasta and salads, including several vegetarian options. Takeaways available. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Sep 2025)
  • 🌍 TLV Restaurant & Bar, 7 Motuariki Lane (behind Outside Sports Shop), ☏ +64 3 608 6308, . Noon-8:30PM. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Sep 2025)

Drink

Sleep

Backpacker hostels

Motel and hotel

Bed and breakfast

Go next

Routes via Lake Tekapo
Omarama ← Twizel ( jcn to Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park) ← S  E  → Fairlie → Timaru



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