Reasons Lake Tekapo is Worth Visiting
Lake Tekapo is a must do if you are visiting the South Island of New Zealand. It is a great area to stop at on your New Zealand Road Trip and believe me, Lake Tekapo is SO worth visiting and SUCH a great photo spot!
Lake Tekapo is a massive bright blue lake which is not too far away from another of New Zealand’s bright turquoise lakes, Lake Pukaki. The incredible Southern Alps are often reflected in Lake Tekapo’s water. It is also an incredible place to go star gazing because there is not a lot of light pollution around there so the stars are absolutely gorgeous!
We stopped at Lake Tekapo and stayed for a night during our campervan road trip and were blown away by how beautiful it was there. Seeing the gorgeous lake is also not the only thing to do there.
There are loads of reasons to visit Lake Tekapo and so much to do and see. In this guide you will learn everything there is to do in Lake Tekapo, as well as a few facts about the lake and places to stay.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn us a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!
Quick Tips for Visiting Lake Tekapo
Where to Stay (my choices):
Grand Suites Lake Tekapo
Galaxy Boutique Hotel
Best time of the year to visit: In my opinion, Autumn, Summer or Spring (November – late December for the purple lupins).
Best Lake Tekapo Tour: Lake Tekapo Star Gazing Experience
8 Reasons to Visit Lake Tekapo
Lake Tekapo is located on New Zealand’s South Island. It is a 3 hour drive from Queenstown to Lake Tekapo and a 3 hour drive from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo.
Click here to open the map in Google Maps!
There is so much more to Lake Tekapo than just snapping a photo of the lake. Here are 8 reasons that Lake Tekapo is worth visiting.
1. Lake Tekapo is one of the best places to stargaze
You can’t visit Lake Tekapo without doing a stargazing experience! If you get good weather that is! Lake Tekapo is a dark sky reserve and is one of New Zealand’s best places for stargazing!
On this tour, you will learn how to use a telescope, enjoy hot chocolate and get an amazing astro photo taken with the stars like the one below!
2. Go for a swim in the lake to cool off
There’s nothing better than going for a dip in one of New Zealand’s most beautiful alpine lakes on a hot Summer’s day! Beware though, the water will be cold! It’s glacial.
Lake Tekapo is a really popular spot for recreational boating and swimming during the Summer.
One of the best swimming spots at Lake Tekapo is on the other side of the Lake Tekapo Power Boat & Water Ski Club. There is a boat ramp and a pontoon that you can swim out to and a sandy beach.
3. Lake Tekapo is one of the best places to see the Lupins in Spring
If you visit Lake Tekapo at the right time of year (mid-November), you might be lucky enough to be able to enjoy the beautiful purple lupins on the shore of the lake.
Loads of people visit Lake Tekapo at this time of the year especially for the photography opportunities because it is absolutely magical.
When we road tripped around the South Island, I had no idea that the lupins were even a thing and so we went in the off season in April/May. We were still able to catch some gorgeous Autumn colours though.
4. There are loads of amazing photo opportunities
The New Zealand South Island is like a gold mine for photo opportunities and Lake Tekapo is no exception!
The best photo spots at Lake Tekapo include:
- Church of the Good Shepherd
- Along the shoreline to the left of the lake on the pebble beach (Tekapo Springs Carpark)
- Mount John – hiking not required unless you want to visit outside of 9am-5pm when the vehicle gates are locked.
- Lupins – all around the shoreline of Lake Tekapo, you will find beautiful purple lupins in November and December. There is even a specific “lupin field” pinned on google maps.
Tip
If you want to get some amazing photos taken at Lake Tekapo, you could book this private photo session with a photographer. Lara’s photos look absolutely stunning!
5. There are some awesome hikes to do!
It is pretty normal for people to visit Mount Cook for its scenic hikes, but not many people realise that Lake Tekapo also has a few really beautiful hiking trails!
Mount John Walkway
Distance: 8.2km | Elevation Gain: 377m | Time: 1.5-2.5 hours
You can drive up to the observatory using the road which is open from 9am – 5pm. From there, you can walk further up to the summit. You can some incredible views of Lake Tekapo and the surrounding mountains from the top and bonus, there’s a café at the top!
Cowans Hill Walkway
Distance: 6.3km | Elevation Gain: 123m | Time: 1.5-2 hours
This hike starts at the Church of the Good Shepherd and takes you along Tekapo River towards the Lake Tekapo Scientific Reserve. The trail has amazing views of Lake Tekapo and the surrounding mountains.
Camp Stream Hut
Distance: 16.9km | Elevation Gain: 727m | Time: 5-7 hours
If you are up for a bit of a bigger hike, this one might be the one for you! This is a popular backpacking trip but can also be completed as a day hike.
6. There are some great cafes and restaurants in Lake Tekapo
Lake Tekapo is a pretty touristy place to visit on the New Zealand South Island, so with that, comes a great café and restaurant scene! Here are some of the best!
- Kohan Restaurant – Japanese Food
- Reflections Restaurant – Fancy/pub style food
- Mackenzie’s Cafe & Restaurant – home style cooking and Coffee
- Astro Cafe – the cafe on top of Mount John
- Run 76 Bar & Grill – burgers and steaks
- The Greedy Cow Caf̩ Рsandwiches, burgers and quick bites.
- Dark Sky Diner – South American influence
7. You can soak in a Hot Spring!
Tekapo Springs is an experience worth doing! There are plunge pools, hot pools and steam and sauna rooms and you can enjoy all of these during the day or at night when the stars are out!
8. You can go on a 4WD Adventure
If you are keen for a bit more of an adventure, you could join a 4WD Wilderness Tour! This tour takes you into Lake Tekapo’s beautiful backcountry wilderness where you age-old glaciers, rivers, wild Merino Sheep and absolutely stunning landscapes.
Things to Know Before You Go
How to get to Lake Tekapo
Driving from Queenstown
If you are driving from Queenstown to Lake Tekapo, you will need to head South-East on Highway 6A towards Ballarat St. At the round-a-bout, continue straight onto Highway 6.
Stay on Hwy 6 until you see signs for Highway 8B which will be the second exit of a round-a-bout. Yes, there are a lot of round-a-bouts in New Zealand.
Stay on Highway 8B until you see signs for Highway 8. Turn left onto State Hwy 8 (signs for Omarama/Aoraki / Mount Cook/Aoraki/Mt Cook/Christchurch)
Driving from Christchurch
If you are driving from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo, you will need to take Highway 76 towards Akaroa/W Coast/Timaru.
Hwy 76 will turn into SH 1. Stay on this highway for about 104km and then take the exit at Rangitata onto Highway 79 towards Geraldine/Aoraki/Mount Cook.
Stay on Hwy 79 until you reach the town of Fairlie. Here you will need to turn right onto Mount Cook Rd/State Hwy 8 (signs for Lake Tekapo/Aoraki / Mount Cook/Aoraki). From here it is another 42km until you reach Lake Tekapo.
Public transport
If you need to catch public transport to Lake Tekapo, you can catch the bus that goes from Christchurch to Queenstown which takes a little over 3.5 hours.
From Queenstown, you can catch the same bus, however it takes 4 hours from Queenstown.
Take a day tour to see Lake Tekapo
Another way to see Lake Tekapo is to take a day tour from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo. On this tour, you will get to see not only Lake Tekapo, but also Lake Pukaki and Aoraki Mount Cook National Park!
Lake Pukaki is EVEN MORE BLUE than Lake Tekapo and is a must see!
If you are coming from Queenstown, you can take a tour to see Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook but the tour ends in Christchurch rather than Queenstown.
Places to Stay in Lake Tekapo that are SO Worth It!
Whether you are on a campervan trip or living it up in actual accommodation, Lake Tekapo has you covered! Please note that Freedom camping is prohibited in the Lake Tekapo area.
Lakes Edge Holiday Park – This is a holiday park for campervans, tents and motorhomes and also has cabins and motel rooms that you can stay in.
Grand Suites Lake Tekapo – If you like a bit of luxury, I recommend checking out this hotel! The rooms and fitouts are gorgeous! This is my personal pick!
Galaxy Boutique Hotel – This is a beautiful 5 star hotel with options for apartments with kitchens or normal hotel rooms.
frequently asked questions
Check out my other New Zealand guides:
- How to Hike Roys Peak at Sunrise and Sunset
- New Zealand South Island 8 Day Campervan Trip
- Day Hikes in Mount Cook National Park
- How to Spend 1 Day in Queenstown
📌 Like it? Pin it!
