Lake Tekapo
New Zealand South Island Road Trip
Lake Tekapo is the perfect location to make a base for a few days as you are doing a New Zealand South Island road trip. It’s just over an hour away from one of the most picturesque places in the South Island, Mt. Cook, as well as Lake Pukaki and the quaint and charming town of Twizel. We drove 3 hours from Christchurch to camp out in the inland town of the Mackenzie basin for a few days before departing on to Queenstown. These were a couple of days that were the first to be planned for my NZ trip as they had been on my travel bucket list for years, for a damn good reason.
If you missed any parts of our road trip, make sure to click through and read what else we got up to in the real Middle Earth – there is plenty to see!
Without further ado…
FLY
Air Safaris Tekapo
One of my strongest memories of my NZ trip was falling in love with a world of ice and snow as we got a birds-eye-view of New Zealand’s highest mountains and glaciers with a once-in-a-lifetime scenic flight with the awesome guys at Air Safaris Tekapo. We jumped on The Grand Traverse flight which had us soaring over Mount Cook and Westland National Parks as well as the incredible Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers.
The 50-minute flight gives you a breathtaking view of the frozen landscape as well as turquoise glacial lakes, glacial valleys and the braided river system of the Mackenzie region. No matter which flight you book, every seat is a window seat with an unobstructed view; allowing us to snap and film away to share this awe-inspiring view on our Instagram as well as here
airsafaris.co.nz
State Highway 8, Tekapo Aerodrome, Lake Tekapo 7945
STAY
Lake Tekapo Holiday Park
We hired a campervan for our New Zealand road trip, driving from Auckland, all the way across both North and South Islands to finally finish up in Queenstown – and this really is the best way to see this amazing country. And New Zealand is a country that is perfectly suited for this, with a wealth of freedom camping spots as well as holiday parks to wind down in at night. We stayed in Lake Tekapo Holiday Park which is literally on the shore of Lake Tekapo itself, giving you the most magnificent views from your camping spot. With reasonable prices for non-powered sites (which is all we needed) with access to full amenities and a million dollar view it was an easy decision.
laketekapo-accommodation.co.nz
2 Lakeside Dr, Lake Tekapo 7999, New Zealand
EAT
Mount Cook Alpine Salmon
On your drive back to Lake Tekapo from Mount Cook, the highway bends around Lake Pukaki which is where you will find Mount Cook Alpine Salmon which is where we stopped for a quick bite. It’s not often you can pass by Freshwater King Salmon raised in the cool glacial waters of New Zealand’s Southern Alps am I right?! The much-prized delicacy comes in a wide selection, we chose sashimi, but you can also purchase whole fillets, hot smoked and whole salmon – and its ALL FRESH, plus eco-sustainably farmed and raised which makes it even better!
alpinesalmon.co.nz
Lake Pukaki Information Centre, SH8, between Tekapo and Twizel, Pukaki 7999, New Zealand
RELAX
Tekapo Springs
After living in Japan there is one thing I absolutely love – hot springs! So of course, we had to stop by the ONLY place to wind down after busy days in ultimate relaxation with unbelievable views – Tekapo Springs.
710 metres above sea level with views over Lake Tekapo, we relaxed in each of the three hot pools which range from 36.5 to 38 degrees Celsius. Although we didn’t use it, they also have a steam room, sauna and day spa. Whether you’re seeking quality time out, relaxation, a special treat for yourself or to look after your health – for us it was the quality time out – then this is a must do!
tekaposprings.co.nz
6 Lakeside Dr, Lake Tekapo 7945, New Zealand
