
Aoraki / Mount Cook

Mackenzie
Turquoise glacier lake, the little Church of the Good Shepherd and some of the clearest night skies on earth.
Lake Tekapo is the Mackenzie's showpiece — an impossibly blue glacial lake ringed by tussock and the Southern Alps, with lupins along the shore in early summer. It sits in an International Dark Sky Reserve, so the stargazing is world-class.
It's an easy stop on the drive between Christchurch and Mount Cook or Queenstown, with lakeside camping, hot pools and short walks up Mount John for the view.
Planning this area? Lake Pukaki & Mount Cook camping guide →

Aoraki / Mount Cook

Kaikōura

Abel Tasman