ABOUT TEKAPO
For information about Tekapo, and things to do on your stay, please select one of the following links... |  |  |
Location
Approximately halfway between Christchurch and Queenstown in the South Island of New Zealand lies the beautiful, alpine town of Lake Tekapo.
The township is situated at the base of Lake Tekapo; a lake famous for its unusual azure colour, and as the foreground for New Zealand's largest and most majestic peak, Mt Cook. It is in the heart of the Mackenzie District, an area of over one million acres reknowned for its dramatic landscapes and high country sheep stations.
How long will it take me to drive there?
| Lake Tekapo to | km / miles | Time |
| Fairlie | 43 km / 27 miles | 35 min |
| Christchurch | 229 km / 143 miles | 3 hr |
| Timaru | 104 km / 65 miles | 1 hr 25 min |
| Mount Cook | 105 km / 66 miles | 1 hr 25 min |
| Twizel | 53 km / 33 miles | 40 min |
| Wanaka | 178 km / 111 miles | 2 hr 25 min |
| Queenstown | 262 km / 164 miles | 3 hr 25 min |
History
"Tekapo" is a Maori word meaning night sleeping place (Taka is "sleeping mat" and Po is "night") and Lake Tekapo has the clearest, darkest and most spectacular night sky in New Zealand. The University of Canterbury operates an observatory on top of Mount John.
The indigenous Maori were the first people to explore the Mackenzie Country. They used the area to hunt moas, birds and eels. In 1865 James Mackenzie, of sheep stealing fame, found the pass used by Maoris to gain access to the interior country that now bears his name. The first European settlers to make their home in the Mackenzie were Barbara and John Hay in 1858.
In 1935 the Duke of Gloucester laid the foundation stone for the Church of the Good Shepherd to commemorate the pioneers of the Mackenzie Country. The bronze sheepdog statue was erected in 1968.
Started in 1938 the Lake Tekapo hydro electric station was finished in 1951. Lake Tekapo water travels along a series of canals to pass through eight power stations accounting for one quarter of the power generated in the Waitaki Valley. Hydro development created the demand for a village.
The amazing turquoise blue colour of the lake is created by "rock flour" which is created when the glaciers in the headwaters grind the rock into fine dust. These suspended particles in combination with the sunlight create the unique water colour. The lake never freezes, and it is connected to the high country power scheme via a canal. Fishing for rainbow or brown trout is excellent in Lake Tekapo, the canal, and two small adjacent lakes, Lake Alexandrina and Lake McGregor.
Information courtesy of the Tekapo Promotions Association and Mackenzie Tourism
Weather
The Mackenzie district enjoys clear, crisp winters and long hot summers. The warm summer region extends from November to February, and the temperature often surpasses 30. The cooler winter season is from June to September when temperatures can dip below freezing overnight, and hover around 8 degrees in the daylight sunshine. Mean rainfall for the area is one of the lowest in New Zealand, although there is plenty of snow in winter. Tekapo also enjoys some of the most sunshine hours in New Zealand due to its central geographical location, and its protection from the harsher coastal weather.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 21 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 20 |
Activities
- Scenic flights by Helicopter
- Scenic flights in a fixed wing aircraft
- Alpine Recreation - hiking , climbing and ski touring
- Heliskiing
- Skiing at nearby Roundhill ski field.
- Stargazing
- Horse Trekking
- Hunting
- Fly fishing
- Salmon Farm The farm, situated in a hydro canal in the shadow of Mount Cook, is in the South Island of New Zealand. Take the sign-posted route from State Highway 8 down the Canal road. The farm base has toilets, a large parking area and a lookout with magnificent views of Mount Cook (NZ's highest and most dramatic mountain), the Southern Alps and Lake Pukaki . The salmon farm is staffed 24 hours a day. Here you can enjoy fresh and smoked fish, salmon farm tours and fish feeding.
- The Wedding Company - Church of the Good Shepherd Weddings
- Watersports in Lake Wanaka
Lake Tekapo Tourism Sites
Lake Tekapo Information Centre
C/- Kiwi Treasures , Tekapo Shopping Centre
Lake Tekapo, South Island, New Zealand
New Zealand Sites
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