Fresh off my stay at Franz Josef and my hike, I travelled the beautiful and scenic open roads of the South Island, heading towards Wanaka, where I had planned a few lovely activities. Now, while initially preparing this blog, and as I mentioned in my previous update to the series, I wanted to finish it off with one last post. However, it seems my final days in this area were quite busy, so I’ve decided to split it into two parts, allowing for more detail and hopefully more insights for all you readers to enjoy and get a sense of what’s ahead in Queenstown and on the way to the city. Starting the journey the long way, it was lovely to travel through Arthur’s Pass one last time. Though it was a bit unfortunate, it added to the experience and made the trip to Lake Tekapō a little more anticipated, even if it’s six hours in either direction.
(Lake Tekapō in all its glory)
(Sun shining across Lake Tekapō on a spring day)
Lakes Edge Holiday Park: why it’s worth a stay.
And that is where I first landed, beside the lovely Lake Tekapō, in the Aoraki/Mount Cook region. Known for the famous Church of the Good Shepherd found beside the lakefront, this beautiful lake offers a range of activities that make it a great getaway, just 3 hours from Queenstown and 2 hours and 50 minutes from Christchurch. If you’re looking for a place to stay, -Limited options due to the area’s size- I believe Lakes Edge Holiday Park is worth considering, especially if you want accommodation right in front of the lake. This campsite offers everything, from holiday lodges, powered and/non-powered sites. The view alone is enough to makes it a top choice for your stay, whether for one night or longer. Starting at $54, it’s on the pricier side, but the range of different activities – short walks alongside the lake, hikes, and leisure activities; like hot springs, all within walking distance, it will feel like you will get you monies worth for sure. It also helps that Lake Tekapo is a 1 hr 15 min drive from the various walking tracks found in the Mount Cook region, like the Hooker Valley Track and the Sealy Trans Track, making it quite convenient to plan day trips while having a mid-way point to go home to.
A day at Clay Cliff: what to expect.
(The entrance to clay cliffs)
Speaking of which, the next day saw my first activity within the area: the uniquely formed Clay Cliffs , 10km west of Ōmarama and 1 hour and 12 minutes from Lake Tekapō. A by-product of ancient flowing glaciers formulating gravel and silt into the pinnacles you witness while in attendance, these unique rock forms make for a geological wonder that doesn’t take too long to explore and is worth a quick stop over to stretch the legs and see something a little different compared to the landscape you’re used to by this time while on the road in the South Island. It’s worth mentioning that this attraction is on private land, with an honesty box found at the front gate, which asks for a $5 donation from anyone who visits.
(The various rock formations found within Clay Cliff)
(Up close and personal)
These towering rock formations are some of the most interesting I have seen, otherworldly in some way, where you can climb up the formation, get right into the crevices and tight spots, and take some cool pictures of the landscape and formations themselves. This area is surrounded by rocks and smaller pebbles that make the ground quite uneven, so it’s recommended to wear sturdy footwear. That ended up being the morning activity and after I was done, I proceeded to head towards Mount Cook region, walk the Hooker Valley Track, an incredible spectacle, with the bright white snow making the walk like a winter wonderland.
Hooker Valley Track: insight on the trail and what to expect.
(The beautiful Glacier Lake. Constantly staying at a temperature of 3 degrees, people were taking dips inside the lake)
Hooker Valley track is a 1hr 20 min drive from Clay Cliffs, following Highway 8 until you turn left onto Highway 80, where you straight shoot it up north, completely mesmerised by the snow-covered mountain you witness along the way and the waters of Lake Pukaki,– stop off and take pictures its amazing . The walk itself is 3hr in length and 10km return (6.2 miles). While easy in hiking terms, it’s quite busy with hordes of people going to and from the lake (more on that later), this hike is still in the southern Alps, making it quite icy and slippery, increasing the likelihood of slipping over higher, so sturdy foot ware is a must. Allow for 4 hrs in total if you plan to have a picnic at one of the various tables found at the foot of Aoraki (the end point of the hike) and take pictures.
(Sun shining of the snow covering the mountains, making this place feel so special)
The walk starts from White Horse Hill Campground (just outside Mount Cook village) It is a sturdy and easy walk in the fact that you have wooden boardwalks and three extension bridges that support you along the way, and there is not much elevation (646 ft gained), making it quite leisurely and the prettiest walks you’ll do in the South Island. The entire Southwest of New Zealand is internationally recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage-listed sight, known to be the original inhabitants of Māori people as Te Wāi Pounamu, the millions of hectares, landscapes of untouched beauty and four national parks, you will be left with more choices than not. I returned to the campsite, ready to relax for the evening and prepare for the next day of activities.
What to do in Lake Tekapō.
(The sights found on Mt John walkway)
Next up was a lovely morning hike just alongside the outskirts of Lake Tekapō, starting right at the end of the carpark complex where Lakes Edge finishes, and that’s the Mt John Summit Circuit Track. I won’t get into much detail about the walk itself here, where I have done a video on the top 10 hikes and walks to do in New Zealand, so feel free to check that one out to gain a little bit more insight into my thoughts on this particular hike, but I will say it is beautiful. It is 3 hours in length (5.5km in total), with the most popular option starting at Tekapō Springs, which follows alongside the beautiful turquoise lake, and amazing, eventually meeting up at the foot of the University of Canterbury Mt John Observatory, where students use it to research and study science.
The overall experience of the hike makes this a must-do, as everywhere you look, it is just panoramic views of the lake and mountains, making it one of the more enjoyable hikes to do. Regarding track grading, there is an elevation of 300m that can vary in different sectors of the hike, but mostly, the track is not overly strenuous and maintains a flat surface throughout the walk. It does have steep sections, either ascending or descending, where the more difficult sector of the walk is that of the Tekapō Springs start point, but once you hit the Observatory, you will have more stairs (supported by wooden formations made from the ground, no railing) that makes it easier to descend the hillsides back onto more even ground. This, therefore, makes it a moderately challenging hike.
(Over looking the beautiful Lake Tekapō)
(A really underappreciated walk, look at the serenity)
The overall experience of the hike makes this a must-do, as everywhere you look, it is just panoramic views of the lake and mountains, making it a more enjoyable hikes to do. Regarding track grading, there is an elevation of 300m that can vary in different sectors of the hike, but mostly, the track is not overly strenuous and maintains a flat surface throughout the walk. It does have steep sections, either ascending or descending, where the more difficult sector of the walk is that of the Tekapō Springs start point, but once you hit the Observatory, you will have more stairs (supported by wooden formations made from the ground, no railing) that makes it easier to descend the hillsides back onto more even ground. This, therefore, makes it a moderately challenging hike.
Dark Sky Project – Lake Tekapō, New Zealand
As mentioned throughout, if you are looking for a fun activity, then look no further than the Summit Experience hosted by Dark Sky Project. I did this one on my last night. You have options to go on different experiences, but for $185, get lost in the world’s largest International Dark Sky Reserve, with experts explaining the history of stars, providing you with facts and allowing you to go inside one of those observatories, to watch the Milky Way. This is weather-dependent as well, where our tour got cancelled due to being too cloudy, though you have the option to reschedule or do an in-house simulation, so depending on your schedule, they will compensate you.
In my last activity, on the same day as Mt John, I ventured across the road (literally) where you can find Tekapō Springs. Much like the other hot springs mentioned in previous additions to the blog thread, you have 38-degree pools with a bunch of different activities, like Mini Golf and plunge pools. For $37, it is an affordable activity that overlooks the lake while keeping you nice and warm.
With my time in Lake Tekapō now wrapped up, it was time to move on to my next spot, and that was hiking in Wanaka at the beautiful Roys Peak. Look forward to more as I wrap up my final stints in the South Island in the final addition of on the road. Thanks for reading!
“Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer”
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