Tekapo is a beautiful small town nestled in the heart of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s known for its gorgeous turquoise lake, natural beauty and world-class stargazing. It’s a brilliant spot for both nature and adventure lovers and is an absolute must-visit destination in New Zealand. In this article, I’ve shared the best things to do in Tekapo.
I visited Tekapo many times during my time in New Zealand. If I were to ever move to New Zealand, this stunning gem would be high on my list of places to live. It’s peaceful, picturesque and boasts some of the South Island’s most breathtaking scenery.
Tekapo lies between Christchurch and Queenstown. This means a visit to Tekapo can easily be built into a South Island itinerary, especially when doing a Christchurch to Queenstown road trip.
Here are the 12 best things to do on your visit to Tekapo.
Hiring a campervan? Unfortunately, camping options in Tekapo are very limited. Check out my guide to discover the best camping options in Tekapo.
Admire the stars and go stargazing
Tekapo is part of the Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve. It’s the largest Dark Sky Reserve in all New Zealand, and one of the best places to admire the stars.
On a clear night in Tekapo, there is the potential to see the Milky Way and even the Andromeda Galaxy.
Stargazing is one of the most popular activities in Tekapo and if you are there on a clear night, it’s an absolute must-do activity.
Thankfully, there are a few different stargazing tours in Tekapo including:
- Dark Sky Project: the Dark Sky Project offers various stargazing tours including a virtual experience, the Summit Experience or the Crater Experience. I’d highly recommend their Summit Experience. The tour takes visitors up to the top of Mount John and you will spend time admiring the night sky through a giant telescope. These tours are extremely popular and you’ll need to book well in advance to have a chance of getting a spot.
- Chameleon Stargazing: the team at Chameleon offer slightly more affordable tours (which are still incredible). These tours are much more personal, and you’ll learn all about the stars you can see, as well as the Maori legends behind them. This is a very well-reviewed activity.
- Tekapo Hot Springs: want to lie under the stars while relaxing in hot pools? Well, in Tekapo you can. The Tekapo Hot Springs offer a stargazing experience which is a mix of education and relaxing. The first part of the tour teaches you all about the night sky. Following this, you’ll be able to relax in the pools under the stars.
- Do it yourself: you don’t need to pay for a tour to enjoy the night sky. Grab a blanket and head away from the town’s light to have the best chance at seeing the stars. I recommend going towards the Church of the Good Shepherd. The light pollution there is minimal and there are some epic photography opportunities.
If stargazing is a must-do activity for you, make sure to give yourself a couple of days in Tekapo as a buffer for the weather. If you can, try and avoid the full moon too.
Go for a hike up Mount John
Hiking up Mount John is one of the absolute best things to do in Tekapo. The walk isn’t overly challenging, and you’re rewarded with panoramic views of Lake Tekapo and the Southern Alps.
The top of Mount Iron is home to the Mount John Observatory. Here, you’ll find some incredible stargazing equipment including billion-dollar telescopes. While you won’t be able to use the telescopes without joining a tour, you can still admire the equipment from afar.
The hike is either a loop or out and back. I’d personally recommend doing the out and back trail starting in the Tekapo Hot Springs car park. The loop takes you on quite the detour and you don’t really gain much.
It normally takes around an hour to reach the top. Start the hike from the hot springs car park. It’s quite steep, but anyone with reasonable fitness should be able do the hike. The views from the top are magnificent. There’s also a café where you can get refreshments.
Visit the Church of the Good Shepherd
The Church of the Good Shepherd is a small church on the shores of the stunning Lake Tekapo. The Church was built in 1935 and offers some incredible photo opportunities. With the turquoise blue lake and mountains in the background, it’s impossible to get a bad photo here.
You can’t go into the Church without pre-organising a tour, but the beauty of the Church is its setting on the lake.
Next to the church is the Sheepdog Memorial. The statue is of a loyal sheepdog to honour all the dogs that have helped with the farming in the area.
Relax in the hot springs
Another exciting activity in Tekapo is to visit the famous Tekapo Hot Springs. The hot springs consist of several pools overlooking the lake. There’s a hot pool, medium temperature pool and cooler pool, as well as a spa.
It’s the perfect spot to relax after all the exploring on your adventure so far. You’ll need to pre-book any spa treatments, but can normally enter the hot springs without the pre-booking. If you want to do the stargazing experience, you’ll need to pre-book this.
It can get quite busy at the hot springs, early in the morning or later in the afternoon tends to be the quietest. There are changing rooms and showers too.
Take a scenic flight
Tekapo sits in the Southern Alps and is close to Mount Cook. One of the most adventurous things you can do in Tekapo is taking a scenic helicopter flight over Mount Cook National Park.
Mount Cook is the tallest mountain in New Zealand and seeing it from above is a once-in-a-lifetime activity.
Air Safaris have a base in Tekapo making this operator a popular choice for the activity. There are options just to explore the Lake Tekapo area, as well as flights to Mount Cook.
Go kayaking or paddleboarding
Tekapo sits on the absolutely spectacular Lake Tekapo, which is arguably one of the most beautiful lakes in New Zealand. In the warmer months, the lake comes to life with water activities including kayaking and paddleboarding.
Hiring a kayak or paddleboard is a great way to explore more of this stunning turquoise lake, and a great activity for all ages.
Paddle Tekapo offer different options for hiring the equipment.
Listen to Billy the Bard
No trip to Tekapo is complete without visiting Billy the Bard. Known as the “shaman of the stars”, Billy is loved by visitors and locals alike.
Each evening at dusk, visitors can head to Billy’s show on the lakefront where he will share his wisdom on the stars, as well as some local history. The show is particularly popular with children, but it’s something everyone can enjoy.
I’d highly recommend a visit to one of Billy the Bard’s shows. It’s one of the best things to do in Tekapo.
Tip: Billy performs most nights, but there is usually a sign with the time and information outside the Four Square supermarket. The show itself is free, but a donation is expected.
Try a delicious pie
It’s impossible to visit New Zealand and not try at least one of their famous pies, and Tekapo has some of the best.
It’s well-known that the Fairlie bakery sell some of New Zealand’s best pies, and luckily you can get your hands on them in Tekapo. Head to the Greedy Cow café to try one of these incredible, delicious pies.
Note: The Greedy Cow is a great spot for brunch/lunch and coffee. It has a delicious menu (and the cinnamon buns are soooo good).
Continue planning your New Zealand itinerary with a list of the best places to visit in the South Island.
Hire a bike
Lake Tekapo is one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve seen on all my travels. There’s something so special about that turquoise blue with the backdrop of the mountains (especially when they’re covered in snow).
There are a few cycling tracks close to the lake. I personally love the track which takes you past the Church of the Good Shepherd, and round to Pines Beach. Here’s a great map of bike trails in Tekapo.
Go Outdoors Tekapo offers bike hire. In the summer, I’d suggest booking online in advance. They have adult and children’s bikes. It’s an affordable activity and great way to see more of the area.
Go ice skating
If you’re visiting Tekapo in the winter, consider adding ice skating to your itinerary. The ice rink is at the hot springs and operates from April through to September.
It’s a fun activity no matter your age and afterwards, you can relax in the warm hot springs.
The hot springs also has a café (the nachos are delicious).
Search for lupins
New Zealand is famous for its lupins, and Tekapo is one of the best places in New Zealand to spot them.
These colourful wildflowers appear in the Spring (normally from mid-november), and stay around until mid-summer. You won’t have to search far to find the lupins in Tekapo, as the lakefront lights up with these colourful flowers.
Visit Mount Cook
Mount Cook National Park is home to New Zealand’s highest mountain. The park boasts some incredible scenery and is an absolute must-visit on any trip to New Zealand.
Mount Cook is about a ninety-minute drive from Tekapo. It can be done as a day trip with Tekapo as a base, or on the way to your next destination.
From hiking the famous Hooker Valley track to exploring the Tasman Glacier, there’s plenty to do in Mount Cook. Found out how to spend one day in Mount Cook National Park.
You’ll need a car to reach Mount Cook from Tekapo. InterCity used to operate a bus between the two points, but unfortunately this is currently unavailable.
I hope this post has helped you to plan you trip to Tekapo.
Did you know? Tekapo is a great destination for solo travel in New Zealand.
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