I thought the meaning of this beautiful lake Takapō in Mackenzie Country was interesting. In the Maori language, Takapō means- “to leave in haste at night.” The Maori legend tells of two chiefs who were leaving the lake under cover of darkness when they were caught out by the rising sun and became the two pillars now marking the entrance to the Lindis Pass.
Lake Takapō is famous for its beautiful turquoise water in New Zealand and the beautiful Lupin fields. It’s also the access to the southern Alps, one hour away from Mount Cook National Park. One of the great attractions is the New Zealand Dark Sky.
How to get there
From Christchurch, the journey will take approximately 3 hours and 10 minutes. It’s located at the lake’s southern end on the southern Island of New Zealand.
About Lake Takapō
This was our first time visiting Lake Tekapo. Upon arrival, The immediate view is the lake’s milky turquoise color; it’s magical. New Zealand has fantastic places, but this one is one of the most epics. Over the years, it’s been a popular spot for vacations. Takapō has opened more restaurants, accommodations, and activities.
The population is around 550 residents. It’s one of the five settlements in Mackenzie Basin. It’s a very small town. It has one supermarket, a gas station, a police station, and a fire department—unfortunately, no medical center or hospital. So if you get hurt or sick, the closest medical facility is at Twinzel Medical Center (58 km – 48 minutes drive). Bring with you a medic kit.
“It was night and I could see a large and calm lake, reflecting the moon. Black mountains rose around it. I arrived from between two of these mountains, I looked at the lake and the moon, and that was it, nothing else happened.”
– Georges Simenon
Things to do in Lake Takapō
Lake Takapō might be a tiny town on the south island, but there is plenty of reason to come and visit. See the 10 reasons to love Lake Tekapo.
At the Christchurch Botanic Garden, there are Lupins, but here, they look so much more beautiful.
Lupin flowers are one of the highlights. The lupin flowers bloom in November. Fields with deep purple, pink, and yellow colors cover vast areas near the lake, giving a fairylike image. Perfect scenery.
The weather was not on its best behavior. We had a few hours of sun. Most of it was raining. I could catch a shy rainbow on the lake.
“The Milky Way is nothing else but a mass of innumerable stars planted together in clusters.”
Galileo Galilei
