New Zealand · Mount Cook & Fiordland
Lacs Tekapo et Pukaki
Glacier-fed turquoise lakes, the iconic Church of the Good Shepherd, and Dark Sky Reserve stargazing.
About Lake Tekapo & Pukaki
Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki are colour-photoshop blue — a vivid, almost unreal turquoise caused by glacial 'rock flour' suspended in their waters. Both sit beneath the Southern Alps with Aoraki / Mount Cook on the horizon.
The region is also part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve — one of just a handful of gold-tier reserves on earth, where the lack of light pollution makes the Milky Way astonishingly bright.
While You're There
What to See & Do
- Church of the Good Shepherd (1935) — NZ's most-photographed chapel
- Mt John Observatory and stargazing tours
- Lake Pukaki viewpoint with Aoraki on the horizon
- Lupin fields in November–December
- Tekapo Springs hot pools
How We Can Arrange It
We'll Take Care of the Details
As your booking agent, Mercury Pacific can include Lake Tekapo & Pukaki in your tailored itinerary. Here's what we'll handle and advise on so you can simply enjoy the experience:
Stargazing tours run nightly (cloud-permitting)
Drive the eastern shore of Lake Pukaki for the best Aoraki views
Lupins are gorgeous but a pest species — please don't pick or plant
Every detail — bookings, timings and transfers — is arranged for you as part of your Mercury Pacific tour.
When to Visit
Year-round; clear winter nights are best for stargazing.
Include Lake Tekapo & Pukaki in Your TourKeep Exploring
More in Mount Cook & Fiordland
Hooker Valley Track
Easy 3-hour return walk into the heart of Mount Cook National Park — three swing bridges and a glacier-fed lake.
Milford Sound Cruise
Two-hour cruise beneath Mitre Peak with waterfalls, seals, dolphins and (often) penguins.
Doubtful Sound Overnight
Quieter and three times larger than Milford — overnight cruises offer total wilderness immersion.