Day 30: Mount Cook → Lake Tekapo
2026-12-01 · Aoraki/Mount Cook Village → Lake Tekapo
70 mi · 1h 45m @40mph
The Church of the Good Shepherd, lupins, hot pools, and UNESCO dark-sky stargazing.
Stops
- Mt Cook Alpine Salmon (Lake Pukaki)~09:33foodFresh glacier-fed salmon sashimi from a roadside kiosk, with Aoraki/Mt Cook on the horizon.
- Church of the Good Shepherd~11:24sightIconic little stone church on the turquoise shore of Lake Tekapo; lupins in late Nov and exceptional dark-sky stargazing.
- Mt John Observatory~12:35viewpointSummit lookout over the Mackenzie Basin; dark-sky stargazing tours after dark.
Tonight: Lake Tekapo
- Lake Tekapo Holiday Park holiday-park
Lakefront sites under the Dark Sky Reserve — stargazing from your door. Walk to the Church of the Good Shepherd.