Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and finally to the 40°C pool, where you can soak in the thermal waters surrounded by nat-
ive trees, gazing out at the lake. To truly beat the winter chills, there's a steam room and
sauna ($8 extra), and if you need extra pampering, there's a day spa (massage from $55).
But that's only half the story. Attached to the complex is a fun park which in winter of-
fers ice-skating and snow-tubing, while in summer there's the world's largest inflatable
slide and slippery-slope tubing.
Mackenzie Alpine Horse Trekking
( 0800 628 269;
www.maht.co.nz
; 1hr/day/overnight $60/280/350)
Organises high-country equine ex-
plorations, including overnight camping trips.
HORSE RIDING
BLUE CRUSH
The blazing turquoise colour of Lake Tekapo, a characteristic it shares with others nearby such as Lake Pukaki, is
due to sediment in the water. Known as 'rock flour', it was created when the lake's basin was gouged out by a
stony-bottomed glacier moving across the land's surface, with the rock-on-rock action grinding out fine particles
that ended up being suspended in the glacial melt water. This sediment gives the water a milky quality and re-
fracts the sunlight beaming down, hence the brilliant colour.
Tours
Earth & Sky
( 03-680 6960;
www.earthandsky.co.nz
;
SH8)
Thanks to its pollution-free skies and its dis-
tance from any major towns, Lake Tekapo is one of the finest spots on the planet to view
the heavens. Nightly stargazing tours head up to University of Canterbury's observatory
on Mt John (adult/child $135/80). Day tours of the facility are given on demand in winter,
but in summer there's usually a guide available at the observatory from around midday to
3pm (adult/child $20/10).
For those on a tighter budget or with small children in tow (the minimum age for Mt
John tours is eight), there are hour-long night tours to the smaller Cowan Observatory
(adult/child $80/50).
TOUR
Air Safaris
( 03-680 6880;
www.airsafaris.co.nz
;
SH8)
Unless you're a serious mountaineer with time to
kill, you won't get better views of Aoraki/Mt Cook and its glaciers than those offered on
SCENIC FLIGHTS
