Tekapo Springs in winter is the perfect place for a warm soak. Photo / Tekapo Springs
Travelling somewhere cold for a holiday in winter isn’t often a top pick for NZ families, but Tekapo may just be the perfect destination for Kiwis, writes Eva de Jong.
In the distance, the snow-covered peaks loom over the bright mirror of the lake, undisturbed by our group of muffled-up tourists scattered on the pebbly shore. It’s so quiet I can hear my own breath spiralling out before me in curls of white.
This view of Aoraki Mt Cook is magnetic, even from far away, the mountain seems to draw me in closer. No one speaks.
The town is a different story in summer, I’m told. Then the lake turns a vibrant blue and international visitors flock to snap pictures of its banks decorated with lavender-coloured lupins. There’s lake swimming and, if it’s warm enough, even a chance to sleep out under the stars.
In winter, Tekapo offers a different kind of charm. The landscape empties of its crowds but the sights are no less glorious and the small ski fields surrounding Tekapo offer a less-packed option to Queenstown’s highly popular Cardrona Alpine Resort.
The slopes of Roundhill Ski Area were perfect for practising my rusty skills. I may have been an infuriating obstacle for the elite slalom skiers perfecting their slicing runs through nearby poles, but if anyone was peeved, they didn’t show it. After swerving and almost crashing out into a signpost, I decided it was time for a drink, and luckily I didn’t have to travel far for it.
Nestled on the outer slope of Roundhill Ski Area is a tiny cabin - the Von Brown Hut, which has fur-covered tables and a perfect view of people zipping down the mountain.
In the morning, it’s the perfect spot for quiet contemplation or to plan your route back down the mountain. Later in the day, it’s probably one of the most scenic places you’ll ever enjoy a beer.
These smaller ski fields across the Mackenzie Country offer a way to beat the hassle of larger mountains. It’s a clever option, especially if you’re short on time, not too advanced a skier and want to get a day’s experience with the least amount of fuss.
A winter getaway is all about embracing the outdoors in spite of the cold and getting the fresh mountain air into your lungs.
There are spectacular day walks and overnight tramps on offer at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park - an hour’s drive away from Tekapo. Although some trails require a good level of fitness with plenty of steps, there are plenty of easier options such as a quick trek to Tasman Lake where icebergs can be spotted floating on the water’s surface even in summer.
Last year, the Mackenzie District had the highest visitor nights per capita in New Zealand, beating Queenstown with its ratio, according to a survey by the Mackenzie District Council. However, the district is also disproportionately impacted by drive-through visitors who utilise the infrastructure but spend little.
Escaping to the Mackenzie Country offers a chance to swap out the hustle and bustle of drizzly city life for a frosted-over morning, stillness and alpine scenery.
The only choice is to stop and take it all in; something everyone seems to understand at Tekapo Springs.
There’s the cloak of steam drifting above the hot pools and the shining mountains hovering in the distance. The weariness on the faces of the visitors soaking in the pools melts away.
In the sauna, the heat is stifling and a river of sweat streams down my back. Unable to bear the temperature, I hop into the cold plunge pool and momentarily lose my breath, a sense of euphoria engulfing me in dizzying waves.
When darkness falls, throughout the region, it’s not the time to curl up in front of the stone fireplace.
The Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
Encompassing Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, the Mackenzie Basin, Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki, Mount Cook Village and Twizel, the reserve stretches over 4367sq km and the stars can be seen from anywhere. A clear view of the Milky Way is a drawcard for overseas visitors who travel from across the world to escape cities drenched with light pollution.
In Tekapo, the population of about 500 avoids using fluorescent white light, and the tiny town glows a dull yellow at night. Since the early 1980s, the region has had lighting controls written into the Mackenzie District Plan.
I took a guided stargazing tour up to the Mount John Observatory - New Zealand’s primary astronomy research facility.
Our tour group was shuttled up the hill by van into the darkness of the reserve. In this setting, it made me realise I hadn’t really experienced pitch-darkness, as so often the blue light of chargers or distant street lamps disrupts our experience of night. True darkness is enveloping; it feels like the world around you shuts off.
Standing on the cold ground, in our puffy snow jackets, we appeared like a stumbling group of blind penguins.
“Wow,” I heard one woman gasp under her breath to her husband as she exited the van. I squinted in the direction she was pointing, trying to bring into focus the few flashing stars beneath a haze of cloud.
“Where?” her husband whispered.
There were a few coughs, an awkward scuffling of the feet, and it began dawning on me that we might look a bit ridiculous.
The nature of outdoor tourism is that the weather doesn’t always play along, especially when you need it to.
That night, we craned our necks upwards only to be met by a heavy blanket of cloud that smothered our view of the best stars in the Southern Hemisphere. For travellers who had caught a 20-hour-plus flight to witness this sight, it was a cruel blow from Mother Nature. But, hey, tomorrow’s another night and a fresh star-gazing opportunity.
In the evenings, a burning red appears in one corner of the sky then flares outwards against the white glare of the mountains. It spreads suddenly, a flash of brilliant light as the sun sets on another day.
Even without the stars, it’s a sight that would make any length of travel worth it.
Tekapo, New Zealand
GETTING THERE
Fly from Auckland to Queenstown or Christchurch with Air New Zealand. Tekapo is then about a three-hour drive from both cities.
DETAILS
Further information about travelling in the Mackenzie Region can be found on https://www.mackenzienz.com/
New Zealand Herald visited Tekapo courtesy of Mackenzie Region NZ.