Lake Pukaki Explorer: A Journey Through the Mackenzie
-
Port
Timaru, New Zealand
-
Activity Level
Moderate Activity
-
Excursion Type
All
-
Wheelchair Accessible
No
-
Starting At (prices in USD)
$360
-
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
-
Duration
Approximately 8 Hours
-
Meals Included
Meals included
Travel by coach from the port of Timaru through a changing farming landscape past, cropping, sheep, and cattle farms until we reach the small country town of Kurow. There is an opportunity to walk, shop, and have refreshments in the town.
The journey then travels up the Waitaki Valley a location renowned for its gliding and clear night skies, crossing two hydro dams by Lake Benmore and Lake Aviemore before entering the Mackenzie basin where the landscape and farming changes dramatically. This is the domain of merino sheep, iconic high-country stations but the landscape is dominated by the Southern Alps and its glacial lakes that we’ve come to see. We pass the hydro town of Twizel and Lake Ruataniwha before a view from the coach of the High-Country Salmon Farm
During this section of the tour, we cross some of the many hydro canals in the region, before reaching the shores of Lake Pukaki.
Lake Pukaki is surrounded by mountain views. Sourced from the Tasman Glacier (New Zealand's longest at 29km), the lake borders the eastern slopes of New Zealand's greatest alpine park - Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. It is the largest of three lakes in the region, which also encompasses the country's highest mountains (19 peaks over 3000 meters) and a series of glaciers that cover 40 percent of the park. Aoraki Mount Cook (3754 metres /12300 feet). Time for photos, bathroom stop, and weather permitting, a view of Mt Cook Park.
We continue to Lake Tekapo, a small town that faces north over this remarkable turquoise lake with stunning views of the glacial valleys that feed it. Enjoy a Lunch hosted at a venue overlooking Lake Tekapo, with a complimentary glass wine or beer included. On the shores of the lake, you'll see the beautiful Church of the Good Shepherd, where the altar window frames a perfect view of the Southern Alps beyond the lake. The church was built in 1935 for the pioneer families of the Mackenzie district and is still used today as a place of worship. Walk and enjoy this lakefront setting.
From Lake Tekapo, it’s a relaxed drive through varied landscapes, before returning to the port Of Timaru.
Please Note:
Minimum age is 18 years. Tour involves approx 4.5 hours of travel in a coach, covering over 225 miles.