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LAKE TEKAPO, NEW ZEALAND
Lake Tekapo is a place of pure enchantment. Visit between late spring and early summer (November to January) and you’ll find its shores awash with vivid lupin blooms in striking shades of purple, pink and blue. As local legend tells it, a farmer’s wife once scattered the seeds across the Mackenzie Region, hoping to brighten up the rugged landscape. Today, it’s one of New Zealand’s most photographed nature displays.
Just as iconic is the Church of the Good Shepherd, a small stone chapel built in 1935 using materials gathered within five miles of the site. Nestled among native tussocks on the lake’s edge, it blends effortlessly into the surroundings, standing amid the landscape as a quiet tribute to the early Pakeha settlers of the Mackenzie Basin.
When night falls, Tekapo reveals a vast and ancient beauty. As part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, it’s one of the best stargazing spots on the planet. From the warm waters of Tekapo Springs or the summit of Mount John, you can marvel at the Southern Cross, Milky Way, constellations and even the occasional shooting star.
WORDS BETH POPPY ERSKINE
You can visit Lake Tekapo on Seabourn’s 14-night Australia & New Zealand cruise, departing 4 January 2026. Other cruise lines visiting the region include Princess and APT.
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