Lake Tekapo Activities Season by Season

What you do at Lake Tekapo depends heavily on the season and on the cloud. The village sits at about 710 m in the Mackenzie Basin, so winter brings snow on the hills and summer brings long, bright days. Some activities run all year, though. This guide sorts them by when they work best. Prices are given in New Zealand dollars and change from year to year, so treat them as a starting point.

All year, clear or cloudy

Tekapo Springs. Three hot pools at 36.5°C, 37.5°C and 38°C (the hottest is for adults only), plus steam, sauna and a cold plunge for anyone 16 or older. Adult day entry is about NZ$42, and children aged 3 to 15 pay about NZ$25. You will find it on Lakeside Drive at number 300, beneath Mount John.

Indoor astronomy. If cloud cancels the telescopes, go to Dark Sky Project’s base on Motuariki Lane for the Dark Sky Experience. It blends Māori star lore with science across four zones and costs about NZ$59 for an adult.

Mount John by car. A private road climbs to the University of Canterbury observatory and the Astro Café. Both open from 9am to 4pm, and the road charges NZ$14 per vehicle. The road shuts in bad weather.

Clear nights

The sky here is protected as part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. You can book an observatory tour or a pool-and-telescope combination:

  • Dark Sky Project’s Summit Experience on Mount John: from about NZ$239 per adult, ages 10 and over, around 1 hour 45 minutes with the bus.
  • Dark Sky Project’s Crater Experience at Cowan’s Private Observatory: about NZ$139 per adult and NZ$99 per child, ages 5 and over.
  • Tekapo Star Gazing’s Scope at the Stars (about NZ$129 per adult), or Soak in the Stars with a private hot pool (about NZ$179 per adult).

Check sessions on the Dark Sky Project website .

Warmer months (roughly October to April)

  • Paddling. Hire a kayak or paddleboard from Paddle Tekapo beside the boat ramp. The water stays very cold, so wear the lifejacket and turn back if a wind gets up. Swimming in the lake is not recommended.
  • Mini golf at Tekapo Springs from September to March.
  • Biking. Ride the Alps 2 Ocean trail out of the village on a bike from Outside Sports or BeSpoke Bike Tours. Genesis Energy may close the canal road when it is windy.
  • Hiking the roughly 3-hour Mt John loop, which leaves from beside Tekapo Springs.

Winter

  • Roundhill Ski Area, about 35 minutes up Lilybank Road. An all-lifts day pass was NZ$128 for adults and NZ$56 for children aged 6 to 17 in 2026. You need snow chains in the car.
  • Ice skating and snow tubing at Tekapo Springs. Tubing slots last an hour, and riders must be 1 m or taller.

Fishing

Trout anglers need a Fish & Game licence. Details are on Fish & Game’s licence pages . Never wade or swim in the hydro canals.

Read more: Lake Tekapo’s guided tours and the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park guide .

Check availability for tours: Lake Tekapo experiences on GetYourGuide .