Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo is considered one of the most beautiful lakes in New Zealand. Its “highlight” is the purest blue color. It becomes even more beautiful when the lupine flowers begin to bloom on the shore, the sight is very mesmerizing.

Video: Lake Tekapo

General Information

Lake Tekapo is located next to two other lakes, Ohau and Pukaki, and is the second largest among them. Tekapo was caused by glaciers – the lake is filled with mostly melting water of crystal clarity. Thanks to this, the water is an amazingly beautiful blue color, which against the background of green hills, snow-capped mountains and flowering plants seems even brighter and more attractive.

.

Lake Tekapo has a total area of 87 square kilometers and is 700 meters above sea level. The city of Lake Tekapo, where all tourists who came to this paradisiacal place go, is located in the southern part of the reservoir. By the way, the southern coast of the lake became part of the regional park of the same name. There are several comfortable hotels for travelers.

For a whole month Lake Tekapo is surrounded by a bright carpet of blooming lupines of different colors – purple, blue, pink, orange, white and yellow, and even not rarely you can find a combination of two colors, which is very unusual. One of the most exotic colors in this place is a species of lupine – Lupinus polyphyllus (Lupinus polyphyllus) or Russell’s Lupine. Lupine blooms make the landscape around the lake, albeit briefly, incredibly beautiful, almost fairy-tale-like.

Lupine leaves, divided into offshoots and resemble fingers on a hand. Sturdy seed baskets ripen and explode from the summer heat, releasing a multitude of dark brown seeds, which fall asleep for the winter to come to life with renewed vigor in the summer.

The lupine blooming period is from mid-November to December, and it is during this period that photographers rush to get here to take wonderful pictures.

Next to the lake is the Church of the Good Shepherd, built in 1935 and considered one of the most photographed structures in New Zealand. It was listed as a New Zealand Historic Heritage Site in 2002.

The lake’s name is believed to be of Māori origin, with the correct form being Takapo rather than Tekapo. In the Māori language, “taka” means “sleeping mat” and “po” means “night”. Lake Tekapo has become very popular because of the beauty of the lake itself with the incredible blue color of the water in it. The beauty of Lake Tekapo is at its strongest in November through December, which is the best time to enjoy the beauty of this lake.