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Lake Tekapo ringed by the snow-covered mountains of the Southern Alps

Sample journey · 8–10 days

Snow by day, stars by night: the Southern Alps in winter

Christchurch, Hanmer Springs, Lake Tekapo, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Wānaka & Queenstown

Photo: Richard Lin / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

Most travellers know New Zealand in summer, with its fiords, walks and long evenings. This journey invites you at the opposite time of year, when it's the summer holidays in Europe and winter on the South Island. Then the mountains are white to their feet, the lakes of the Mackenzie Basin look even more vivid, the roads are empty and the nights long and clear: the best time for stars and, now and then, the southern lights. The route runs from the hot springs of Hanmer Springs via Lake Tekapo and the foot of Aoraki to Wānaka, where you can spend several days on skis.

The journey suits families, couples and active travellers who want winter without the bustle of the big European resorts: the ski areas here are compact and friendly, there are ski schools for children, and those who'd rather not ski can choose snowshoe walks, a flight over the glaciers or simply hot pools with a mountain view. The stays are warm lodges with fireplaces and apartments looking over the lake, and we drive without hurry, as chains may be needed on the mountain passes in winter.

The route

The journey

  1. Christchurch
  2. Hanmer Springs
  3. Lake Tekapo
  4. Aoraki/Mount Cook
  5. Lindis Pass
  6. Wānaka
  7. The Crown Range
  8. Queenstown
  1. Snow-covered mountains above the wooded surroundings of Hanmer Springs under a blue sky

    01Days 1–3 · Christchurch & Hanmer Springs

    The first hot pool

    One night in Christchurch after the long flight, then in the morning about an hour and a half north to Hanmer Springs, a small mountain village among the pines. People have been coming here for the hot springs for more than a century: outdoor pools at different temperatures, ringed by snowy mountains. It's the best possible cure for jet lag. In the afternoon, a walk on the forest trails or, for children, sledging if snow has fallen on the nearby hills; for the bolder, a jet-boat ride through the Waiau River gorge. In the evening, the pools again, this time under the stars. A night in a cosy lodge with a fireplace, and the next morning brings the longest drive of the journey, about four hours across the Canterbury Plains to the Mackenzie Basin.

  2. Pink and green southern lights above the Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo

    02Days 3–5 · Lake Tekapo

    Beneath the darkest sky

    Two nights by Lake Tekapo, at the heart of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. In winter darkness falls early, so stargazing works for children too: with an astronomer, up to the Mount John observatory or to a quiet spot by the lake, where the Milky Way, the Magellanic Clouds and the Southern Cross are clear to the naked eye. On clear nights the southern lights sometimes tint the horizon. By day, a short walk to the Church of the Good Shepherd, whose window frames the lake and mountains, hot pools on the lakeshore and, in the ski season, the small, family-friendly Roundhill ski area half an hour away. For quiet, there's simply the fireside and the glacial colour of the lake, even more vivid in winter.

  3. A figure standing on a snow-covered rise in drifting mist in the Aoraki/Mount Cook area

    03Days 5–6 · Aoraki/Mount Cook

    The highest peak in snow

    About an hour and a quarter along turquoise Lake Pukaki, and one night in Aoraki/Mount Cook village, right at the foot of the Southern Alps. Aoraki, the country's highest peak, is sacred to Ngāi Tahu. In winter the village is quiet and the mountains white to the valley floor. If conditions allow, the Hooker Valley track across swing bridges to a glacial lake where ice floes sometimes drift; in winter the track can be icy, so we walk it only when it's safe and in the right footwear. On a clear day it's worth taking a ski-plane up to land on the Tasman Glacier, a flight that depends entirely on the weather. In the evening, the planetarium at the village's alpine centre and another starry night.

  4. Skiers descending from the summit ridge at Treble Cone above the mountains near Wānaka

    04Days 6–8 · Wānaka

    Skis, a lake and a fireside

    Over the Lindis Pass, where chains are sometimes needed among the golden tussock hills, it's about two and a half hours to Wānaka and three nights in an apartment or house looking over the lake. Close by are two very different ski areas. Cardrona is broad and family-friendly, with a good ski school for children and beginners; Treble Cone is steeper, for experienced skiers, with one of the finest views of Lake Wānaka and the peaks of Mount Aspiring. The season and conditions at both vary from year to year. A day off skis brings a quiet walk along the lakeshore, Puzzling World for children, or wine and cheese by the fire. In the evenings Wānaka is cosy and calmer than Queenstown.

  5. Snowy mountains above Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown

    05Days 8–9 · The Crown Range & Queenstown

    Over the highest road

    The last day in Wānaka is free, for one more run, the lake or simply rest. The next morning the road to Queenstown crosses the Crown Range, one of the highest main roads in the country: in winter it's sometimes closed or chains are required, in which case we take the longer route via Cromwell. On the way, the Cardrona Valley with its old nineteenth-century hotel and, with time to spare, Arrowtown, a gold-mining village of stone cottages. Queenstown is in full swing in winter: the gondola up the hill, with its view of the snowy Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu, is a fine place to say goodbye. From here, the flight home, or a few more days on the slopes of Coronet Peak or the Remarkables.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Hot pools in the snow

    The pools of Hanmer Springs and Tekapo, with white mountains all around and stars overhead.

  2. 02

    The Dark Sky Reserve

    Long winter nights at Tekapo: the Magellanic Clouds, the Southern Cross and sometimes the southern lights.

  3. 03

    Aoraki in white

    A quiet mountain village, the Hooker Valley in snow and a flight onto the Tasman Glacier, weather permitting.

  4. 04

    Wānaka's two ski areas

    Family-friendly Cardrona and steeper Treble Cone with its view of the lake.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • With young children

    The longest drive can be broken with a night in Geraldine, and more time given in Wānaka to ski school and sledging.

  • Without skis

    Instead of skiing, guided snowshoe walks, a helicopter flight over the glaciers and more nights under the stars.

  • In another season

    In early spring (September) there's often still snow on the slopes, the days are longer and the crowds thinner; in summer, walks and lakes take the place of skiing on the same route.

  • With Fiordland

    From Queenstown the journey can continue to Milford Sound, whose winter waterfalls and snowy peaks look quite different.

Practical considerations

  • The ski season usually runs from roughly late June to late September or early October, but opening dates and snow conditions vary from year to year.
  • In winter, chains may be needed on mountain roads and passes (the Lindis and the Crown Range), or roads may close for a time; we choose a hire car with chains and leave time in hand for the drives.
  • Stargazing tours and glacier flights run only in clear weather, so we plan spare time; the southern lights appear rarely and unpredictably.
  • The mountains are cold in winter, especially at night, so warm and waterproof clothing is essential; ski equipment is easy to hire locally.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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