Things to do in Lake Tekapo

Truly amazing! We used professional astronomical telescopes to see so many fascinating celestial bodies! We saw Venus, which has phases just like the moon; the stunning Tarantula Nebula, which is a birthplace of beautiful baby stars; the Wishing Well Cluster; the gorgeous, jewel-like 47 Tucanae cluster; and Saturn with its rings. It was just incredible! Despite the cold weather, there was hot cocoa and a roasted marshmallow activity! Plus, everyone gets a professional photo of the starry sky. Definitely worthy of a 5-star review!

This was my first stargazing tour, and it was even cheaper than the official website. The service was excellent; you don't have to worry about not having warm enough clothes, as they provide one-piece down jackets. It seemed like they had four or five sizes! The only downside was that we attended on the 15th day of the first lunar month, which was a full moon. This affected the stargazing, making it a bit less impressive than I had imagined. For the "Dark Sky Project," they transport you from the base of the mountain to the observatory reserve, where a specialist explains various astronomical phenomena. They also ask if anyone has questions about astronomy. If you're not familiar with the twelve planets and some specialized astronomical English terms, it might be a bit challenging to understand. However, they do offer an earlier session in Chinese. They also use the observatory's super-large stargazing telescope, which was my first time experiencing something like that, and I found it incredibly amazing and a rare opportunity! But if your visit falls around the new moon or full moon, I would advise against participating, as you might be disappointed.

Experience: The animals were all very friendly and enthusiastic. Before starting, each person receives a box of feed, which can be used to feed the animals all over the farm. The tour guide took us to various animal zones for introductions and feeding. Since I was traveling alone and it was inconvenient to take photos, the tour guide proactively offered to take pictures for me 📷! I am very grateful to her! Safety: The animals did not bite. The cows were so enthusiastic when they saw the feed that they licked people with their tongues, leaving a lot of drool on our hands when feeding them 😂😂😂. The pigs are very smart and will sit on command. Facilities: After finishing the tour, there are shoe-cleaning tools provided outside the restroom, because your shoes will be completely muddy after going inside. It is recommended that visitors bring their own shoe covers, otherwise you will end up like me and have to wash your shoes when you get back 😁. Location: It's about a 12-15 minute walk from the city center, which was acceptable to me because my guesthouse was right next to this farm.

We didn't end up seeing the stars because it was too cloudy. The person in charge was very helpful and rescheduled for us, but even on the new date, they said we wouldn't be able to see anything, so we didn't go. KLOOK quickly arranged a refund.

The tour was amazing ! they picked us up and brought us to a mountain to see stars.. the sky was super clear and you can see the milky way. They even help each of the guest to take a picture as souvenir. Also you can see stars from their professional horoscope! i have never seen a planet this close ! and it really was a spectacular night !

must-try experience to go for despite being on the pricier side. Got to see breathtaking views of Mount Cook. We were lucky to be the first one on at 10am, you will need to arrive earlier at 9.45am and go through a safety briefing. the landing on the snow was done very safely and smoothly, snow was still knee deep. Overall 10/10 experience.

The overall itinerary and flow were exceptionally well put together! Although the sky wasn't entirely clear at first, the VR experience allowed us to feel the vastness of the universe. Through the astronomical telescope, we saw the Gemini constellation and star clusters with our own eyes, displaying distinct and unique colors. Soaking in the warm, comfortable hot springs while floating quietly, we searched for the Southern Cross and identified the center of the zenith. We also listened to the ancient stories of Scorpius and Orion eternally battling and chasing each other across the starry sky. Site lighting management was executed perfectly, preserving the dark sky environment and allowing our eyes to fully adapt to the dark to see the sea of stars as clearly as possible. The guide from the United States was engaging and fun, and you could genuinely feel her immense passion for the night sky. This was an unforgettable experience, and anyone visiting Tekapo should definitely try it!

Since I had plans to stay in Lake Tekapo that day, I emailed to ask if I could be dropped off along the way, and they kindly agreed. Thanks to them having communicated this to the guide in advance, I was able to join the tour without any worries! The two-hour stay at Mount Cook gives you enough time to do the round trip on the beginner hiking trail ^_^ In addition to the guide's commentary inside the vehicle, we were also given snacks and hamburgers as travel companions, making it a very fulfilling tour. Thank you very much!

Klook pass does really save you some money and it's easy to also book the attractions. Just be warned that the standalone package dates and time availability is different from the klook pass