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.

The 45-minute guided tour at the Tekapo petting zoo is a fun and interactive experience, especially since entry includes one box of feed per person. The animals—including Merino sheep, alpacas, KuneKune pigs, and calves—are incredibly cute, friendly, and affectionate as you hand-feed them. Just make sure to listen carefully to the guide's instructions at the start for everyone's safety. The only downside is that the tour groups can get quite crowded, sometimes reaching up to 20 people at once.

The stargazing experience was beautifully organized and exceeded our expectations. Being surrounded by the peaceful night sky and seeing so many stars with our own eyes was simply breathtaking. The atmosphere was calm, magical, and incredibly relaxing — a wonderful escape from the busy city life.

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!

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.

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.

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