Mount Cook - MacKenzie

Timing Is Everything Here

The big scenic draws in this region sit right on the Christchurch to Queenstown tourist bus corridor, which means peak hours at places like the Church of the Good Shepherd can be genuinely overwhelming. Go early or go late. Sunrise and sunset are the picks here anyway, the light is better and the crowds are thinner. Stone skimming off the rocks to the right of the church is a good way to kill time if you do end up with company.

Mt John for the Views

Lake Tekapo itself is a crazy colour, and the best place to really take it in is from height. Mt John sits above the lake and the observatory tours up there are worth booking well in advance. The daytime panorama over the lake is a highlight on its own.

The Clay Cliffs at Omarama are worth a detour if the gravel access road is in decent shape. It's a badlands-style geological oddity that doesn't look like anything else in the region. Last time I visited the road was rough enough to turn back on, so check conditions before committing.