Day 4 - Lake Tekapo to Wanaka

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With heater running all night, we awoke next morning to a warm comfortable motorhome. That was until I opened the door and stepped outside onto a layer of lovely white fresh snow, and the temperature touching around minus three degrees. Even though it was so cold, the sun was shining bright causing the snow to melt very quickly. With such a beautiful morning, we were anxious to get on the road early to take full advantage of the magnificent weather we were lucky to be experiencing. After a quick breakfast, we were on our way to Mt Cook.

The road out of from Lake Tekapo took us across the MacKenzie basin, an elliptical intermontane basin,lying between towering snow covered peaks. After travelling about 50kms through the basin, we were again gobsmacked as we turned a bend to be greeted by the stunning vistas of Lake Pukaki (see photos)

Lake Pukaki was created by a receding glacier blocking its valley with its terminal moraine (a moraine-dammed lake). The glacial feed to the lake gives it a distinctive blue colour, created by glacial flour (extremely finely ground rock particles from the glaciers). It covers an area of 169 km², and the normal operating range lake level is 518.2 to 532 metres above sea level. We stopped at the Lake Pukaki Visitors Centre where the views of Mt Cook in the background are breathtaking. The centre provided lots of relevant information, and souvenirs. Some great photos can be shot from the carpark.
We travelled only 500 metres before we turned right off the main highway to head to Mt. Cook.Lucky for us the road was opened right up to the village because the weather had been extremely kind the previous few days. This is not always case, the weather can suddenly turn dirty with severe snow storms and blizzards making the trip to the mount very dangerous. The Lake Pukati visitors centre has all the information and advice you need before you make the trip up to Mt Cook village The sign post indicated 60kms to Mt Cook, for 30kms the road followed the shoreline of Lake Pukaki. With snow capped peaks on our left and the pristine blue lake on our right the drive was very pleasant. The road up to Mt Cook is in a basin and was an easy drive considering you heading to the top of NZ's highest mountain. At the top end of Lake Pukaki we stopped at Glentanner Park, a working sheep station, a restaurant, souvenir shop. An airfield provided scenic helicopter flights over Mt Cook. We continued the drive up to the Mt Cook village, the road became a little narrower but still a very easy drive, except for the many single lane bridges that seemed to be endless and extremely narrow. We finally arrived at Mt Cook village just in time for lunch.

Aoraki/Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand. It lies in the Southern Alps, the mountain range which runs the length of the South Island. A popular tourist destination, it is also a favourite challenge for mountain climbers. Aoraki/Mt Cook consists of three summits lying slightly south and east of the main divide, the Low Peak, Middle Peak and High Peak, with the Tasman Glacier to the east and the Hooker Glacier to the west. Nestled in the middle is the delightful Mt Cook alpine village, with chalets and ski lodges clustered on a small tableland. There are pubs, restaurants and a visitors centre, but the main attraction is the Sir Edmund Hilary Alpine Centre, incorporating four star rated "The Hermitage" Hotel, nestled into the base of the Lower Peak.

The centre is a tribute to Sir Edmund Hillary, humanitarian, ambassador and one of the world’s greatest explorers, the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre showcases the Aoraki Mount Cook region, its people and its place in the universe.

Designed to educate and entertain, the centre features a spectacular state-of-the-art 3D movie, New Zealand’s first full dome digital Planetarium and Museum which documents the pioneering heart of the region and features the impressive Hillary Gallery.

The Hillary Gallery depicts Sir Edmund’s longstanding connection with the region and touches upon his achievements, expeditions and life’s work. It was here he climbed his first major mountain, achieved a number of impressive first ascents including the difficult south face of Mount Cook, and trained for his Everest and Antarctic expeditions.

After an enjoyable, and surprisingly inexpensive lunch at the Centre's cafeteria we took a walk around the village before driving back down to where we turned off the highway and continued on to Twizel to fill up with fuel.

Driving into the tiny township of Twizel we were intrigued that all the houses were very basic and built almost identical. We later found out that Twizel was built in 1968 as a greenfields project to service the Upper Waitaki hydroelectricity Scheme and was intended to be removed once the project had been completed. Most houses were prefabricated, and intended to be portable. However, in 1983 its residents successfully fought to save the town. At the height of the project in the 1970s, the population peaked at around 6,000.

With the fuel tank full, we resumed our journey toward Omarama, a small town nestled in snow capped peaks. We stopped for a short break. Judy and Brett browsed a local wool products and souvenir shop, while I enjoyed a cold beer in the quaint pub next door. Although very enjoyable, it was time to drive the 70kms to get to Wanaka, our overnight stop, before dark.

Wanaka was surprisingly a lot bigger than I imagined as we drove through the commercial and industrial area on the outskirts of the town. We drove on into the main central business area, followed the road around a slight left hand bend, down a small decline. and "WOW", we are gobsmacked again....Lake Wanaka, surrounded by snow capped mountains drenched in the early stages of a stunning sunset. We parked the motorhome, and wandered along Ardmore Street, the lakeside tourist precinct, where
the bars and restaurants, all with sidewalk eating/drinking areas, were overflowing with "skiers" enjoying themselves after spending the day at nearby Treble Cone, Cardrona Alpine Resort and Snow Park, some of New Zealand's premier commercial ski fields, very reminiscent of the ski resort towns of Europe.

We camped overnight at the Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park, beside the fact we could not see the lake, it was very disappointing, considering Wanaka is a town that relies heavily on tourism. The sites were very wet and muddy, particularly for a heavy 6 berth motorhome. A positive was we had good TV reception.

Had a big day...... out like a light very early.

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