Lakes & Mountains, NZ

New Zealand is blessed with countless number of lakes and rivers with mountains and amazing skyline as the backdrop.

As we toured NZ, we saw many lakes, rivers and falls; each with its unique landscape and colour. Occasionally, we were able to have a glimpse of the bird eye view of its entirety plus the partial close up view. Once in a blue moon as in the case of Lake Tekapo, we were able to see its beauty from different angles and perspectives and at different times of a day.

There are just too many lakes and rivers to document. I can only pick out a few before one is bored or overwhelmed with too many of them!

Lake Tekapo: Bird Eye View from Mt. John 

University Observatory.

Lake Tekapo: Partial Day Time View.

Stunning "greenish" colour water of Lake Tekapo.

Lake Tepako: Sunrise View

Lake Tekapo: Sunrise View.

Lake Tekapo: Sunset View

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Sometimes, we encountered beauty when least expected. On the way from Picton to Arthur's Pass, we stopped at St. Arnaud for toilet break. At the Information Centre, we discovered that Lake Rotoiti is just minutes drive away. We reached the Lake at perfect timing with a beautiful boat berthed at the simple timber jetty and another boat just about to sail out. Those moments were fortunately captured - the serene lake water with minutely noticeable ripples created by the moving boat and with the beautiful mountains backdrop is just simply stunning!

Lake Rotoiti, St. Arnaud.

Lake Rotoiti.

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Some of the lakes are totally in their natural state without any man-made structure. Lake Poerua near Inchbonnie (approx. 40Km before reaching Arthur's Pass from Picton), a very small lake is one such lake. A photo taken in such a setting is almost like a cut-and-paste scenery photo!

Lake Poerua.

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Of all the lakes we visited, Mirror Lakes should be considered the most popular among tourists and visitors. Since the lakes are next to the highway from Te Anau to Milford Sound, literally, everyone whether in buses, motor cars, motorbikes and bicycles would stop to take photos or have photos taken. We were pre-warned that the beauty and the reflective effect of the lakes would not be so evident if it rains or even drizzles mildly. A complete stillness of the water surface is most ideal for the water surface to act as a mirror.

We were fortunate the weather was perfect at the time of our visit to allow us to appreciate the wonder of the lakes!

Mirror Lakes near Milford Sound.

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The contrasting colour of mild dark tone lake surface with the long stretch of green lawn lake bank of Lake Kaniere in Hokitika aroused different feeling and sensation. It's sparkling clear lake water allowed us to see right through to the bottom of the lake.

Lake Kaniere, Hokitika.

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The very first look of Lake Alexandrina, a small lake not far from Lake Tekapo did not reveal its beauty initially. But if viewed from certain position and at certain angle, its uniqueness can be found. This turns out to be another mirror lake of a much smaller scale!

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Sometimes, special effort was taken to go out at night to look at the lake and the town by the lake side at night.

Time spent in Lake Wanaka and Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown proved to be worthwhile. As we walked along the lake side, we managed to see first hand the lake side views and to feel the ambience both before sunset and after sunset.

Lake Wanaka at day time.

Lake Wanaka at night.

Lake Wakatipu, Queentown before nightfall.

Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown at nightfall.