Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All New Zealand Lake Tekapo Takapō (Lake Tekapo)

Takapō (Lake Tekapo)

A perfect turquoise lake colored with glacier dust.

Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

Added By
Kilkennycat
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Takapō (Lake Tekapo)   Rosino / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
Church of the Good Shepherd on the shore of Lake Tekapo   Steve Collis / CC BY 2.0
  Rosino / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
  Rosino / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
  Krzysztof Golik / CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Tekapo November 2022   aware 354c89a6 / Atlas Obscura User
Lake Tekapo from Church of Good Shepherd   PhronimosNZ / Atlas Obscura User
Lake Tekapo from Mount John   PhronimosNZ / Atlas Obscura User
  User submitted
Lake Tekapo Sunset   Dixontrips / Atlas Obscura User
Lake Tekapo   leticiagapongli / Atlas Obscura User
Lake Tekapo   leticiagapongli / Atlas Obscura User
Flowers in front of the lake   gmoorenator / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
Midnight at Lake Tekapo November 2022   aware 354c89a6 / Atlas Obscura User
Sunset at Lake Tekapo November 2022   aware 354c89a6 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In a large basin, combine 100 parts water with one part glacier-formed rock dust. Mix over millions of years and allow to settle until humankind inhabits South Island, New Zealand. This simple recipe has created a beauty so rare and a landscape so striking it deflates your lungs within moments of arriving at its shores.

Takapō (known in English as Lake Tekapo) is an idyllic alpine spot at the foot of Mt. John, on the South Island of New Zealand. The color of the lake's water truly sets it apart from other lakes. Its beautiful turquoise blue is a product of the surrounding glaciers. The glaciers in the headwaters of Lake Tekapo grind rocks into fine dust on their journey down towards the lake. The resulting particulate, called "rock flour," is suspended in the water and causes the magnificent turquoise.

The amazing color of the lake set against the backdrop of snow-capped peaks and fields of wildflowers makes Takapō an extraordinarily dramatic landscape. The best views can be seen from the top of Mt. John, which is home to the University of Canterbury's Mt. John Observatory. 

Related Tags

Dark Skies Lakes Glaciers Water

Know Before You Go

Buses are available from Christchurch and Queenstown, along with a number of smaller cities on the South Island

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Wild New Zealand: Exploring the North & South Islands

Stunning landscapes, unique wildlife, and rich Māori culture.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Kilkennycat

Edited By

Indianapolis81, atimian, Dixontrips, Michelle Cassidy...

  • Indianapolis81
  • atimian
  • Dixontrips
  • Michelle Cassidy
  • leticiagapongli
  • PhronimosNZ
  • aware 354c89a6

Published

September 9, 2011

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.laketekapountouched.co.nz/
  • http://www.mtcooknz.com/mackenzie/Tekapo/
Takapō (Lake Tekapo)
Lake Tekapo, 7999
New Zealand
-44.005075, 170.477462
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Dark Sky Project

Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

miles away

Church of the Good Shepherd

Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

miles away

Mount Sunday

Ashburton Lakes, New Zealand

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo

New Zealand

Places 2
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Dark Sky Project

Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

miles away

Church of the Good Shepherd

Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

miles away

Mount Sunday

Ashburton Lakes, New Zealand

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo

New Zealand

Places 2
Stories 1

Related Stories and Lists

No HDR Needed: Why Some Lakes Are an Otherworldly Blue

lakes

By Allison Meier

Related Places

  • Blue Lake, main basin.

    Denio, Nevada

    Blue Lake

    In the little-known Pine Forest Range in northwestern Nevada, a natural lake of glacial origin.

  • Devil’s Lake

    Baraboo, Wisconsin

    Devil's Lake

    A remnant of the last Ice Age, this lake is surrounded by fascinating rock formations.

  • Mendenhall Glacier and Lake, and Nugget Falls, Tongass National Forest

    Juneau, Alaska

    Mendenhall Glacier

    A rare chance to get up close and personal with a 13-mile ribbon of ice near downtown Juneau.

  • Carcross Desert

    Carcross, Yukon

    Carcross Desert

    This tiny square mile of Canadian sand was once considered the world's smallest desert.

  • A turquoise Lago Coatepeque.

    El Salvador

    Lago Coatepeque

    This color-changing crater lake in El Salvador is occasionally impenetrable to sunlight.

  • Lake Chelan above Stehekin (on shore to left).

    Washington

    Lake Chelan

    A narrow fjord-like lake, the third-deepest in the United States, runs for over 50 miles into the Cascades of Washington state.

  • An aerial view of the pink waters of Lake Atanasovsko.

    Nessebar, Bulgaria

    Lake Atanasovsko

    One of the world’s only pink lakes where it's possible to take a dip.

  • Rickmansworth, England

    Rickmansworth Aquadrome

    In this recreational park, two artificial lakes share a surprising connection to Wembley Stadium.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.