Showing posts with label Resupply points. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Resupply points. Show all posts

Wednesday 26 May 2021

Points along the Te Araroa Trail: Lake Tekapo Village

 Visiting Lake Tekapo while on the Te Araroa Trail          

There are a number of small settlements you must pass through while walking the South Island legs of Te Araroa Trail and Lake Tekapo Village is one of them. Lake Tekapo (or Tekapo) is a small village on the northern edge of the Mackenzie Country between the Two Thumb Range and Twizel. 

Looking north to the Two Thumb Range from Lake Tekapo


It is a tourist stop over point on the route to Aoraki/Mt Cook, Wanaka and Queenstown and serves as the rural service hub for the local area. Every TA trekker will have to pass through Lake Tekapo as it sits right on the trail and is the only resupply point between two 3-4 day sections. There are about 100 permeant residents in Lake Tekapo but over the summer and long holiday weekends it is much busier as it is becoming a holiday home mecca. There are now over 1200 homes in Tekapo up from less than forty 25 years ago...

Main drag of Lake Tekapo Village...restaurants and gift shops

Map: Lake Tekapo Village, Mackenzie Basin

Tekapo has limited services but can provide the essentials such as restaurants, a supermarket, accommodation and it also acts as a transportation link with public transport to and from the village. Most people will spend 1-2 days here resting, cleaning gear and resupplying before setting off once again along the trail. 


Lake Tekapo from near the Church of the Good Sheppard


I thought it might be useful to look at what you can expect to find at Lake Tekapo and I will talk about resupply, accommodation options and things to do if you are spending a zero day here. 



Lake Tekapo Village:


My partner Karen and I recently visited Lake Tekapo Village and spent a day there while completing a camper van holiday around the lower South Island. We were heading north back to Christchurch from Aoraki/Mt Cook, Lake Tekapo was our last stop for this trip. 


Aoraki/Mt Cook from Glentanner Holiday Park

After checking into our accommodation we went down to the Church of the Good Shepard (no crowds at all...) where I proceeded to disassemble numerous shorefront rock cairns much to Karen's amusement. Have a read of my post about the damaging effects of unnecessary rock cairns I posted late last year. We visited the Dark Skies Centre and had a look at the various shops and the new 4-Square supermarket along the main drag. 


The Church of the Good Shepard, Lake Tekapo

The Two Thumb Range from near Lake Tekapo Village


The next morning we drove up to the top of Mt John for the spectacular views off the whole Mackenzie Basin. It costs $10 to drive up this private road to near the observatory but it is well worth it as you can see for tens of kilometers from the hill top carpark and cafe. 


Lake Tekapo Village from Mt John, Lake Tekapo

A rainbow visible from the top of Mt John, Mackenzie Basin

Lake Alexandria from the carpark on Mt John, Lake Tekapo

Our Jucy Chaser at the upper carpark, Mt John, Lake Tekapo

It was cloudy and windy the day we visited but on a clear day you can see as far as Aoraki/Mt Cook, Twizel and across Lake Tekapo to the Two Thumb Range. 


Food options in Lake Tekapo:

Supermarket: 

A brand new 4-Square supermarket was built in Tekapo in late 2019 and it makes shopping for food so much easier. It is a medium sized store but it has everything you will need to resupply for the next three to four day sections to Twizel or Geraldine. It is located at the western edge of town and is very obvious from the Tekapo-Twizel Road. It is the only food store in Tekapo so if it does not have what you need you will be heading for either Twizel or Geraldine. 


4-Square is an independent Co-Op brand which tends to have medium to small supermarkets in these smaller country towns. You will also find 4-Square markets in Havelock, Picton, Methven, Hanmer, Wanaka and Te Anau. They are slightly more expensive than some of the larger chain markets but not so much that the prices are exorbitant. 

You will get to know them well while walking the Te Araroa Trail. 


Lake Tekapo 4-Square: aisle 1 and2

Lake Tekapo 4-Square:aisle 3-4

As well as all the normal items you would expect they also sold Backcountry freeze dried meals, milk powder, gas canisters, stove alcohol (methylated spirits), first aid supplies and a limited supply of hardware items such as tape, socks, gloves, wool hats etc.. They had a good selection of meat, cheese and cold cuts to choose from including prepackaged salami, ham and chicken.



Lake Tekapo 4-Square:cold store items

The supermarket is the only off license place to buy alcohol and as with all supermarkets in New Zealand it sells wine, cider and beer but not spirits. 


Lake Tekapo 4-Square:frozen section...ice and pizzas!!!

I was mentally making a list as I walked the aisles and I could easily have put together a nice varied menu for at least a week from the goods sold in the store. The only other place to buy limited grocery items is at either of the two service stations in town but they mostly just sell snack foods.


Cafes, restaurants and takeaways:

There are a number of types and styles of restaurant in Lake Tekapo catering from takeaway meals right through to semi fine dining restaurants with table service. We went out to dinner as a treat for our last night in the camper van...our meal was at a nice Japanese restaurant called Kohan and we had some Kirin beer and sushi, tempura, tonkatsu and breaded lamb chops all of which were delicious. 


The side entrance to Kohan Japanese Restaurant, Lake Tekapo

There are a number of other restaurants and cafes in the village they range from cheap takeaways to full multicourse dining experiences. Some of the most obvious are Doughboys Bakery, Jade Palace Chinese Restaurant (a TA tradition...), Peppers Blue Water Cafe/Restaurant, Mackenzies Cafe Bar and Grill and the Dark Skies Diner. 

Jade Palace Restaurant, Lake Tekapo Village

You will need to check the opening times of all of these eateries as they have shortened their hours since Covid 19. 


Dark Skies diner, Dark Skies Center, Lake Tekapo Village

There are several more eateries but these are just a selection...try searching online for [restaurants + lake tekapo] for more information. Takeaway meals are available from Kohan/Jade Palace/Doughboys (fish and chips etc.) and a small sushi restaurant next to Aotea Gifts.


Accommodation in Lake Tekapo:

There is a full range of accommodation in Lake Tekapo Village from backpackers and campgrounds right through to four star high end resorts. We were staying at the Lakeview Motels and Holiday Park next to the new hot pool complex along the shore of Lake Tekapo.

Reception for Lake Tekapo Motels and Holiday Park

The camp has had a lot of work done on it recently and is now graced with top notch facilities. We had a lake front powered van site and could see down to the lakefront and out to Mt John and the Two Thumb Range on the far side of the lake. They have camp sites here as well as motel units with access to showers, cooking facilities and laundry.


Many camper-vans at the campgrounds, Lake Tekapo

Most people walking the Te Araroa Trail will stay at the YHA Lake Tekapo...it is brand new and very, very flash. They have a variety of rooms available from multi user bunkrooms right up to 2-4 person rooms with Queen Size beds and attached bathrooms. All YHA's have cooking/dining areas, a lounge and laundry facilities. 

YHA Lake Tekapo...two years old!!!

Lake Tekapo YHA has multiuser bunkrooms...

It is located right in the center of Tekapo and has stunning views out over the lake and the surrounding mountains. The 4-Square supermarket it 100 meters away and it is also located right next to the Kohan Restaurant, MacKenzies Bar and Grill and the Dark Skies Center. 
 

...YHA Lake Tekapo: nice double rooms/suites!!!

There are a couple of high end hotels and resort style motels in Tekapo the most obvious is the Peppers Bluewater Resort directly opposite the supermarket on the Tekapo-Twizel Highway. Karen has stayed here before and she said it was lovely with nicely appointed rooms, a cafe/restaurant and some good amenities. She raved about the resort so it sounds like a decent place to stay if you want to pamper yourself. 


Suite room at the Peppers Bluewater Resort Lake Tekapo


There is also the Lake Tekapo Village Motel down near the YHA and Dark Skies Center. It has decent looking rooms ranging from self contained suites right through to top line apartments and is very centrally located for any service you might need. 

Suite at Lake Tekapo Village Motel


Personally I would probably stay in the YHA...it looks nice...certainly one of the better appointed YHA's I have seen here in New Zealand and good value for money. 


Things to do and see in Lake Tekapo:

Lake Tekapo is really a point most people will pass by or only stop in for a short break while driving between other larger towns. Regardless it is actually a nice destination to visit in its own right and if you are walking through on your way north or south you might as well have a look at the attractions there.

The footbridge over the Tekapo River

The first and most obvious (because you walk right past it) is the Church of the Good Sheppard down on the Lake Tekapo waterfront. This is a magnificent stone church with awesome vistas out to the lake and lovely stained glass windows inside. It is not open everyday because of the lack of tourists but even just walking around the outside is well worth the effort. 


Right next to the church is a statue to the sheepdog in the form of a collie on a stone plinth. Mustering sheep on the highcountry stations would be impossible without sheep dogs and I'm sure many a shepherd is closer to his/her dogs than their wife/husband/partner. They probably spend more time together anyway....

Statue to the Sheepdog, Lake Tekapo waterfront
 
There is easy access to the lake front near the Church of the Good Sheppard and you will often find people in the area taking photos with the lake as a backdrop. In the spring the whole lakefront is covered in colorful luppins in pink, purple, red, yellow and white. They are an invasive plant but they are also beautiful and have become so endemic they can never be fully eradicated. There is a pedestrian path from here back into the center of Tekapo Village which crosses the Tekapo River. 

Tekapo lakefront near the Church of the Good Sheppard, Lake Tekapo

Probably of interest to your average TA trekker will be the new swimming and hot pool complex down by the Lakeview Motels and Holiday Park. You follow the road around the lakefront towards Mt John and there is an ever expanding complex similar to Hanmer Springs. It is well set out and has spas, saunas, hot pools and swimming pools...entry is from $29 NZ dollars.

Lake Tekapo Pool complex, Lake Tekapo Village

If you are interested in astronomy and stargazing you should visit the Dark Skies Center and look into one of their Dark Skies Experiences. Lake Tekapo is a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve with the internationally important Mt John Observatory to the west of the village. The whole Mackenzie Basin is one of the best places in the world to look at the night skies. There is a shop and cafe/restaurant at the center and nighttime tours to Mt John Observatory can be booked here.


Dark Skies Center at Lake Tekapo Village

If you want to keep those legs going how about a 2-3 hour walk to the summit of Mt John on the Tekapo-Mt John Walkway. It has some awesome views of the surrounding area as the Mackenzie Basin is fairly flat. There is a small cafe at the Observatory if you need refreshing after the climb. 


Lake Tekapo and Two Thumb Range from atop Mt John. 


There are many more things to see and do in Lake Tekapo such as 4 W/D tours, ATV tours, horse riding tours, bike hire, MTB tracks, hunting and trout fishing. You may or may not have the time, inclination or money to indulge but you could certainly spend a couple of jam packed adventurous days in the area. 



NOBO/SOBO from Lake Tekapo:

After Lake Tekapo village you are setting off SOBO along the hydro canals for Lake Pukaki about 30 odd kilometers away. You can either walk this section or hire a bike and ride the section as there is a MTB track from Lake Tekapo to Twizel. You start from near the Tekapo River bridge you should check the current Te Araroa Trail Notes for access requirements....

View out over the Mackenzie Basin from Mt John, Lake Tekapo

The hydro canal between Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki

From Lake Pukaki you head further south...first to Twizel and the Lake Ohau Track and then onwards to Lake Hawea, Wanaka and Queenstown. You are on the last 400 odd kilometers of the trail heading south to Bluff...


...Lake Pukaki is your next destination!

If walking NOBO you are heading into the Two Thumb Range towards the Rangitata River, Rakaia River and Arthurs Pass NP. If going this way you need to get onto Lillybank Road at the eastern edge of Tekapo and head on out into the backcountry.
 

Looking towards Tekapo Village from Lillybank Road

Cheers all...I hope to see some of you on the trail!!! 

Sunday 20 May 2018

Arthurs Pass Township: food resupply options in the village

Resupplying in Arthur's Pass, Arthur's Pass National Park, South Island


I do a lot of tramping in Arthurs Pass National Park and normally take all my food with me. However if you found yourself in the Park one of the places you could buy food is in Arthur's Pass Township.



Arthurs Pass Store and Cafe, Arthurs Pass Village

On a recent visit to the area I went into the only two places that sell grocery items and took some photos to show you what you can expect to find there.

The Arthurs Pass township 


Arthurs Pass is a small township perched in the depths of the Southern Alps. The regular population of the township is less than 30 people: mostly railway workers, cafe workers, Police, DOC staff and roading contractors.

Sign at the Arthurs Pass railway station

The town only exists because it is one of  the crossing points over the Southern Alps.  Both SH73 and the Trans Alpine rail link between Christchurch and the West Coast of the South Island pass through the township. It is also the nexus for Arthurs Pass National Park and all the wonderful short and multi day tramps located there. 

Map: Arthurs Pass township

Because the town is so small it has very little infrastructure: there are a number of accommodation providers, two cafes, a DOC visitor centre and a railway station. That's it really....because of this one of the cafes also acts as the general store for the area.



Arthurs Pass township: view west towards the Pass and the West Coast of the South Island

Arthurs Pass township: view east towards the DOC centre and Canterbury

 The Arthur's Pass Cafe Store

The Arthurs Pass Cafe Store is located right in the centre of the Arthurs Pass township...it is easily the most prominent and easy to spot building in the village. The main part of the building is seating for the cafe section of the store. The store is also the home of the only petrol bowser in the village.

The Arthurs Pass Cafe Store, SH 73, Arthurs Pass Village

The Arthur's Pass store carries a small but comprehensive grocery selection to supply both visitors and the locals who live and work in the area. It is located at the rear of the store, back beyond the cafe section of the building and consists of a number of shelves and a couple of coolers with chilled and frozen goods in them.



Arthurs Pass Store:grocery section at the rear of the cafe

Arthurs Pass Store: inside the store and cafe: note the menu board

There is a very limited selection of frozen meats which would be suitable for tramping supplies. For example they had single steaks and packets of four sausages in a variety of flavours as well as bacon, cold meats and a selection of dairy products.

Arthurs Pass Store: small bags of frozen meat products, gluten free bread

Arthurs Pass Store: milk, cheese, butter, cream, bacon and cold meats
I've taken some close up shots of the grocery shelves so you can see exactly what they have in the shop. I was mentally building a multi day menu in my mind as I took these shots...you could easily buy enough food to see you through for 3-10 days from the goods they have on offer. 

Wither you could carry 10 days food is another matter...


Arthurs Pass Store: groceries shelf I


Arthurs Pass Store:grocery shelf II


Arthurs Pass Store: groceries shelf  III

The General Store is primarily a cafe and tearooms so they have both menu and cabinet items for sale. There is a wide selection of sandwiches, pies, cookies and cakes as well as fruit and various beverages. You can see the menu on the blackboard in the photo below, the range is limited but they sell cooked breakfasts as well as a number of burgers, hot chips and toasted sandwiches.


Arthurs Pass Cafe Store: the food cabinets

There is also a selection of snack items arranged around the main counter so make sure you have a look at what they have available including jerky, chocolate, meal bars and candies.

Arthurs Pass Cafe Store: jerky products

Arthurs Pass Cafe Store: sweets and chocolate supplies

The store has a limited supply of clothing items including socks, merino tops, t-shirts and fleece and merino hats, scarves and gloves. They also sell lightweight rain jackets and baseball caps.



Arthurs Pass Cafe Store: limited supplies of clothing

There is a small off license at the Arthurs Pass store, they sell a limited selection of beers, ciders wine and large spirits bottles. The prices were comparable to what you would pay in Christchurch so $50-$60 for a large bottle of spirits and $12-$25 for a bottle of wine.

As always you must be 18 years of age or older to buy these products and I would imagine they WILL ask for ID to prove this. Apart from the bars at the Wobbly Kea and the Bealey Hotel (10 kms away) this is the only place to buy alcohol in the township. 



Arthurs Pass Cafe Store: Spirits and wine selection in their off license

Arthurs Pass DOC Visitor Centre

The other place which sells a very limited array of resupply items is the Department of Conservation visitor centre in Arthur's Pass. They mainly have a selection of Backcountry Freeze dried meals but also have jerky products, gas cannisters and Em's Snack Bars.

DOC Arthurs Pass Visitor Centre, Arthurs Pass Township, South Island, New Zealand

Arthurs Pass DOC Centre: inside the centre

The shop inside the DOC Visitor Centre in Arthurs Pass


The store has some clothing items including socks, merino tops, t-shirts and fleece and merino hats, scarves and gloves. They also sell lightweight rain jackets and baseball caps. 

Arthurs Pass DOC Centre:the small selection of resupply items

As you are going to visit the centre to check the weather for the next leg of the trail you might as well stop and stock up on a few items. Note that the DOC Visitor centre is the only place selling gas cannisters in the township, otherwise you are going to Hokitika or Christchurch as they are the next closest towns that sell these items. 

Eating at the Wobbly Kea


The only other place to eat in Arthurs Pass is at the Wobbly Kea Cafe and Bar. It is located directly across the road from the Cafe Store in the centre of Arthur's Pass Township.

The wobbly kea cafe and bar, Arthurs Pass Village, Arthurs Pass National Park

The cafe is also a bar so if you are looking for a drink this is where you will need to go, hours are 9 am to 5pm over the winter, 8-8pm during the summer season. The Wobbly Kea serves cooked breakfasts, and lunch/dinner items in the style of bar food so pizza's, burgers, fries, dressed pies and toasted sandwiches. They also have a small cabinet selection including cakes and biscuits.

Wobbly Kea Cafe and Bar: the inside of the cafe

Online treasure trove about Arthurs Pass


There is a very comprehensive page covering information for trampers on the Arthurs Pass.com website. You should have a look as it is filled with fantastic information about the tramping in the park as well as more general information about Arthurs Pass.

Good information for TA trekkers at ArthursPass.com


I hope to see you out there some time...