The weather’s cooling down but things are heating up for Australian visitors looking to head to New Zealand this winter.
Tekapo Springs, in the South Island’s legendary Mackenzie region, is inviting their Aussie friends to experience the ultimate winter wonderland – ice skating, snow tubing and hot pools by day, and New Zealand’s only guided hot pools and star gazing tour by night.
For New Zealanders who haven’t done any of the above, the challenge is on to ‘do something new!’
The business has been running for 14 years and usually welcomes around 135,000 visitors annually but like other tourism operators has been affected by COVID.
They’re counting on the winning combination of hot pools, snow and epic stargazing in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve to be a unique drawcard which will bring visitors back.
Tekapo Springs started out with an Olympic-sized outdoor ice rink then developed the hot pools, day spa and café. Regular ice hockey games are a huge crowd pleaser as is a thrilling 150m snow tube park.
Tekapo Star Gazing is now entering its fourth year, introducing guests to the wonder of the dazzling Southern night skies. The tour is a unique blend of astronomy and storytelling, transporting guests to the limits of outer space followed by an exclusive hot pool experience that leaves them feeling like they’re soaking in the stars!
Tekapo Springs sales and marketing manager Andy Murray says the township is in the heart of the largest dark sky reserve in the Southern Hemisphere and winter is the ideal time to view the galactic core of the Milky Way.
“The clarity is sensational, especially in July which sees the gas giants of Jupiter and Saturn come out to play earlier in the evening,” he says. “It’s an out-of-this-world experience and a ‘must-do’ on any New Zealand holiday.”
