How can you not give this location 5 stars. Beautiful views across Lake Tekapo with Mount Cook in the background. Beautiful old Church perfectly positioned to take advantage of Gods creation. Views just as good looking out from the inside. We visited in October and sky was blue, Mountains still covered in thick snow and the water was crystal clear. Just beautiful.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Church of the Good Shepherd located in the picturesque South Island of New Zealand, and I was completely blown away by the experience. From the moment I stepped foot on the grounds, I felt a sense of warmth and welcoming energy that is truly unique to this church. The exterior of the church is stunning, nestled against the breathtaking backdrop of the Southern Alps and overlooking the serene turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo. The peacefulness and natural beauty of the surroundings are in perfect harmony with the sanctuary’s calming interior, with its tranquil color scheme and ethereal stained glass windows. The church has a long and rich history, having been built in 1935 to serve the needs of the growing sheep-farming community. It has since become a well-known tourist attraction and a beloved spot for weddings and other celebrations. Despite its fame, the Church of the Good Shepherd remains a humble and welcoming place of worship, open to all who seek a moment of peace and reflection. The congregation is warm and friendly, and the services are both meaningful and accessible. I appreciated the way prayers and hymns in the Maori language were also integrated into the service, honoring the indigenous culture of the land. Aside from its beautiful interior and meaningful services, the Church of the Good Shepherd also offers visitors an opportunity to learn about the church's history and importance to the surrounding community. There are informative plaques that guide you through the history of the church and its significance to the area. Overall, my experience at the Church of the Good Shepherd was truly unforgettable. It is a place of beauty, peace, and significance, and I cannot recommend it enough to anyone visiting or living in the South Island of New Zealand. Whether you seek a moment of reflection, spiritual guidance, or simply a beautiful and tranquil place to visit, this church is a must-see destination.

Have always wanted to visit and photograph this beautiful church. I was not disappointed. We arrived in the afternoon and there were lots of tourists however they move pretty quickly. Patience is needed as there are some people after the best Instagram shot! The church is closed however on a Sunday it's open for a service. No photography inside however take as many outside and surrounds. This church was so worth the visit and the surrounds are breathtaking. The water is so very blue. A must to visit and stay one night at least.

We visited here during winter, and the view is absolutely stunning. Although it was a rainy day when we visited, it still looked stunning and amazing with the blue Lake Tekapo. There are some cafes nearby where you can have your breakfast or lunch with the amazing view

Beautiful place and i think the most picturesque cathedral in whole of NZ. My pictures doesn't justify the beauty of the cathedral. I visited during summer time and it was really beautiful. Its super close to lake tekapo and the small township. Must see if you are in the area

Nice view point area of the lake and the surroundings plus of course the Church which stands out on its own. I supposed it is a highly sought after tourist photo spot as there is a steady stream of visitors coming here. With good sunlight , some of the pictures can turn out to be quite nice. Worth a visit.

Gorgeous place to stop for a picture of a quaint 1930s stone church on the southern shore of the BEAUTIFUL Lake Tekapo. It is not possible for a tourist to go into the church typically. For a beautiful photograph, walk over to the pedestrian bridge and use a good zoom lens for the church and the lake in the background. The church is right off of the highway, easily marked and readily found. Highly recommended stop!

Such a lovely and historical old church. Wonderful location. The best time to visit is when the lupin flower is blossoming. Cheers! (2023-12)

In early December, I had the opportunity to visit this incredible place. The stunning backdrop adds to the already exceptional beauty of the area. Moreover, the presence of vibrant wildflowers only enhances the breathtaking scenery. For an unforgettable experience, I highly recommend visiting the place at midnight as well to witness the most spectacular stargazing display.

How delicious is this little church, despite being a tourist attraction? You can get up close, look in the windows and photograph from every angle. Appreciated the plaques acknowledging the original gift of land and those responsible for the steps and upkeep.

The place feels like you are in Hollywood movies. This heavenly beautiful landscape is one of the most attractive mind soothing spots of New Zealand. The sky, mountains and water in the background makes this place very beautiful. You get a vibe of tranquility.

It’s so nice to come here. I have been dreaming for a long time. Finally I could come. I was so impressed. Very calm and peaceful place. Blue sky and greenish water are beautiful. This small church attracted many people in the world. Definitely I will come again different season.

Facing the beautiful Lake Tekapo , there stands an old stone built church , The Church of the Good Shepherd . It was built in 1925 and it's still in good condition. I was there in March 2023, couldn't see the beautiful flowers around the church, but the scenery of the lake and the stone beach is still a nice place to take a lot of photos.

Amazing location, especially with the backdrop. After seeing countless photos of the night sky, I thought I would catch a glimpse of it. Mother nature can be both beautiful and ugly. I was at Tekapo for 2 nights but it had been gloomy for the past 2 nights. Nonetheless on the third day, I got to catch a glimpse of the reflection on the lake which was stunning. Overall it was worth the trip and I'll definitely be back to Tekapo for the night sky.

As pretty as the pictures, but get here early if you want to take unobstructed photos. Tourists in their bus loads turn up once the gates to the church open… Unfortunately stars didn’t line up behind the church while we were there. Nonetheless, can get some great views of Lake Tekapo during the day.

Amazing view and place for travel. Best kept and maintained natural monuments. The each location and picture frame is memorable. Must visit, if traveling New Zealand.

A nice stop at your walk around the lake. I wouldn't come to the place just because of the church, but it's definitely worth of few pictures, if you are already at the spot. No entrance ticket to see the church needed.

Visited this little historical church while staying in Lake Tekapo during summer. Crowded with tourists ( we are one of them). Worth a visit if you are in town but nothing too special about it as it’s small and not able to enter for visiting purpose. There are also direct access to the lake through this area with plenty of parking space

Very beautiful church surrounded by Lake Tekapo & plenty of Lupin flowers around during spring time. 💐💐💐 Would get crowded sometimes during peak time, but managed to capture couple of lovely photos infront. Free entry to the compound around outside church but not inside church. Plenty of free srreet parking around. Highly recommended to stop by on the way to Mount Cook from Burkes Pass.

I have always loved visiting this place. It was my third time but still feels great! The only disappointing thing is that it’s mostly closed, so you are just gonna have outside experience. Maybe you can peep through the windows at the back. Plenty of lupins during spring which makes it even more beautiful

Plenty of parking, but the place is a zoo. The church is pretty of course but you are going to get a million “influencers in the wild” just posing and trying to take the perfect shot. Frankly seems overly crowded given what you can see or do there. Spend 5 minutes if in the area but don’t go out of way.

We’ve been trying to come here and it is always closed. We were in luck they were open until 3pm. There is a $8 fee per vehicle to go in. It was a gloomy day the snow is about to pour from the mountain but it must be a beautiful view on a sunny weather. At a distance the snowy mountains are so beautiful.

Great view, easily accessed and free, except for the $8 parking fee. The cafe at the top serves good sandwiches and coffee too

I initially wasn't going to bother visiting, initially thinking the $8 road user fee was a lot to simply drive up a road! But I ultimately decided to, and am very glad I did...the views of the lakes and mountain ranges are absolutely stunning and amongst the very best on offer in the South Island (if not New Zealand). Almost quite surreal. Now I can see why they charge, it is definitely worth the money! Definitely recommend a visit.

Stunning views over Lake Tekapo & Lake Alexandrina. Every time we visit we find it awesome. It's a shame though what was a free activity during the day, started to charge. Started at $5 for your car & this last visit it was $8. Perhaps if you're able it's best to walk up the other side!

:) loved the drive in and up, down and around. Easy to get to.. entrance fee: NZD8/ car. Card only. Looks over the wide landscape. Very freeing to see it from top!

A nice hike in Lake Tekapo area. Fun to have a cafe and observatory at the top. Not really scenic until you near the top, and not much variety of terrain

Do not go here without calling this number. Sometimes if they are close to if they don’t have staff. It’s best place to visit when you are visiting lake tekapo. Normally 50 to 100 cars returns back from the check post if they close early, this people don’t understand the feeling of visitors for not allowing them to go at mt John.

Took this awesome view with my mom, it really worth to join the night tour event here.

A must come area!! Beautiful scenery!!! Just the drive to go up is steep but is okay.. Just drive slow.. I’ve drove here using a 7.4m motorhome.. lastly, entrance payment is cashless.

Stunning views. Single lane road with some steep parts. Saw plenty of small cars make it easily. Best time of day: Golden Hour before sunset, views are stunning

Perfectly beautiful viewing point.. NZD 8 / car, can drive to the peak… so beautiful 👍

You can either walk from Lake Tekapo or take your car and pay a $8 per vehicle toll. Either way you will get a breathtaking view of Lake Tekapo and Lake Alexandrina and the non-describing blue water of both the lakes. Got a little café on top also which has some good food, smoothies and picnic benches.

Its a really lovely view but ffs leave the toilets open......paid $8 to get in for what??? The Cafe was closed and we were aware of that but why lock the toilets, my wife is pregnant and needs to go pretty regularly at moment and its a long bumpy road back down the hill to get back to Tekapo!!! We seen multiple people trying to get into the toilets and seemed very let down.

Pay for 8 dollar per vehicle to come up here to have a good top view of the whole Lake Tekapo and its surrounding. For me, it’s worth it. There are a maximum car entry at one time so might have to queue for awhile.

had to wait at the bottom for room In the carpark up top as there are limited parks , $8 to pay to go up the drive. but it was worth the wait and the $. veiw was amazing. cafe was beyond our budget, very popularplace.

A scenic view from the top of the hill. Great to take a walk around. Tickets price is 8 NZD, no accept cash, only credit card.

Spectacular views and worth the effort on a good day. We had a wait to get up to the top, and there is an $8 charge. If you are keen you can walk - but would be very steep

Lake Tekapo looks beautiful with its deep blue colour from up here.

You don’t need an Apple Vision Pro to get an immersive panoramic view of “Middle Earth”. :) The view up here is so much more vibrant and unique than many other easily accessible tourist spots in NZ. Costs $8 per-car to enter, cash only! In peak season though you will likely need to wait quite a while at the front gate. “One car out one car in” says on the toll post. We waited about 20 minutes for entry at around noon on Feb 9, 2024.

Statue of a Collie dog with the inscription that without the help of these animals they could not have farmed this land. Beautiful location on the shore of this beautiful lake. You should take a trip up the hill which has beautiful views over the lake and mountains

A bronze memorial to working collie dogs was commissioned in 1968 by local farmers and now stands on the shores of Lake Tekapo near the Church of the Good Shepherd.

Beautiful and meaningful statue, the sheepdog memorial located just a short walk away (100m) from The Church of the Good Shepherd. Least visitor as compared to the church itself , if you are around the corner I recommend you to drop by.

An interesting monument to see at Lake Tekapo is the Sheep Dog Monument near the historic Church of the Good Shepard on Pioneer Drive. You can find the monument around 50 metres past the church and large parking lot. Here you find a bronze figure of a Collie standing upon a large rock pile. The monument was unveiled in March 1968 and aims to show appreciation for this breed of dog which has been instrumental in maintaining the herds of sheep which grazed the mountain country of Mackenzie County. It is a nice minor attraction worth a few minutes of your time before/after seeing the Church of the Good Shepard.

Just over from the church of the Good Shepherd is the Sheepdog Memorial. The successful farming of the high country would not have been possible without man’s best friend, a fitting tribute to our four legged counter parts. Would recommend popping over to have a look at the monument if the church is too busy to grab a good photo.

I thought it was amusing that the Sheepdog Memorial is placed so close to the Church of the Good Shepherd. What shepherd is better than a sheepdog? (I had a collie cross as a child)

incredible blue water, which contrasts beautifully with the surrounding mountains, and the beautiful small church on the edge of the lake . On the shore, you can visit the Church of the Good Shepherd or come at night between April and September to witness the dazzling Southern Lights. The sheep dog statue stands proudly on the shores of the unique exquisite turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo – amidst breathtaking scenery of snow capped mountains of the Southern Alps. a Bronze Statue of a Dog – a memorial for James Mackenzie’s legendary Sheepdog (Collie). This monument is dedicated to all good and faithful Collie sheepdogs who always gave their best irrespective of the weather or hardships, in burning heat and frozen snow. It is a unique monument dedicated to a dog

The sheepdog memorial is quite nice, especially the history behind it. But walk further down, and you will come across a beach. You will have to climb over many rocks to reach the beach. See the video I have attached. It can get very windy, and the rocks are limestone, so shoes can get white stain

A nice memorial to the kanine friend who helped the first explorers in the region. A beautiful statue and great vantage point to take pictures of the lake as well.

The Lord is my shepherd; he leadeth me beside the still waters... In the 19th century, Scottish shepherds came to work on the pastoral runs of the eastern South Island. The high country could not have been farmed successfully without the border collies they brought with them. To honour these ‘canine Scots’, a statue of a collie has been raised at Lake Tekapo.

Small but fun and memorable bronzecast statue to commemorate the influence and efforts of sheepdog working alongside early Scottish farmers to cultivate the local land. The Beach, Bridge and Church nearby are all worth seeing and spending time exploring.

The statue is located down the road from the Church of the Good Shepherd so it could be fairly easy to miss. The statue is interesting with a life-sized sheepdog. the statue is also raised so it is fairly visible from a distance. The views here are also quite nice.

This walk is a great hike for all ages. The first half is the steepest then the second half is walking along the summit to the observatory. It's a pity they cut down the trees at the start of the track, they don't need any more buildings here or they'll lose visitors as people like it being a small town.

This is a rewarding leg stretcher on a good day when the short track to the summit is open. Due to tree work it was closed this time and the option was the longer, lakeside walk. With a nor'wester wind whipping up the lake this proved to be a good walk-as-far-as-you-want-to alternative. Great for photos too.

Took the long track up and short track down despite seeing many others doing the opposite. Recommended to do it this way as we got a long and beautiful view of the lake early on and an easier track down. Very well-curated track with a slight challenge. Was looking forward to the cafe at the summit but it was closed despite Google saying it’s open, but at least we got our view. Not to be missed.

Fantastic hike with beautiful views. Went during autumn and loved it. Couldn't imagine how awesome it would be during winter. Go up the long way first, to the right of the hot springs.

Amazing walk but not for faint of heart. Follow the start of the track near the Tekapo Springs for an easier go. Steep switch backs start the trail until you reach the clearing near the Observatory before starting your descent. Amazing views throughout and a few benches you can stop for lunch or a break.

Get your exercise and soak in the 360 degree views of the Lakes and Mackenzie Basin flats with this lovely walk. The complete walk is a 8.9km loop track. Start past Tekapo Hot Springs if approaching from the Lake Tekapo lakefront. It keeps winding uphill till you are at Mt John Observatory summit. If you If you retrace your path from the summit, its about 3.1km in total. You can stop for a refreshing coffee at Astro Cafe at Mt John Observatory summit, if before 5PM. After that Mt John Observatory is only open to Guests signed up for the night sky stargazing experience. It's beautiful any which way you look. Apart from Lake Tekapo you also see Lake Alexandrina and the much smaller Lake McGregor. On a clear day you catch sight of the Aoraki range as well. When you look down at Tekapo and see how small the CHurch of Good Shephard looks, you know you have had a good walk and a good climb. Can be breezy and therefore get cold easily at the top, have a warm layer and plenty of water

The track takes around ~1hr to reach the summit and definitely challenges your fitness levels but the views obtained are extremely rewarding. You can see the entire lake and town centre from the top. It is quite easily to lose footing in some parts of the walk so care should be taken. Plenty of water should be brought along to the hike.

Loved this walk! Recommended time is 3hrs. Took me and my dog 2hr 45mins to finish the whole thing. We went up the Mt John walkway first then came down the south summit. This route was nice as the hardest part was at the beginning then it was fairly downhill for the rest of the walk. I wont lie...climbing up the mountain was tough, it took some willpower but at the top was beautiful and the way down was picturesque 😍 Definitely worth it! Would wear good traction shoes as some parts are very mucky and slidey especially from may through sep. Extra caution recommended 👌 Bring a good size drink as you'll likely need it 😁

amazingly beautiful views of lake tepako on the summit and way down, with us taking the steeper way up and more gradual way down, facing the lake. way up was quite tiring and challenging for us, as we don’t usually do any hiking, but still quite okay. track is a bit confusing on the way back, and some areas have limited mobile signal. some parts of the track were a bit slippery and steep, and would be more so if it was raining.

Spectacular views and MUST DO. Great photography options, water color of the lake is just unbelievable. I found it a bit challenging with lots of steep climbs. You need to have decent fitness level for this walk if you're doing the loop.

Completed on a nice day in March - sunny, light winds, around midday wasn't too hot. I went counter clockwise and was happy that I did. The first 80% of it is a gradual incline up and around the hill, but the views were amazing. Although it made for a longer amount of time walking uphill, the beautiful lakeside scenery made for an excuse to stop for frequent breaks. Then, by the time you reach the Café it feels like a well earned treat at the almost-end of your journey. The steeper, shorter descent through the trees is cool and shaded, and you can jog lightly to finish up the hike quickly without feeling like you're missing anything scenic. ⚠️There's one point while walking along the barbed wire fence that you have to climb over it- thankfully there are wooden platforms to help, but it isn't well marked. Just keep an eye out so as not to miss it like I did🤦🏻‍♀️ At the farthest point from the start, there's a nice overlook as to head back South towards the Café and there were some benches that you could sit at and enjoy snacks. Lots of nice photo opportunities here, and way less busy than the Café. I personally enjoyed stopping here the most. I think it took me 3.5 hours with the long scenic stop and a coffee break, but certainly possible in less than 2.5. Plenty of free parking spots available along the lake (longer walk to the trailhead) and in free spaces beside the Tekapo Springs customer only lot.

Stunning views! Must do to get incredible views of the Lake and surrounding mountains. Did the loop clockwise, the way up is a bit uphill but nothing technical. Just make sure you have water. The top is very exposed (sun, wind). I followed the Lakeshore trail to get back to the carpark. You can't technically go near the Lakeshore but you can still see the views. Perhaps the views would have been better anticlockwise even if it meant a steeper way down. Either way, amazing views! There's a café at the top. Plenty of parking anywhere near the start of the trail.

Spectacular views to be had on a 2ish hour walk. We did the walk counterclockwise, starting from the Tekapo Springs entrance, walking along the water and then up the hills to the observatory. Somewhat steep but doable for most people. At the peaks of the walk you can get views of the whole surrounding area.

Great hike. I enjoyed taking the short way up and looping out the longer way on the way back. I spent 30 minutes to the top and 1 hour doing the rest of the loop (1 hour 30m total). The reccomended time is 3 hours which for the average speed person I would say that is quite reasonable. The top and Longer side of the loop is out of the trees and exposed to the sun so of course come prepared for the weather and bring your water! Great view of the lake and lookout over town!

One of best place to enjoy good snow, amazing and unique scenery of Southern Alps and Lake Tekapo and very a well looked after snow. Great jumps, great beginners area also super steep advanced runs. Oh, and the best and highest hut style bar on top of the mountain and in the middle of nowhere! Just get a mulled hot wine with cinnamon and you'll forgot about everything...

Dusty drive in (30 mins) but brilliant for kids and families. Spectacular views of the mountains and Lake Tekapo. Staff very friendly.

It's a nice drive from Lake Tekapo to Roundhill. The views are amazing. We were not at the field for skiing but to just let our kids have some fun with snow. We only had to pay for the toboggans else no cost to park and just have some snow fun. There is ample car park space and the cafe is good to.

An amazing small skifield with some exceptional runs with what I'd say the best beginner slopes with a good long run to practice all the skills including control and speed, just amazing. The longer runs are great for beginners and have an amazing level of progression. All staff so happy to help and educate on how to use the t-bars and platter lifts (no chairlifts here) and I appreciated that greatly not being on one before. Not many people present which was great and can park right beside the field. Just so much smaller in complex and a very nice simple ski vibe compared to the bigger parks.

Family friendly, good for carving. Big and steep on pise. If the big rope tow is open, will be the best powder ski experience.

A great place for kids and family to learn to ski snowboard. Reasonable prices!! A couple of hours from Timaru by car. Bit more by bus 🚌. Friendly helpful staff and instructors. Warm sunny field. Highly recommend a visit 👌

Epic views and some amazing skiing on ungroomed snow down from the heritage express tee bar. A little on the expensive side costing the same as commercial fields (no student discount) but on a good day it's just as good a field.

We had a great time skiing and snowboarding at Roundhill! The views are amazing and the fields are great! We would love to be back next ski season for sure! ⛷️🏂☃️

HI, Just returned from 6 days skiing at Roundhill. Our thanks to your staff all of whom that we had contact with, were excellent. Bright, cheerful and helpful. The 2 x cafes are great, as is the parking, lift attendants and ticket office staff. The snow grooming was perfect for us and the international race team that were there added extra interest and colour. Keep up the good work as it makes skiing there a very enjoyable experience, with a lovely laid back atmosphere. We hope to be able to make it down there again next season.

Have been here skiing couple of times and me and we absolutely love it. Great way to get started if you have never been skiing before. There is a first timer pack which includes rental of ski gears, full day lift pass and 1.5 hours group lessons on basic skiing. We had instructor named Tessa (I think) who was very friendly patient and professional while instructing the group and felt like we got good hang of it by the end. I would strongly recommend doing a class if you haven't skied before. The Cafe up there has good options of food too. Only watch out is the driving up to the ski field road is uneven surface and gravel which is very slippery at all times - recommend you to take suv or 4wd. Otherwise a lot of fun and will be back for sure.

So under-rated for this place. In my opinion, this has the equivalent stunning view as the lake tekapo, but with much lesser crowd and has its own uniqueness and serenity. Do take note the road to the lake is not paved all the way, so you gotta drive slowly in your way in. It's good for sedan car to go in as it doesn't have potholes and unevenness to deal with.

Lake Alexandrina is a lake located in the Mackenzie Basin of New Zealand's South Island. It lies immediately to the west of the much larger Lake Tekapo and further to the east of Lake Pukaki, located to the north of Lake Tekapo township. If you are lucky, you can see kàmana birds here. They're only living SouIslandand now.

Serene and beautiful view, climbing on the near by hill will give you a great panoramic view of the lake and valley.

We went early in the morning to take a few photographs. The snow on the local mountains reflected in the lake. A beautiful scene indeed. The lake was beautiful. The mountains were beautiful. Well worth the trip.

At Mt John summit, you can see Lake Tekapo & Lake Alexandrina. Amazing view!

Very small lakeside settlement lovely views across the lake and mountains.

It's a short drive in to the lake and at one point, you can stop and admire the scenery. With a lot less people around, you will be able to soak in the whole scene and savor it slowly.

Once we got there it was worth the drive to see the Crested Grebe . Unfortunate about the road there's around 5km of corrugated metal road going over in car may not be so bad , but driving over in your house you can hear everything rattling and bouncing around .

About a 5 km walk. Path was unclear, we lost it at some point. Dead animals were on the side of the path, and the route was quite boring. Since there are so many other amazing and beautiful hikes in NZ, I would recommend to choose another one! :)

Loved it. Track well worn so cant get lost, ample parking although I wouldn't recommend taking a low vehicle into the car park

Easy walk with a beautiful view of the lake! Would not recommend going mid day as it gets hot

Boring, not worth it

(Translated by Google) Easy to achieve and make a circle walk in about 90 minutes around pine trees beside lake Tekapo. If you are nearby and can walk around, you don’t need to go out of your way to come. (Original) Easy to achieve and make a circle walk in about 90 minutes around pine trees beside lake Tekapo.如果就在附近可以來走走晃晃 是不需要很特地過來

(Translated by Google) I went there because I was disappointed that the Mount John Circuit track was short. Wow, it seems like there is no way, oh my god. There are a lot of animal corpses. There are deer running around, rabbits running around, and it feels a bit rough for people to come. It takes less than 30 minutes. It's ambiguous. It's true that you open the iron door ring and enter. (Original) 마운트 존 서킷 트랙이 짧아서 아쉬워 가봤습니다. 와 길이 있는듯 없는듯, 맙소사. 동물 사체가 많네요. 사슴도 뛰어다니고 토끼도 뛰어다니고 아무래도 사람이 오기엔 좀 거친 느낌입니다. 30분도 안 걸려요. 애매합니다. 철문 고리를 열고 들어가는 거 맞습니다.

(Translated by Google) Magnificent hike, easy and with a superb view of the lake! (Original) Magnifique randonnée, facile et au point de vue superbe sur les lac !