The southern skies above Mackenzie Country are known the world over for their clarity and excellent stargazing, and now the combination of stargazing tours and hot pools at Tekapo Springs have put the tiny township of Tekapo firmly on the map. The stargazing tours followed on from a multi-million-dollar investment into two new pools and an aqua play area at the complex, bringing the total number of pools to five.
The tours consist of a 40 minute guided night sky tour with trained star guides followed by a 40 minute soak in the hot pools, where guides will continue to give information, answer questions and ‘story tell’ on request. There are also three powerful telescopes in the pool, allowing guests to get closer to the stars and planets.
Tekapo Springs owner Karl Burtscher said Tekapo Star Gazing had been “extremely well received” by international and domestic visitors, proving that the combination of the top two attractions in Tekapo was a winner. “Developing a product that marries our beautiful Southern night sky with a visit to the relaxing hot pools makes for an exceptional experience.”
Tekapo sits firmly within the world’s largest international dark sky reserve (4144sq km), one of only four worldwide.
