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THE LOCATION: Home At First guests are surprised at the stark beauty of Mackenzie Country with its great mountains, turquoise glacial lakes, and seemingly endless miles of arid pasture land. Visitors are also surprised at how few and far between are any pockets of civilization. The small town of Lake Tekapo is one of only a handful of towns found in the region, and, despite having only about 300 permanent residents, Lake Tekapo is a major population center in this, the remote outback of New Zealand. Happily, Lake Tekapo town is midway between Queenstown and Christchurch—about 3 hours drive from each—and about 75 minutes drive southeast of Mt. Cook. Many travelers attempt to cover Mackenzie Country by passing through without stopping. They see a fair amount, but experience little of the extraordinary beauty that comes to this region at sun-up, sundown, |
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and at night. Such is the amazing blanket of stars over Lake Tekapo that the town is under consideration as a UNESCO night sky preserve and as New Zealand's first night sky national park. Moreover, those only hurrying through on the main Route 8 miss the chance to walk in the Hooker Valley at the foot of the great monolith of Mt. Cook, miss the climb up Mt. John for sunrise on the Southern Alps, miss the opportunity to catch a record trout from a pristine, glacial fed mountain stream, miss the sense of loneliness one gets when following a |
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single-track road deep into a side valley of Mackenzie Country across tens of thousands of acres of a one-family sheep station. In short, staying at least one night in Mackenzie Country—in the virtual center of New Zealand's South Island—puts visitors in touch with some of the primal characteristics of New Zealand: the stark, lonely beauty of the vast, remote high plains and alpine valleys of the eastern rain shadow of the Southern Alps. To know this place permits a glimpse of the mindset necessary for all New Zealanders to justify making their homes in a land far away from the rest of the world. |
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THE ACCOMMODATIONS:
Tekapo House is a small, personal, family-operated bed and breakfast. It
offers three guest rooms: two with queen-sized double beds and private
bathrooms, and one with twin beds and ensuite bathroom. A large guest
lounge (TV, games, overstuffed chairs and sofas) opens onto a large
verandah with expansive views |
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THE HOSTING:
The owner/hosts at Tekapo House, Grant and Rosemary, are unabashedly
proud of their home region,
Mackenzie Country,
and are eager that their guests experience some of the best the region
has to offer during their short visits. Rosemary oversees the operations
at Tekapo House including seeing to the production of a delicious
breakfast each morning. |
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turns to outdoor recreation—especially fishing—Grant has been known to lead the discussion with stories of personal adventures in pursuit of record trout in nearby streams. Grant's passion for fishing is one reason that he has settled and raised his family in Mackenzie Country. He is a licensed fishing guide, and can be hired to guide—and outfit—fishing excursions to the region's back country rivers and streams from half-day trips to three days and longer. Guests interested in organized fishing during their visits to Mackenzie Country should arrange their fishing adventures through Home |
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At First in advance. |
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ACTIVITIES: In addition to fishing and exploring the Mackenzie Country region by car, visitors enjoy walking any of the several trails starting from the town of Lake Tekapo, leading along the lake shore, and traversing the slopes of Mt. John. Hikers looking for alpine walking will find it in the Hooker Valley at the foot of Mt. Cook. Scenic flights into the Southern Alps are available from Lake Tekapo's airport. Amazing clear sky stargazing—among the best in the Southern Hemisphere—is easy and from the observatories at Mt. John just above Lake Tekapo. Also available close by are organized horse treks, mountain bike adventures, and whitewater |
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kayaking. Shoppers and eaters will find the stores and restaurants of Lake Tekapo worth visiting, too. |
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AVAILABILITY: For current
availability information, call
Home
At First at
(800) 523-5842, |
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Learn more about HOME AT FIRST's travel program to: NEW ZEALAND. |
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HOME AT FIRST IS
A DESIGNATED "KIWI SPECIALIST" |