Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd
Not far from Mount Cook is Lake Tekapo. One of the most common questions regarding Lake Tekapo and other lakes from this region is: “Is it really that blue?” Well, the short answer is yes! I could give you a more detailed and scientific explanation involving fine rock particles and glaciers; however, sometimes it’s nice to not question things too much and simply accept them for what they are.
Mount Cook & Lake Pukaki
High on Mount Cook, in the cold, early hours of Saturday 3rd December 1910, Australian mountaineer Freda du Faur and her companions Peter and Alec Graham started their final ascent on the summit.
Born and raised in Sydney, Freda taught herself to rock climb and pursued it with a passion. In 1906, at the age of 24, she summered in New Zealand and after seeing images of Mount Cook became determined to climb it. She then spent the years between 1908 and 1910 preparing for her ascent on the peak. So, on Saturday 3rd December 1910, accompanied with two companions, Freda du Faur became the first woman to successfully climb Mount Cook.
Omarama Clay Cliff – Buy
It’s not often you can say you’re standing in front of something that was formed 20 million years ago but that’s just what the Clay Cliffs near Omarama are. The pinnacles and ridges were formed from layers of gravel and silt that came from ancient rivers, lakes and glaciers. The layers were compressed and pushed up by a fault-line. As this happened, the rock was eroded by wind and rain, creating deep ravines and high pinnacles.