While you are in Tekapo, take time out to go up Mount John, the location of the University of Canterbury Observatory. It is on the south side of the Lake, and the 360-degree views of the lake, mountains, and MacKenzie Basin are fantastic. There is also a good cafe at the top.
You can hike up from the south end of Lake Tekapo. This is a one-hour and 300-metre climb, steep in places. Or drive up if you are in a hurry. There is a modest toll to access the road, and opening times vary. Make sure you check before you head up in the afternoon, as they lock the gate.
To get to the access road, drive west on State Highway 8 out of Tekapo for a few kilometres, then turn right onto Godley Peaks Road. Mt John is on your right; keep going until you see the entrance.
