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Lake Te Anau, Te Anau

4.6

#4 of 52 in Parks in Southland Region

Water Body Nature / Park

• ©

The largest body of water on South Island, Lake Te Anau boasts lush surroundings, plenty of aquatic activities, and a series of grand fjords. Carved out by glaciers millions of years ago, the lake features impressive mountain vistas and lies almost entirely within a national park. Hop aboard a kayak or boat tour from a local operator to explore from the water's surface, or hit one of the many surrounding trails through the lake's vast wilderness. Keep your eyes peeled and you may even glimpse the critically endangered takahe, a local flightless bird species. Work out when and for how long to visit Lake Te Anau and other Te Anau attractions using our handy Te Anau trip planner .

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Lake Te Anau Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

912 reviews

Google

4.5

facebook

4.5

435 likes

• By PJ777

  Lovely lak& even a seaplane if you're feeling flush!e with amazing backdrop of mountains, some great boat trips available  more »

• By hasanayn114

  This lake is on par with Lake Wakatipu blue pristine waters overlooking snow capped mountains. The depth is about 320m.  more »

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Google

• By Daniel Booth

  Such a beautiful view all around the lake. Glow Worm caves on the lake is a must! Please bring windproof jackets as on the boats, the wind is a killer. If you are lucky your captain will tell you about the history of the lake which is also amazing. Have fun!

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• By Chuck L

  Fantastic lake, my mates and I spent a couple of days kayaking up the North Fiord. Can get quite choppy and windy, be prepared for the afternoon wind. Our Eco-Tandem sea kayaks handled perfectly, however I imagine if you were in a Tasman or Penguin it could get a bit tippy. The North Fiord is beautiful, the scenery is better than most other fresh water kayaking locations around NZ. LOTS of sandflies on shore!!!!! The other major down fall is that I forgot my flyfishing rod! (LOL) Lots of rainbow trouts in the sunny shallows in the upper northern parts

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