Soak up summer at the lakes
It’s hard to beat the top of the South Island at any time of the year, and that’s particularly true of the spectacular Nelson Lakes National Park,
One of New Zealand’s less-visited national parks is also one of the country’s most spectacular, with a loyal band of regulars visiting each summer to enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, and tramping.
Nelson Lakes National Park was established in 1956, and covers 1019 square kilometres.
The Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project covers about 50sqm of the park
Why go
Framing the dual attractions of Lake Rotoiti (small lake) and Lake Rotoroa (long lake), Nelson Lakes National Park offers a rugged alpine landscape of glaciated valleys, craggy mountain ranges, and the opportunity to negotiate long ridges offering 360-degree views of some of the South Island’s most spectacular terrain.
And with none of the country’s super popular Great Walks, Nelson Lakes National Park also tends to be less crowded than other alpine tramping regions throughout the country.
Classic multi-day tramps for fit and wellequipped trampers include the Lake Angelus track and the Travers-Sabine Circuit, with river flats, beech forests and alpine ridges all being negotiated to reach smaller, equally spectacular lakes.
Views from spidery Robert Ridge include Lake Angelus, and adding an extra day on to the Travers-Sabine Circuit to view Rotomairewhenua/ Blue Lake is also recommended. The lake is said to be the clearest freshwater lake on the planet.
Beyond Nelson Lakes’ multi-day tramps, day hikes around Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoroa are challenging but achievable, and water taxis are on tap to deliver visitors to other shorter and more accessible walks and hikes all around the park.
Kayaking, rowing and paddleboarding on the lakes are popular, and an option for all visitors is to secure a photo of the iconic jetty at Kerr Bay near the lake’s easy-going village of St Arnaud.
When to go
The warmer months, from November to April, is the best time to explore Nelson Lakes National Park, especially if you plan to tramp amid the alpine environment of the Travers-Sabine Circuit, Lake Angelus track and St Arnaud Range Track.
January to March usually offers the most settled weather. Note, it’s important to book well ahead for popular huts and campsites in the park during holiday periods.
What to do
Experiences in Nelson Lakes National Park range from day tramps for fit and energetic visitors to the challenging five-day adventure of the TraversSabine Circuit, and the two-day experience of the Lake Angelus Track.
There are also easier day walks around Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoroa. Download the Walks in Nelson Lakes National Park brochure from doc. govt.nz for comprehensive information on all the park’s walking and tramping options.
The Mt Robert Circuit (five hours return) is a challenging loop track, circumnavigating the northern face of Pourangahau/Mt Robert.
Climbing through beech forest, the track transitions to the tree line, and segues to a rugged and exposed landscape of alpine herbs and shrubs. Look forward to spectacular views of Lake Rotoiti.
Also taking about five hours, the St Arnaud Range Track begins and ends at Kerr Bay on the eastern side of Lake Rotoiti, just a short walk from accommodation in St Arnaud.
Following a steep ascent through beech forest and alpine terrain, there are superb views from the top of the range across glaciated valleys and lakes.
For maximum safety, these day tramps should only be undertaken in fine weather. In misty or rainy weather, there will be nothing to see anyway.
There are more accessible and shorter day walks around Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoroa.
Departing from Kerr Bay near St Arnaud, the Loop Track (90 minutes) traverses an area being reinvigorated by native flora and fauna and the excellent work of the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project, and the Brunner Peninsula Nature Walk (one hour) leaves from the lake’s western side to twice cross the Alpine Fault. En route, information panels showcase the history of the area.
From Lake Rotoroa, accessible by water taxi or via road from State Highway 6, the gentle ramble of the Rotoroa Nature Walk (30 minutes) includes a variety of vegetation, including soaring beechpodocarp forest, climbing vines, and ferns and mosses.
Lake Rotoroa’s Braeburn Walk (two hours) is rich in birdlife and features a waterfall.
For lake transport to many trailheads and locations, contact Rotoiti Water Taxis and Lake Rotoroa Water Taxi. Kayaks, canoes and rowboats are also hired out by Rotoiti Water Taxis.
Accommodation
Bookings during the summer and on key holiday weekends are required for the most popular huts and campsites in the Nelson Lakes National Park, especially the Kerr Bay and West Bay campsites. Check availability online at doc.govt.nz, especially if you’re keen on staying at the Angelus Hut – voted New Zealand’s Hut of the Year in 2017 by readers of Wilderness magazine – or travelling with a campervan or caravan and looking to camp near the lakes.
Popular accommodation around St Arnaud includes Nelson Lakes Motels and Travers-Sabine Lodge, a good-value combination of hostel and motel owned by keen and knowledgeable trampers, just a short walk from Lake Rotoiti.
St Arnaud House is a welcoming three-room bed and breakfast, and options at the timber-clad Alpine Lodge include apartments, family rooms and backpacker dorms. There’s also a good onsite bar and restaurant open daily from November to April, and Wednesday to Sunday, May to October.
At the lake’s northern tip, Lake Rotoroa Lodge was built in the 1920s, and is now a luxury base for fly-fishing and hunting.
Location
The village of St Arnaud is the relaxed lakeside base for exploring Nelson Lakes National Park.
From St Arnaud, it’s a drive of around an hour north to Nelson, and around an hour and 15 minutes through the vineyards of the Wairau River valley to Blenheim.
Air New Zealand flies from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to Nelson, and from Auckland and Wellington to Blenheim. Sounds Air flies from Wellington and Paraparaumu to Nelson.
Gateway town
In Nelson, MD Outdoors has a good range of camping, tramping and outdoor gear, including freeze-dried, camping-ready curries and chilli.
For fresh supplies, head to FreshChoice supermarket on Collingwood St.
Highlights of Nelson’s great eating and drinking scene include Asian-inspired street food at Harry’s Hawker House and Tasman beers at The Free House. Ask if anything from Townshend Brewery or Hop Federation is on tap.
The bohemian courtyard at DeVille is good for coffee and brunch, and it also has occasional evening live gigs.
In Murchison, just 45 minutes west of
St Arnaud, Zen’s Kitchen has tasty ciabatta burgers, often with an organic and vegan spin, from a funky repurposed retro caravan, and there’s also backpackers, holiday park and motel accommodation. If you’re staying in St Arnaud, there’s good coffee and a concise cafe menu at the St Arnaud Alpine Store.