The Insider's Guide to New Zealand

Tekapo Springs

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Tekapo Springs

They serve Forks River spring water three ways at Tekapo Springs. The first pour of pure alpine H²0 ends up in a suite of outdoor hot pools shaped like the local lakes: Tekapo, Ōhau and Pūkaki. It's good and toasty at a muscle-soothing 38°C degrees. In the winter, this water offers a delicious disconnect: a warm body when looking at the snow-smothered Two Thumb mountain range.

Water serving No2 is for the water-frisky at the cooler pool and Aquaplay area. Those keen to submit their stomachs to some gravitatio­nal bullying will relish the Aqua Drop — a 150m downhill waterslide, the longest of its kind in New Zealand (open December to February).

The third helping of Forks River spring water is of the frozen variety — Karl Burtscher's favourite kind and the very reason he bought the land with its existing ice rink. A keen skier, ice-skater and hockey player, Karl wanted to upgrade the old arena and rekindle the region's long-time love of chilly outdoor pursuits (Tekapo was home to New Zealand's first ice rinks back in 1935). His hunch was correct: within the first three months of opening in 2007, the new internatio­nal-sized rink had 12,000 visitors and quickly became the frozen heart of the Tekapo community — the locals love their ice hockey, figure skating and curling.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE: Tekapo Springs also has a snow-tube park (open June to mid-September) a day spa, steam and sauna rooms, Jumpernaut (inflatable high-jinks area), stargazing experience­s and café. Consider something missing from that impressive­ly long list? Chances are the entreprene­urial force that is Karl Burtscher has probably already made plans to add it.

6 Lakeside Drive, Lake Tekapo. (03) 680 6550, tekapospri­ngs.co.nz

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