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The locals

Getting the best up-to-date info

Destination Fiordland has a wide range of information on the Te Anau area and probably the best place to find out all you want to know in depth.

Destination Fiordland

Te Anau, Fiordland

Te Anau is known as the gateway to Fiordland and visitors to the area never fail to be impressed by the majestic Fiordland mountains standing guard on the western shoreline of Lake Te Anau. It's not difficult to see why Fiordland National Park has attained World Heritage status and has been voted as the top destination in the world in a recent survey.

PLEASE NOTE the following prices relate to the 2009 event so services and amounts may change for this year's event. Please check again later in the year for any deals or promotions that might be happening.

Getting here

For those first time kepler challenge or Luxmore Grunt runners, the scenic lakeside town of Te Anau is approximately a two hour drive from both Queenstown and Invercargill.

From Invercargill

The Invercargill Airport has domestic flight connections with all main centres in New Zealand. There are two main highways that link Invercargill with Te Anau, and a multitude of secondary roads. The southern scenic route follows the coastline for much of the journey before heading inland or alternatively, SH 94 heads north towards Winton.

Driving times are as follows:

To Te Anau via SH 94 - 2hrs

To Te Anau via Southern Scenic Route - 3 hours

Intercity (via Gore) and Southern Scenic Shuttle (via Scenic Route) provide bus services to Te Anau.

From Dunedin

Dunedin Airport also has domestic flight connections with most main centres in New Zealand. The main driving route between Dunedin and Te Anau is SH 1; this travels inland across rural hinterland that takes in townships Balclutha, Gore, Lumsden and Mossburn.

The travelling time for this journey is approximately 4 hours.

Intercity provides bus services from Dunedin to Te Anau.

From Queenstown

If you're travelling from Queenstown, the driving time from Queenstown to Te Anau is approximately 2 hours. This does not allow for stops. It is a winding road for much of the journey (especially at the Devil's Staircase along the shores of Lake Wakatipu), and there is not much opportunity to overtake slower vehicles.

This is a great drive, with lake and mountain views giving way to farmland and mountains as you approach the Te Anau Basin.

The following companies provide bus services to Te Anau from Queenstown: Intercity, Topline Tours, Tracknet, Eco Tours, Great Sights, Atomic Shuttle, Real Journeys and Milford Select.

 

Accommodation

Te Anau has a great range of accommodation to suit all budgets, varying from Backpackers right through to Luxury Lodges.

Backpackers accommodation starts at about $25 and a motel unit can set you back from $120 - $350. Te Anau has four Holiday Parks and prices start at around $60 for a standard cabin.

We recommend Distinction Te Anau or the Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park as your first choice of accommodation in Te Anau. Wherever you stay, you won't be too far away from those stunning lake and mountain views.

The main hotels in town are Distinction Luxmore (town centre) and Distinction Te Anau (lakefront). Fiordland Hotel/Motel is on the main road as you drive into town from Mossburn and Kingsgate Hotel Te Anau is located along the lakefront as you drive in from the southern scenic route. A standard room rate starts at about $100 to $170.

Accommodation is filling up fast so don't delay too long before booking.

 

Doing stuff

As the gateway to Fiordland, there are lots of things to keep you active while you're in Te Anau. Most of you won't be keen to do the Kepler Track too soon after the event!  but there are lots of other options for walks in the area. The Circle Track is an attractive day walk from Manapouri's Pearl Harbour and this track also accesses Mt Titiroa to the south of Te Anau and Manapouri.
 
The Milford Track departure point is from Te Anau Downs, about 20 minutes from Te Anau on the Milford Road and the Routeburn Track is accessed from the Divide, just over an hour from Te Anau on the Milford Road.
 
The Milford Road, described as a destination in itself, provides endless opportunities for short walks or longer ones such as the Gertrude Valley, near the Homer Tunnel. The towering walls of the Cleddau Valley and Milford Sound are a treat for the senses and a cruise around this magnificent fiord is never a disappointment no matter what the weather.

 

Things To Do

In and around Te Anau itself, there are lots of activities to suit everyone whether you're want to be active or just chill out.

From the Air

To make the most of the stunning scenery surrounding the Te Anau Basin, you can take a scenic flight with one of several operators. Wings and Water operate a floatplane from the lakefront in Te Anau and Southern Lakes Helicopters also offer scenic flights from their lakefront helipad.

Local helicopter pilot Kim Hollows spent a long time capturing footage of Fiordland National Park in all weathers and seasons and the end result is Ata Whenua - Shadowlands. Fiordland Cinema was created to show this cinematic feast for the senses and is a must for any visitor to Te Anau and Fiordland. Fiordland Helicopters advertises scenic Atawhenua flights for a chance to experience it all yourself - these can be booked at the cinema in the town centre.

On the Water

If sightseeing on the water is more your style, then why not take a leisurely cruise on Lake Te Anau. Cruise Te Anau offers day or overnight cruises while Real Journeys provide a high quality interpretation experience to the Glow Worm Caves on the western shore of Te Anau. Both operators are based on the Te Anau lakefront.

Luxmore Jet

A pinch of adrenalin and a heap of natural beauty makes this "the best jetboat ride ever". Journey deep into Fiordland National Park, a World Heritage Area where unspoilt scenery and crystal clear water will amaze as you travel down the Upper Waiau River which flows between lake Te Anau and beautiful Lake Manapouri. Pick ups and drops offs from Te Anau.

On the Land

Horsetrekking

High Ride Horse Treks offer a truly enjoyable experience through Te Anau's Scenic countryside. It includes a river crossing and riding along the well-known Whitestone River. Panoramic views of the Te Anau surround you as you trek through picturesque farmland. A variety of horses are available to suit all levels of experience with trained guides to provide tuition when needed. Riding Helmets are provided but riders are advised to wear sturdy shoes and long trousers

High Ride also offer quad biking trips and paintball. Located on Wilderness Rd, approximately 20kms before Te Anau on the Mossburn Te Anau HWY.

Enjoy the majestic views of Lake Te Anau, the surrounding landscape and mountains as you horseride through a working farm. Westray Horsetreks can cater for all levels of riding experience and for one rider or larger groups, with a maximum number per group is 10.

Flexible departure times, up to 4 times per day. Trip duration is 2 hours (can roll on longer) - this includes pick-up and drop off from Te Anau. Located on Ramparts Rd, just a few kms from Te Anau.

Other Family Activities

Te Anau Mini Golf

If you've got the kids in tow, you might just prefer to have a fun day in town and spend some time at Te Anau Mini Golf. This is a fun family place with lots of activities like18 hole mini-golf course, quadricycles, bikes, tandems, electric scooters and child bike seats for hire. Located on Mokonui Street just back from the lakefront near the town centre.

Night Sky Viewing

If you're into astronomy and fancy a fascinating night out with a great guide, contact Richard Parkinson on 0508 COSMOS (267 667). Richard provides a great opportunity to see the night sky without interference from big city lights. Binoculars and telescope are used and groups are kept small to provide a quality experience for all. He also has New Zealands FIRST movable stardome... an interactive interstellar wonder.

If you would like more information on any of these activities and more, you can check out www.destinationfiordland.org.nz for contact details.