Lake Tekapo (town)

Lake Tekapo Māori: Takapō
Rural settlement
Coordinates: 44°00′14″S 170°28′37″E / 44.004°S 170.477°E / -44.004; 170.477
Country	New Zealand
Region	Canterbury
Territorial authority	Mackenzie District
Ward	Tekapo Ward
Community	Tekapo Community
Electorates	Waitaki Te Tai Tonga (Māori)
Government
• Territorial authority	Mackenzie District Council
• Regional council	Environment Canterbury
• Mayor of Mackenzie	Anne Munro
• Waitaki MP	Miles Anderson
• Te Tai Tonga MP	Tākuta Ferris
Area [1]
• Total	4.19 km2 (1.62 sq mi)
Population  (June 2024)[2]
• Total	750
• Density	180/km2 (460/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	7999

Lake Tekapo (often known simply as Tekapo (Māori: Takapō) to avoid confusion with the lake itself) is a small township located at the southern end of the lake of the same name in the inland South Island of New Zealand. It had 558 residents according to the 2018 census, being one of five settlements in the sparsely populated Mackenzie Basin.^[3]

State Highway 8 runs directly through the township – 227 kilometres (141 mi) from Christchurch and 256 kilometres (159 mi) from Queenstown. Daily shuttle services link Lake Tekapo to Christchurch and Queenstown. The lake is a popular tourist destination, and several resort hotels are located at the township. Lake Tekapo Airport is located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) west of the town where local tourism operator Air Safaris is based. Twizel lies 60 km (39 minutes drive) south of Lake Tekapo via Lake Pukaki and Burkes Pass lies 21 km (15 minutes drive) west along State Highway 8.