Hello to anybody from the Mackenzie Highlands! Our morning trip led us on State Highway 1 (SH1) over Ashburton to Geraldine and Fairlie (on SH79). Here the landscape changes dramatically from narrow mountain slopes to open space of the Mackenzie Country.
A popular first stop on a tour in the southern alps is Lake Tekapo. You have pitoresque views over the turquoise waters with hills and the snow capped mountains in the background.
Beside the lake the small but beautiful Church of Good Shepard was build in 1935. I don't have an photo, but drop by anyway. It's worth it - if you can stand heaps of (japanese) tourists. :-)
Approaching the higher slopes around Mt Cook brings impressive glaciers in view. They have generally been retreating over the last past 100 years.
Mt Cook in its full beauty. At the bottom you see the debris left back when a glacier withdraws. In its last major advance 17,000 years ago the Tasman glacier left back lake Pukaki.
The environment is not as rough as expected. The track is easy and well prepared, even sandals would fit as hiking equipment. The slopes are very flat and it's an easy walk.
On the way down to the high plains of the Mackenzie Country you can catch a beautiful look onto the hills in sunset. In the reddish sun they appear as made from copper.