Deep within the wild heart of Nelson Lakes National Park on the South Island of New Zealand, Blue Lake is a freshwater lake like no other. Flanked by tall mountain peaks and ancient forests, this remote alpine sanctuary is home to a wide array of native wildlife, flowers, and plants; attracting nature lovers, photographers, and travelers looking for their own highland paradise to explore.
Also known as Rotomairewhenua, a name which means ‘the lake of peaceful lands’ in the local dialect, Blue Lake is a sacred site for the Maori people – because of its spectacular location and the absolute purity of its waters. For countless generations the indigenous Maori performed sacred rituals beside the lake, such as cleansing the bones of their ancestors in the pure waters of Blue Lake.
The Maori believed that by washing the bones of their ancestors they would release the spirits of the dead, allowing them to start their journey into the afterlife. And it is from these rituals that the lake originally got its name, ‘the lake of peaceful lands’, indicating that the pure waters of the lake acted as a gateway into the peaceful lands of the afterlife, or ‘Hawaiki’ in the local dialect.
Scientific studies of the lake’s waters have shown that they are, indeed, the clearest freshwaters ever measured, rivalling distilled water in a laboratory setting! From a non-scientific perspective, peering into the waters of the lake can only be compared to looking through ‘liquid air’, and leaves photographers and tourists awestruck at this beacon of natural beauty in New Zealand’s Tasman region.
The Blue Lake is one of nature’s best kept secrets but the surrounding region is also a gold mine of special experiences for visiting tourists. Fun packed day trips, boat rides, and countless hiking trails all await your arrival in the Nelson Lakes National Park.
How Do You Get To Blue Lake, New Zealand?
To get to Blue Lake you’ll need to fly into one of New Zealand’s major airports, such as Auckland International Airport (AKL), Wellington International Airport (WLG), or Christchurch International Airport (CHC). You can catch a flight to New Zealand from any major global transport hub, with flights from Japan taking around 11 hours, from New York around 17 to 18 hours, and from London about 25 hours. Once you’ve touched down in New Zealand, you’ll need to catch a domestic flight to Nelson International Airport (NSN), the nearest city to the Nelson Lakes National Park. You can stay in the beautiful seaside city of Nelson for a few days and enjoy the sites, or head straight onwards to start your trek to the Blue Lake.
The coastal city of Nelson is the ideal place to base yourself during your explorations of the area. You can join a guided tour to visit the Blue Lake, or, if you prefer, you can plan your own hike to the lake. If you decide to trek to Blue Lake without a guide, then you may want to stay in the alpine village of St Arnauld – the closest village to the starting point of the hike.
If you decide to travel onwards to St Arnauld, you’ll need to rent a car in Nelson and then drive to St Arnauld in the national park. The drive from Nelson to St Arnauld is about 1.5 hours, and takes you through 80 km of inspirational scenery. Once you reach St Arnauld, you can pick up any supplies you need and prepare for your hike. There’s also good accommodation and other facilities in the town, so it serves as an excellent base camp for your expedition to the Blue Lake.
It’s worth noting that because the Blue Lake is still considered to be a sacred site, you can only access it on foot. This means that you’ll have to be reasonably fit to handle the trek to and from the lake.
What’s the Best Time to Visit Blue Lake, New Zealand?
The ideal time to visit Blue Lake is during New Zealand’s summer season, between December and February. In practical terms, this is the only time of the year when you can safely visit the Blue Lake because the weather is warm and the daylight hours are significantly extended, giving more time to set up camp in the evening.
During the winter in the mountains of New Zealand the weather is extremely difficult – with flash storms and strong winds, as well as heavy snow falls that make the trails around Blue Lake almost impassable. Even during the spring and autumn months the weather can often be too unpredictable to make it worth visiting for international tourists.
It’s worth noting, that due to the weather, the summer season is New Zealand’s peak hiking season, so you should definitely book your accommodation in advance, particularly in January which coincides with local school holidays.
Things to Do Near Blue Lake and Nelson Lakes National Park
Tavers Sabine 5 Day Gourmet Trek including Blue Lake
Led by a professional guide, this exciting 5 day trek takes you through some of New Zealand’s most beautiful ancient forests, glacial sprees and alpine lakes. During the first few days you’ll scale the famous Travers Saddle, with a peak of around 1800 meters, to enjoy awe inspiring views across the Travers and Sabine Valleys. And then, on the 4th day, you’ll visit Blue Lake, before the final leg of your hike on day 5.
This is a pretty challenging trek but the views more than make up for any aches and pains you might feel along the way! The trip to Blue Lake, on day 4, is optional, so remember to mention that you want to visit the Blue Lake when you’re making the booking for your trip. All of your meals are cooked for you by the guide, who also carries most of the heavy food and equipment. This means that you can trek with a relatively light pack and rest while your food is being prepared for you.
The pickup and drop off for the 5 day tour is in Nelson, but if you’re staying in St Arnauld you should be able to arrange a pickup there instead, as long as you arrange this in advance. You can find out all about the guided trek, and book your places, at the official Southern Wilderness website, here.
5 Day Self Guided Trek to the Blue Lake After Catching a Water Taxi Across Lake Rotoroa
If you’ve decided to trek to Blue Lake without a guide, you’ll need to drive to St Arnauld, and then park near the Lake Rotoroa water taxi terminals. The trek to the Blue Lake is about 9 hours each way but most people chose to break up the hike by staying overnight in the Department of Conservation huts along the way. This will give you the chance to absorb the scenery and recover your strength before the next day’s hike!
The huts along the route are very basic and only contain beds, a fireplace, and toilets – so you’ll need to bring a warm sleeping bag and other camping equipment with you. Just remember that you have to book your stays in the huts in advance from the Department of Conservation.
All of the hiking trails are well marked with bright orange triangles but you should still bring a map and compass to be on the safe side. To help you plan your expedition, here’s a quick overview of your trek to the Blue Lake and back:
Day 1: Take the boat across Lake Rotoroa and then hike about 6–7 hours to the West Sabine Huts (stay overnight).
Day 2: Hike 3–4 hours to the Blue Lake Huts, and then spend the night near Blue Lake.
Day 3: Rest and explore the area around the Blue Lake, and then overnight again at the Blue Lake Huts.
Day 4: Hike back 3–4 hours to the West Sabine Huts, and stay overnight before your final day.
Day 5: Hike 6–7 hours back to the Sabine Jetty, and then catch your boat ride back to the start of your circular route.
You can find out more about catching the water taxi across Rotoroa Lake and view detailed maps of the trails, on the official website, here.
Walking Tour of Nelson with Expert Local Guide
This relaxed walking tour of Nelson is the ideal way to see all the top sites, get your bearings, and learn about the city’s heritage from your experienced local guide. During the tour you’ll visit the magnificent Queen’s Gardens, the Suter Gallery, and the Nelson cathedral, as well as learn about daily life in the city and its unique heritage.
The tour starts and ends at Millers Acre Car Park, on the corner of Trafalgar Street and Halifax Street East. Your guide will be wearing a bright blue shirt and hat so you can’t miss them! You can book your place on the walking tour of Nelson, here.
Guided Day Trip of Abel Tasman National Park and Golden Bay – including Boat Cruise of Abel Tasman National Park Coastline
With pickup and drops from your hotel in Nelson, this full day guided tour starts out with a scenic drive across the Waimea Plains and the Moutere Hills to Kaiteriteri. From here, you’ll jump on board a boat to enjoy an ocean cruise along the picturesque coastline of the Abel Tasman National Park. You’ll be able to take in the panoramic coastal scenery and spot colonies of seals resting in the sunshine.
You’ll then disembark at Totaranui and explore the sub-tropical rainforests and pristine beaches of the national park. For lunch you’ll either have a gourmet picnic or eat in a local cafe, before heading back to Nelson via Takaka Hill – a unique granite and marble geological formation.
You can find out more about this lovely 1 Day Tour of Abel Tasman National Park and the Golden Bay, or reserve your tickets, here.
Stay at the Harborside Lodge in Nelson
There’s no better place to call your home from home in Nelson than the Harborside Lodge, the city’s only waterfront marina hotel. The perfect place to rest and recuperate during your visit to the region, the Harborside Lodge has excellent facilities, an ideal city center location, and offers guests a delicious complementary continental buffet breakfast each morning.
There’s a good selection of rooms, each of which has air conditioning, an ensuite with a walk-in shower and complimentary toiletries, tea and coffee making facilities, flat screen TV and free Netflix, ultra-fast Wifi, refrigerator, and a microwave. You can also order an early morning wake-up call and have daily access to the reception where you can book tours or get help arranging your onward travel.
With competitive rates for the rooms, great staff and a friendly service, you can book your room or find out more about the Nelson Lodge at the official website, here.
