TRIP 17 Geraldine to Ōmarama
TRIP 17
a journey through
Aoraki
Geraldine to Lake Tekapō Via SH 79 & SH 8 1hr 7min, 88.6km
SIDE TRIP
Lake Tekapō to Twizel Via SH 8 38min, 57.2km Twizel to Aoraki Mt Cook via SH 80 48min, 65.1km
Twizel to Ōmarama via SH 8 20min, 30km
150 | M U S T D O ’ S • CA N T E RB URY
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Night sky over Red Tarns © Lee Cook
he Mackenzie Basin straddles the Mackenzie and Waitaki districts; it’s a seasonal chameleon, adopting the vibrant hues of each season, with snow blanketing the mountains in winter and flowers doing the same, but to the meadows in summer. Leaving Geraldine, head inland on SH 79 and SH 8 to Lake Tekapō, famous for its starlit night sky, then on to Twizel, the largest town in the Mackenzie District. This historic hydro-town is an adventure playground with lakes, rivers, picturesque canals, and great snow action nearby. Ōmarama comes next, at the southern end of the Mackenzie Basin. Ōmarama translates to ‘Place of Light’ in English, an endearing reference to its pure and clear sky, a glider’s idea of heaven.
