The Beautiful Lake Tekapo Lupins: the purple flowers of New Zealand
The Lake Tekapo Lupins is arguably the prettiest spot in all of South Island. When they’re in bloom, of course.
New Zealand has become famous for the pastel ice cream coloured lupin flowers that bloom once a year in summer, around December: the infamous Lupins Lake Tekapo.
Lake Tekapo sits in the Mackenzie Basin about halfway between Christchurch and Queenstown and is a stunningly beautiful place to stop at.
And of course, the lupins bloom right on the shores of Lake Tekapo. Here’s a quick guide where to find these beautiful purple flowers.
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Quick Mini Guide To tekapo
Don’t have a lot of time? Here’s a quick mini guide to Tekapo.
Where to stay
- Peppers Bluewater Resort
- Grand Suites Tekapo
- Budget Tekapo: Lake’s Edge Holiday Parks
Top sights
- Hot pools!
- Stargazing in the dark sky reserve or Mount John observatory
- The stunning blue lake itself
- Book an air safari to see Mt Cook from above
- Go offroading
How to get there
Stay connected
Purchase an eSim with Airalo on your phone – Use discount code A&M3 for $3 off your first purchase.
If you’re in Tekapo, don’t miss:
- Things to do in Tekapo
- Tekapo Hot Springs
- Stargazing in Tekapo
- Lake Tekapo Lupins
- New Zealand Flower fields
- Lake Pukaki viewing point
- Lake Tekapo from Queenstown Road Trip
- Lake Tekapo to Mt Cook
- Camping in Lake Tekapo & Central Otago
Wondering what else you should do in South Island New Zealand? Have a look at my nearby New Zealand travel guides guides on :
Amazing Glamping spots in South Island
Lake Pukaki view point of Mount Cook
Are there dangerous animals in New Zealand?
Best activities & tours on South Island
Here are some of the best New Zealand South Island tours! I always compare tours on Viator and Get Your Guide to check prices and different tour availability.
| Jet Boat & Wilderness experience – If you’re after an adrenaline experience then this is for you! Milford Sound Cruises – The best way to see the unofficial 8th wonder of the world. Franz Josef Glacier tours – one of the most iconic, stunning, incredible things to experience in South Island! Glenorchy & Paradise half day tour – if you’re after some beautiful sight seeing this is for you! Glow worm caves – Dont miss the iconic glow worm caves in South Island! Scenic Flights – One of the most iconic experiences in all of South Island, New Zealand. |
Lake Tekapo Lupins
There are actually TWO locations (or more) for lupins in Tekapo. One is right next to the church in the town centre, and the other is down by the peninsular. Have a look at the Map below for both locations.
Thankfully, the town of Tekapo is not too big and it’s quite easy to find the pastel coloured lupins that flower here every year.
One of the iconic, famous things to see is the Lake Tekapo Church.
After you’ve had a stroll around in the church, head round the back towards the lake edge. There you’ll find the lupins in bloom! Beautiful pinks, purples and blues all shrouded around the lakes edge, with glorious cyan blue water and mountains in the background.
If you’re in Tekapo, don’t miss:
It’s a sight quite like nothing else.
Believe it or not, Lupin flowers are not actually a native plant to New Zealand; they are considered a foreign weed or pest plant, but as far as weeds or pest plants go… these are secretly favoured for their beauty amongst the NZ countryside.
You’ll notice lupins lining a lot of the roads and highways as you drive, it’s quite pretty!
Best hotels at Lake Tekapo
There are a tonne of really beautiful hotels right on the waterfront OR overlooking the lake (it’s not hard to miss the view; it’s pretty stunning!).
Have a look at the Peppers Bluewater Resort – floor to ceiling windows for your viewing pleasure!
Lake Tekapo Lupins location & Map
You can find the most notorious lupins here but there are actually TWO places you can see lupins in Tekapo, have a look at the Google Maps below and save it for reference so you know exactly where to go!
Spot 1 – the most famous spot by the church
Spot 2 – on the peninsular
You can find this bad boy of lupin flowers by the peninsular!
When are the lupin flowers in bloom?
The lupin flowers bloom here every December, but it tends to depend on the weather, the amount of sunlight the area has received and of course the rainfall.
Lupin season is usually around Mid December through to Early January. You can see them bloom in November too, and see some into February too depending on the weather.
The best way to check to see if the lupin flowers are in bloom (if you are not already in the area) is to check the ‘recents’ tab on Instagram to see what people have been uploading in Tekapo in the last 24-48 hours as this is usually a good indication.
Bear in mind that if you’re a few weeks early or a few weeks late, you might just miss them blooming, so it is a bit of a gamble. But one that is ultimately worth the effort if you get to see it!
South Island Weather
Here is the average weather on the South Island by each month. The South Island of New Zealand experiences a diverse climate, with the west coast receiving high rainfall and the east coast being drier and cooler.
Seasonal temperatures vary widely, from warm, sunny summers to cold, snowy winters, especially in the mountainous regions.
South Island Weather in January
Average temperature: 15°C (59°F)
Average rainy days: 8
Average daylight hours: 15
Average sunrise time: 6:15 AM
Average sunset time: 9:30 PM
South Island Weather in February
Average temperature: 14°C (57°F)
Average rainy days: 7
Average daylight hours: 14
Average sunrise time: 6:45 AM
Average sunset time: 9:00 PM
South Island Weather in March
Average temperature: 12°C (54°F)
Average rainy days: 8
Average daylight hours: 12
Average sunrise time: 7:15 AM
Average sunset time: 8:15 PM
South Island Weather in April
Average temperature: 9°C (48°F)
Average rainy days: 9
Average daylight hours: 11
Average sunrise time: 7:45 AM
Average sunset time: 6:45 PM
South Island Weather in May
Average temperature: 6°C (43°F)
Average rainy days: 10
Average daylight hours: 9
Average sunrise time: 8:15 AM
Average sunset time: 5:30 PM
South Island Weather in June
Average temperature: 4°C (39°F)
Average rainy days: 11
Average daylight hours: 9
Average sunrise time: 8:30 AM
Average sunset time: 5:15 PM
South Island Weather in July
Average temperature: 3°C (37°F)
Average rainy days: 11
Average daylight hours: 9
Average sunrise time: 8:30 AM
Average sunset time: 5:30 PM
South Island Weather in August
Average temperature: 5°C (41°F)
Average rainy days: 11
Average daylight hours: 10
Average sunrise time: 7:45 AM
Average sunset time: 6:00 PM
South Island Weather in September
Average temperature: 7°C (45°F)
Average rainy days: 10
Average daylight hours: 12
Average sunrise time: 6:45 AM
Average sunset time: 6:30 PM
South Island Weather in October
Average temperature: 9°C (48°F)
Average rainy days: 9
Average daylight hours: 13
Average sunrise time: 7:15 AM
Average sunset time: 7:45 PM
South Island Weather in November
Average temperature: 11°C (52°F)
Average rainy days: 8
Average daylight hours: 14
Average sunrise time: 6:00 AM
Average sunset time: 8:30 PM
South Island Weather in December
Average temperature: 13°C (55°F)
Average rainy days: 9
Average daylight hours: 15
Average sunrise time: 5:45 AM
Average sunset time: 9:15 PM
About the Author
 | Hi, I’m Adriana! I’m constantly searching for the best places to travel to so you don’t have to! Think hidden gems but all over the world. That means I’m constantly on the road and exploring new places to visit and I have a love for photography, so it made sense to write travel guides on all the places I visit. I was born in Australia and lived in New Zealand, Poland, Dubai and England growing up and I decided to take my love of travel to the next level! Read more about me here and see my articles here. |
Quick links
| Here’s everything I use when I travel abroad: Tours – Compare tour prices on Viator and Get Your Guide Hotels – I always use Booking as the more hotels I book, I get a higher Genius discount. I also compare prices on Expedia. E-Sims – purchase an e-sim with Airalo on your phone so you can make calls and have mobile data abroad! There’s no need to remove your current sim card! Travel insurance – don’t ever go on vacation without travel insurance, you never know when you might need it! Travel essentials – have a look at a full list of travel essentials that I use, including the best power bank! |
Wondering what else you should do in South Island New Zealand? Have a look at my nearby New Zealand travel guides guides on :
Amazing Glamping spots in South Island
Lake Pukaki view point of Mount Cook
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