If you would like to climb to ‘rocky mountain high’ from the valley below, then the ‘twin lakes park’ is the place to go.

Nelson Lakes National Park is a superb gem amongst New Zealand’s parks. It encompasses magnificent peaks – snow-crowned in winter and starkly bare in summer. Being at the northern tip of the Southern Alps, the Nelson Lakes weather is relatively mild and reliable. This gives trampers a great incentive to explore the clearly marked ridge top tracks.

The most popular round trip is the Travers-Sabine Circuit, a 5 to 6 day tramp beginning at Lake Rotoiti and crossing over the Travers Saddle and Mt Robert ski field. More remote is the D’Urville Valley Track, which is a round trip from nearby Lake Rotoroa using the Sabine Valley and Moss Pass.

The gateway to the Nelson Lakes National Park is the alpine village of St Arnaud, 1 hours drive south of Nelson. St Arnaud is the perfect holiday setting for those who value peace and quiet. Below the village is the mirror-like Lake Rotoiti, enfolded by a natural landscape of exquisite beauty. The St Arnaud Range is draped with beautiful beech forest, worn like a smooth green garment, which has been cut uniformly along the bush line.

This is nature at its very best offering a choice of relaxation on a lakeshore or a remote experience in the high country. Choose from terrific tramping, scenic boating, fantastic fishing, cool canoeing, and in winter, exhilarating skiing. Further afield there is gold panning, rafting, horse trekking, mountain biking and scenic flights. Short walks around the twin lakes are an absolute delight. The Lake Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project is creating a pest-free refuge for native bird species, and the tomtit, rifleman, robin and kaka can often be seen around the lake.

Immerse yourself in this wonderful pristine playground. Walk around the lake or climb the craggy heights as you please, and drink in the beauty of this park.