This tussocky hillock, 330m above Lake Tekapo, can be reached by car or on foot via the enjoyable Summit Track. A strong contender for New Zealand’s best lookout, the 360-degree panorama takes in surreal blue lakes and surrounding ranges (probably snow-capped), as well as the golden plains of the legendary Mackenzie country. And this is a lookout that never sleeps, with Mt John Observatory offering a chance to explore skies so clear they have been designated an International Dark Sky Reserve.
Cape Reinga, Northland
Commonly considered New Zealand’s northernmost point, Cape Reigna (Te Rerenga Wairua) is in fact surpassed by Surville Cliffs to the east. It is, however, infinitely more memorable, fringed with golden sands and topped with a lighthouse overlooking the swirling meeting point of the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea. Māori consider the cape the place where their souls depart for the afterlife, starting with a slide down the roots of the 800-year-old pohutukawa tree that clings to a rocky promontory.
North Egmont, Mount Taranaki