In Maori mythology the lakes were created by the great chief Rakaihaitu digging holes with his ko, or digging stick. One hole became Lake Rotoiti, or "small waters", and the other became Lake Rotoroa, or “large waters”. Both lakes in Nelson Lakes National Park were used as food gathering places by Maori travelling to and from the West Coast to collect and trade greenstone, pounamu.

Nelson Lakes is a treasure to New Zealand

Because it is a national park.

Nelson Lakes is avery special

place to go for aholiday and tramping andother things

The "Revive Rotoiti Mainland Island" project ensures that visitors and

locals alike can enjoy seeing a part of New

Zealand which is heavily protected from pests and modification. This unique and exciting project has resulted in many species

of native birds being present in larger that expected numbers. Lucky walkers may

glimpse the threatened kaka and kakariki, while tuis, bellbirds and other

species are found in abundance.

 

You will find Nelson Lakes National Park in the north ofthe South Island. The gateway to the park is St Arnaud,a picturesque village just one-and-a-half hours drivefrom Nelson or Blenheim.St Arnaud and Lake Rotoiti are accessed by StateHighway 63 from Blenheim. A side road, about halfway between St Arnaud and Murchison, leads to LakeRotoroa.Bus services to St Arnaud operate on a regular basis.Water taxis operate on both lakes.Several companies offer on-demand transport toRotoroa from St Arnaud and Nelson.

MountaineeringThere are a number of good winter climbing routessuitable for experienced trampers and climbers.HuntingDeer and chamois are found in the park, particularlyin the upper valleys. The St Arnaud ManagementArea and the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project Area areclosed to recreational hunting.Walking and trampingThere are networks of short tracks exploring the forest,lake shore and glacial features of both lakes.Longer walks and alpine tramping trips are alsoavailable. The most popular are:• Travers/Sabine Circuit, an 80 km tramping tracktaking from 4 – 7 days,• The steep and exposed route to Lake Angelus, abeautiful alpine lake which takes 2 – 3 days.Boating, fishing and swimmingBoth lakes are good for trout fishing.Water-skiing is permitted on Rotoiti, within a definedarea, but not Rotoroa. Speed limits apply near theforeshore.The use of personal watercraft, boats more than 8 m inlength, staying overnight and mooring is not permitted

Sandflies/namuare particularly

pesky insects inwetter parts of New

Zealand and youwill find them (orthey will find you)in Nelson LakesNational Park.

Insect repellent is amust for any visitor.

Nelson Lakes National Park protects the northern section of New Zealand’s greatSouthern Alps/Kä Tiritiri o te Moana. During the Ice Age, massive glaciers gougedout basins in the mountainous headwaters of the Buller River. Today these basins are filled by LakesRotoiti and Rotoroa, which give the park its name. The bush line – where forest gives way to alpine plants – is aremarkable feature of the park; the change is abrupt and uniform as if drawn with a ruler. In summer, the alpinefell fields are covered with flowers and walkers often choose this time of year to explore the beech forests, lakeshores and glacial features of this extraordinary national park.Natural highlights