Manapouri Activities

Manapouri | Regional Information | Activity Highlights | Scenic Highlights | History

Manapouri is a popular holiday destination, nestled in the stunning Fiordland region - a region that will leave you gasping in awe.

Manapouri Activities Overview

Manapouri is a small town nestled on the banks of Lake Manapouri, a large heavenly lake stretching deep into the wildest and most forbidding forest in New Zealand. At Manapouri most activities involve boating, hiking or scenic flights.

» Manapouri Activities Directory

Water Activities

The largest activity in Manapouri is an unforgettable cruise to Doubtful Sound; this involves cruising the length of the lake, through its many islands, around peninsulas, and past lake arms cutting their way between mountain ranges to the West Arm where the Manapouri power station is located.

From there a bus carries the tourists through a tunnel borrowing its way through the mountain range and then over Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove an inlet of Doubtful Sound. Then a second cruise is taken across Doubtful Sound where one cannot help but stare in awe at yet more spectacular scenery.

Doubtful Sound cruising includes dolphin and seal watching.

Image Source: Tourism New Zealand. Routeburn falls, Fiordland National Park, Fiordland, New Zealand

Routeburn Falls
Fiordland National Park
Photographer: Gareth Eyres
(www.exposure.co.nz)

Alternatively motor boats, yachts, or kayaks can be hired and used to explore the Lakes dazzling shoreline for oneself. This way one can pick any beach at any part of the lake one fancies and spend the day or night there far removed from civilisation. There on the glorious sandy beaches, in front of dense forbidding forest, looking out over the lake lying beneath the rugged mountains one can unwind and relax.

Manapouri is a fisherman's jackpot. It is alive with Atlantic Salmon, Rainbow and Brown trout all of which are some of the world's most sought after fresh water sporting fish. Here a fisherman has a choice of drawling, fishing off the beach or in the rivers and streams.

Fiordland National Park

Fiordland National Park surrounding Lake Manapouri has a network of exciting tracks, weaving their way into the very heart of Fiordland, in addition to many short walks also abundant around the place.

In addition to fishing in the park, hunting is another major activity as Fiordland is alive with wild pigs, fellow deer, red deer and more.

More activities include air flights over the lake and Fiordland National Park which fly over some of the most breath taking scenery on earth.

» Fiordland National Park Information