If your mental picture of New Zealand is all lush greenery, snow-topped mountains, vast lakes and clear skies, then you’d most likely go nuts over Lake Tekapo. It’s the idealisation of pretty much everything associated with the New Zealand landscape: a small town surrounded by the Southern Alps, and sitting on the bluest goddamn lake you’ve ever seen. The water in this lake is not to be understated — it’s pure magic. It shimmers like it could clear your head, cure your ails and turn you into a mermaid all at the same time.

Tekapo is must-see for travellers driving through the South Island (it’s less than three hours from Christchurch and Queenstown), and is an idyllic place to stay. The lake’s obvious potential for water sports and its proximity to the nearby Round Hill ski area makes it a popular destination all year round. Time your stay correctly (i.e. outside of the school holidays), and you’ll find that it’s also a small, quiet town that still has enough going on to keep it interesting.

We’ve teamed up with Converse to hit Lake Tekapo in rainier times, as part of our all-weather travel guide series, showcasing Australia and New Zealand’s next-level destinations which are more beautiful – and more adventure-packed – in extreme weather conditions, whether that be coastal rain, desert dryness, or fresh powder snow. We’ve mapped out 48 hours worth of outdoor activities for you. So pack your wet weather gear (like your Chuck II Shield Canvas shoes, they’re water resistant and made for rain) and hit the road for to explore this natural gem. Pray for rain.

6PM

Tekapo is halfway between Christchurch and Queenstown, so you can take a half day at work on the Friday and arrive in time for dinner. Tekapo is primarily a tourist town, so there are a heap of places to stay. If you’re looking for something that’s fairly new, comfortable and not a hostel (it is only two nights, after all), Peppers Bluewater Resort ticks all the boxes and has some rooms that face right over the lake.

8PM

Once you’ve checked in, head to their restaurant, Rakinui, for a pre-dinner snack. Their homemade bread is incredible, and there’s a regional tasting platter if you’re keen to sample tastes of the Mackenzie region. Hot tip: get dessert delivered as room service and eat it in bed. If you’re lucky, you might even have a view of rain falling over the lake while you do so.

10AM

The first thing you’ll want to do is book yourself in for an Air Safaris flight. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s amazing as all hell to see the landscape from the vantage point of a light plane. You’ll fly over Tekapo, through the Godley Valley and right over the top of the Southern Alps. Flights depart every hour and last for around 45 minutes. It is totally dependent on the weather though, so it’s best to book on the day when you know what to expect.

1PM

One of the best things about the Mackenzie region (which includes Aoraki/Mount Cook and Lake Pukaki) is that it has so much salmon swimming through its canal system that it’s super fresh pretty much wherever you get it. Grab some salmon sashimi to-go from Kohan (unsurprisingly Tekapo’s only Japanese restaurant) and head over the canal to the Church of the Good Shepherd. The church is tiny, and with that backdrop, highly Instagrammable. It’s usually open for prayer and admiration during the day and offers a great vantage point (and refuge) inside — just eat your salmon beforehand.

6PM

Light pollution is one of those things you don’t notice until it’s gone, and at Tekapo it’s practically nonexistent. Due to its isolation and terrain the area has an unusually high number of clear days and, as part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, the town is restricted in how much light they emit. And you know when the sky is clearest? Just after it rains.

They’re unusually bright from wherever you are in Tekapo, but the best vantage point is up at the Mt John Observatory. Access to Mt John is restricted at night, so you’ll have to book a tour with Earth & Sky. They’ll point out what’s up there and you’ll get to look through their telescopes and pretty much geek out on astronomy. If you’re really lucky, there might even be some Aurora Australis action. But, let me emphasise: really, really lucky.

9PM

It can get pretty cold up there (read: freezing) so for dinner and a glass of wine by the fire, slink into Tin Plate Kitchen & Bar. Opening on Tekapo’s main drag in 2014, Tin Plate does pizza, pasta and piada — an Italian pita bread served open with toppings like chorizo and prawn or artichoke, capsicum and blue cheese. Wine is available by the carafe, Three Boys Pilsner is on tap and your bed is only a short walk away. That’s the beauty of Tekapo.

10AM

A walk in the rain might not sound like your idea of a holiday, but it will be once you get up the top of Mt John. Grab your weatherproof Cons, scarf and beanie (as well as a walking trail map that you’ll be able to find at your accommodation) and head outside. You can either drive to the walking track, which starts at Tekapo Springs, or just walk (it’ll just add on an extra half an hour or so).

From here you head up on a pretty steep track through the larch trees, which flattens out soon enough to take you around Mt John and up to the summit. The views are amazing — the water looks even bluer from up there and you can see all the way over the surrounding lakes and the Mackenzie Basin. This is definitely a spot where you can take an extended breather, contemplate nature, meditate etc. When you’re done, you can splash back down the same route back down (around two hours all up) or via the lake shore track, which is almost twice as long.

1PM

After every good walk comes a good breakfast, which is precisely why Tekapo has Run 76. Those assuming a place like Lake Tekapo wouldn’t be home to a quality cup of coffee will be pleasantly surprised, because Run 76 rocks it. The cafe doubles as a deli and food store, and dishes out a mean brunch by anyone’s standards. Choose from things like their homemade muesli, fresh banana bread served with walnut jam and grilled banana and their eggs Benedict with local Aoraki hot smoked salmon. Plus, they have a cabinet full of scones, slices and muffins for your sweet tooth.

3PM

Now you’ve walked uphill and had a big brunch, it’s time to take off all your clothes. This might sound crazy (and it sort of is when it’s raining already), but sliding into the hot pools at Tekapo Springs is exactly what you never knew your body needed — you’ve just got to get from the change rooms and into the water in your togs first.

Sounds difficult, but what’s waiting for you is three outdoor pools filled with toasty warm natural spring water at 36-40 degrees. So, don’t worry, you won’t be freezing your whatever off for very long. And when you’re wet, you’re wet — so a little rain really doesn’t matter in the slightest. You can top this off with a skate on their outdoor ice rink, but we’re more inclined to suggest a go in the sauna and possibly even a massage at their day spa. Actually, we insist on that last one.

After you emerge from the day spa in a daze at sunset, you probably won’t be able to find you way home. Conveniently, Tekapo Springs offer a free shuttle service back into town on request, so they can drop you back at your accommodation so you can begin to slowly head back to real life.

Ready to tackle the elements? Pack your wet weather gear and hit the road for to explore this South Island gem in all its rainy glory. We spent all weekend in Converse’s new weatherproof Chuck Taylor All Star II Shield Canvas — can recommend for rain, hail or shine.

Images (from top): Florian Bugiel, Jocelyn Kinghorn, Russell Street, Oren Rozen, Cole Bennetts.