MAVORA LAKES, SOUTHLAND
If you’re looking for a road trip off the beaten track but not too far away from civilisation, with some stunning Lord of Rings scenery, then Mavora Lakes is your destination. Located conveniently between Queenstown and Te Anau, Mavora Lakes, part of the Te Wāhipounamu/South-West New Zealand World Heritage Area, offers an impressive landscape of mountains, lakes, forest and tussock grassland.
Photo by Johan Lolos
What to do there
The two lakeside camping areas are complemented by fishing, boating, hunting, mountain biking and hiking opportunities.
The track starts at South Mavora Lake and ends at the beginning of North Mavora Lake, do not go further as the road is dangeres and you are not covered by the insurance. It takes you through a beech forest and gives you breathtaking views of the Livingstone Mountain Range. The track runs right next to the lakes with many excellent picnic sites and numerous campsites along the way. It offers great walking tracks i.e South Mavora Lake walking track (2.5 hours) and Lake Mavora to Kiwiburn Hut (4 hours one way).
Lord of the Rings enthusiasts will enjoy location spotting in the Mavora Lakes area including Nen Hithoel, Silverlode and Anduin rivers, Fangorn Forest edge and South of Rivendell. See Lord of the Rings filming locations for more information.
Getting there
From State Highway 94 between Mossburn and Te Anau, turn off at either Centre Hill or Burwood Station and follow unsealed roads for 39 km.
Find out more
Go to the Department of Conservation website.
