“On a Mish” #450 Magnificent Mavora. South Mavora Lake. Mavora Lakes Conservation Park. 9.5.2026. I recently had a friend visit from overseas and we needed a hike to do in a place she had never been before. Along with being a location with stunning view of mountains, it also had to be a hike which Georgie (dog-friendly) could join us on. Really with that criteria there is only place near me that I knew would do the trick, and that place is the magnificent Mavora Lakes…
I have spent a lot of time exploring the Mavora Lakes and the hills that surround them over the last year or so, and it is safe to say that I have not tired of the place one bit! It takes less than an hour to get there and once there you have so many options for adventures whether it be a day trip or something involving a tent or hut. We would have loved to have spent the night however the weather gave us only half a day before rain would soak the lakes and the surroundings.
We were away from Te Anau early-ish hoping to sneak around the magnificent South Mavora Lake before the rain came and to start with it seemed like rain was the last thing on this day’s mind. A cool, clear and very still (perfect for reflections) morning greeted us as we rolled into the conservation park. With no sign of a weather change set off heading clockwise around the lake starting in the south.
The still conditions and perfect reflections meant we had South Mavora Lake x2 for a good part of the morning. It would have been awesome to have a kayak to paddle the glassy water, or though the water would have been bloody cold! The cold didn’t seem to bother Georgie as on a few occasions she went for a quick swim which sent ripples out across the motionless lake.
As we approached the river between the two lakes the wind started to increase, and we saw clouds starting to zoom across the sky above us. For the first time you could tell that something was happening, and rain was on the horizon. This quickened our pace and as we closed in on North Mavora Lake, which was the half-way point of our trek.
We stopped for a coffee and by now the wind was getting stronger as the minutes went on. The clear sky that greeted us at the start of our hike was long gone, and it had been replaced with lenticular clouds and a stiff breeze. It was only a quick stop as you could now tell that the rain wasn’t far away.
The last part of our mish was following the campsite road along the eastern shore back to where we had started at the southern end of South Mavora Lake. We were now able to see out to the west, and along with the impressive peaks of the Livingstone Range, we could also see very menacing looking clouds. For this leg we had the cover of the beech forest which help shelter us from the wind and the rain (sort of) if it showed up early.
We finished and quickly piled into the car as the first spits began to drop, and by the time we had got back to Te Anau it was raining hard. This didn’t bother us one bit as we had already completed our circuit and both humans and a very tired dog had got a good dose of views and exercise. Once again, another successful adventure was accomplished at the magnificent Mavora Lakes. It’s no wonder why I love going here so much!
