Lakes in Nelson

Located at walking distance from the nearest settlement of St. Arnaud, Lake Rotoiti is known for its scenic beauty. Viewpoints from the parking area of Lake Rotoiti show sweeping views of snow-capped mountains in the background. It is also one of the biggest lakes in New Zealand.

Lake Rotorua is one of the biggest lakes in Nelson and in New Zealand. So big is Lake Rotorua, that its name in Maori translates to ‘Long Lake’. Sitting amidst the mighty glaciers and majestic mountains surrounding them, Lake Rotorua is easily among the best sights in New Zealand.

Known as the clearest lake in New Zealand, Blue Lake is called Rotomaiirewhenua, in the local Maori dialect. Visibility in this lake is amongst the highest in the world, and at 82% visibility, it is clearer than a vast majority of the lakes in the world.

Lake Constance is also known as Rotopōhueroa in Maori and is the last of the great lakes in Nelson Lakes National Park. It is over 2km long and measures over 700m in width. Since it is an alpine lake, the ice from beneath the lake shine when the sun hits it, giving it an appearance of a shocking blue that can be seen nowhere else in the world.