Te Anau sits on the edge of New Zealand’s second-largest lake, acting as the unofficial gateway to Fiordland National Park. While it’s often viewed as a starting point for trips to Milford Sound, the town itself offers a slower, more scenic way to experience the South Island’s dramatic landscapes. Te Anau’s lakefront is a mix of walking paths, local birdlife, and wide-open views across snow-dusted peaks. Just across the water, Murchison Mountains are home to the endangered takahe, a flightless bird once thought extinct until it was rediscovered in this region in 1948.

Glowworm caves lie just a short boat ride across Lake Te Anau. Once there, visitors follow a limestone path underground where thousands of glowworms cling to the ceiling of a pitch-black grotto. The experience is quiet and enchanting as the lights resemble a starlit sky. The caves also feature swirling underground rivers and a small waterfall, all shaped over thousands of years by water erosion through the limestone rock.

Te Anau is a major stop on several world-renowned hiking routes, including the Kepler, Milford, and Routeburn tracks. The Kepler Track, which begins just outside the town, loops through beech forest, alpine ridges, and wetlands over the course of 60 kilometers. For those not taking on the full multi-day hike, short sections of the track offer access to swing bridges, hidden beaches, and forested viewpoints without requiring advanced preparation.