Mount Hay Station 4WD Tour Lake Tekapo: High Country sheep farm

Three hours, four-wheel drive tracks, a working sheep station, and mountains on every side

A 3-hour guided 4WD tour of Mount Hay Station, a 150-year-old Merino sheep farm on the eastern shores of Lake Tekapo. You ride in an air-conditioned vehicle with a local guide, navigate challenging tracks and stream crossings, and see the High Country landscape from inside a working 25,000-acre property. Children from age 3 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

4WD tour at Mt Hay Station

• Travel to Mt Hay Station
• Explore 150-year-old sheep station
• Drive challenging 4WD tracks
• Traverse Edward stream
• Enjoy High Country views

The Experience

Mount Hay Station sits 5km from Lake Tekapo village on the lake's eastern shore, surrounded by mountains. The tour runs three hours and covers the property's 4WD tracks—some of them steep and uneven—plus a crossing of Edward stream. An air-conditioned vehicle and a guide who knows the station and the country mean you are not figuring out the route or the hazards; you are watching the landscape change as the vehicle climbs and descends.

The station is a working Merino sheep farm, not a museum. What you see depends on the season and the day—the animals, the terrain, the way the light hits the mountains across the lake. The guide handles the driving and the commentary; your job is to sit, hold on through the rougher sections, and look around. The vehicle's air conditioning matters on a hot day, and the suspension matters on the tracks.

The tour starts and ends at the station, which is accessible by road from Lake Tekapo village. If you do not have a rental car or prefer not to drive the rough terrain yourself, this is how you get into the High Country and onto a working farm in one morning or afternoon.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned 4WD vehicle.
• local guide for the full three hours.
• access to the station's tracks and stream crossing.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problems

Operated by Go Tekapo

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Lake Tekapo without a vehicle—a 4WD tour reaches the High Country and working farm across terrain that requires the guide's local knowledge and a capable vehicle.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

1 verified traveler review

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

How rough are the 4WD tracks on Mount Hay Station?

The tracks are challenging and uneven in places, and the tour includes a stream crossing. The vehicle is built for the terrain, and the guide handles the driving, but you will feel the ground beneath you—it is not a smooth ride.

Can I bring my three-year-old on this tour?

Children from age 3 are welcome on the Mount Hay Station tour. The vehicle is air-conditioned and the guide is experienced with families, though the rough tracks mean the ride is bumpy for small passengers.

What is Mount Hay Station like as a working farm?

Mount Hay Station is a 150-year-old Merino sheep farm covering 25,000 acres on the shores of Lake Tekapo. It is still an active property, so what you see—the animals, the fencing, the way the land is managed—is real working life, not a display.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the station?

The station is 5km from Lake Tekapo village and accessible by road. If you have a rental car, you can drive there yourself. If you do not have transport, public transportation options are available nearby, though you will need to arrange that separately.

What happens if the weather turns bad during the tour?

The tour runs in most conditions because the vehicle is built for rough terrain and weather. If conditions become unsafe, the guide will make the call to shorten or reschedule the tour—that decision happens on the day.