Our cafe & bar sits at 720 metres above sea level, perfectly positioned to take in the lake and mountain views as well as the pure alpine air! Our decor pays homage to New Zealand’s “Monarch of the Mountains”, the magnificent Himalayan tahr that live in the grasslands of our alpine environment.

In 1904, the Duke of Bedford introduced Tahr to New Zealand with the intention of hunting them for sport. He supplied three males and three females from his own herd at Woburn Abbey although one reckless spirit jumped off the ship so only five arrived. Later, another eight animals were shipped over and released near Aoraki/Mount Cook.

New Zealand is the only country in the world where tahr are freely hunted in the open. Visitors come from all over the globe for the challenge of hunting these agile beasts; they are often hard to find as they live in rugged country and are adept at moving quickly through steep and rough terrain.

The Department of Conservation operates a tahr control plan with the goal of keeping total numbers below 10,000. Local tahr near Tekapo are monitored for population trends, the effects of hunting and their impact on vegetation.