Matt Tomkins, First glimpse of Lake Constance (PEOPLE WILDERNESS 2024)

Nelson Lakes National Park is one of the most anticipated sections of the Te Araroa trail, and for good reason. It is stunningly beautiful. On our third day in the Nelson Lakes section, we climbed up a steep scree slope and were rewarded with this view over Rotopōhueroa / Lake Constance. Te Araroa is an ultra-long distance hiking trail that runs 3,000km along the length of New Zealand.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.