Lake Pukaki is famous for its unreal turquoise colour and uninterrupted views of Aoraki / Mount Cook on a clear day, this is one of those quick stops that completely stops you in your tracks. You don’t need long here, even 10–20 minutes at the viewpoints is enough, but it’s worth slowing down if the light is good. It is a popular freedom camping as well, where self-contained vehicles can park overnight and wake up to one of the best mountain views in the country. It can get windy and cold fast, especially at night, so bring warm layers but waking up here feels pretty special.