Lake Manapouri is one of five glacial lakes in the south of the South Island covering an area of 14,200 ha. As part of the Te Wahipounamu ("Greenstone Place") World Heritage Site, it is considered to be the most beautiful lake in New Zealand. Manapouri is situated 180 m above sea level having a maximum depth of nearly 450 m. It stretches into four main arms and contains 33 islands in total.
According to Maori legends, Manapouri was created by the tears of two sisters, one of which got lost in deep forest, the other coming to save her sister only to realise that there was no chance for rescue. Over 200 people are living in the township of Manapouri today.
Manapouri is rich in clean and highly oxygenated water holding brown and rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon and large long fin eel populations. These populations, however, were influenced by the Manapouri Hydroelectric Power Station. In 1999, an eel transfer system was installed in order to save endemic species. Compared to Milford Sound, Manapouri undergoes only about 4000 mm of annual rainfall.