Sitting at an altitude of 470m (1542 ft) in the heart of the Southern Alps. It has a subalpine climate, with hot, dry summers and cold winters. The landscape is covered by lakes, mountains, glaciers, and beautiful man made canals.

The county is well known for its salmon farming and recreational fishing. The Waitaki Power Scheme consists of 56 km of canals, two dams, and eight power stations between Lake Tekapo and Lake Waitaki. This provides ample of space for sports fishing. One of the world's largest trouts were caught from these canals.