2025 Wanaka Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in March)

Just finished my trip to New Zealand, and my mind is still full of the beautiful scenery. Especially the sunset at Lake Tekapo, when the first ray of light shone down, the whole world went quiet, and I was stunned. This trip was totally worth it! Now I'm sharing my 10-day travel guide, save it now👇 🗺️Itinerary: Day 1: Hong Kong✈Auckland, rest at the hotel to adjust to the time difference Day 2: Auckland - Devonport - Mount Victoria - Christchurch, visit Devonport in the morning, climb Mount Victoria in the afternoon to enjoy the view, fly to Christchurch in the evening Day 3: Christchurch - Akaroa, stroll through the French-style town and enjoy a leisurely time Day 4: Christchurch - Lake Tekapo - Church of the Good Shepherd, arrive at Lake Tekapo in the afternoon, watch the sunset in the evening, the mountains are dyed gold, forming a beautiful picture with the lake and the church Day 5: Church of the Good Shepherd - Mount Cook - Wanaka - Queenstown, enjoy the scenery along the way, arrive in Queenstown in the evening and start the nightlife Day 6: Queenstown - Steamship - Lake Wakatipu Walk - Queenstown, take a steamship to cruise the lake, then walk along the lake to enjoy the sunset Day 7: Queenstown - Glenorchy - Arrowtown - Queenstown, Glenorchy forest is mysterious, Arrowtown's leaves are golden in the sunset Day 8: Queenstown - Dunedin city walk - Dunedin, stroll through Dunedin and feel the artistic atmosphere Day 9: Dunedin - Tunnel Beach - Christchurch, Tunnel Beach's cliffs and sea are spectacular in the sunset, then return to Christchurch Day 10: Christchurch✈Hong Kong, end of the trip

Best choice for winter vacation travel! 11-day trip to New Zealand, explore the purity and fantasy of the Southern Hemisphere, the beautiful scenery is waiting for you to discover! -- New Zealand, located in the southwest Pacific, is known as the land of the long white cloud. Not only does it have spectacular natural scenery🏞️, it also has rich Maori culture. Explore the fantastic scenery of the South Island and feel the urban rhythm of the North Island! -- Tour route: D1: Depart ✈️ Arrive in Auckland and start your trip to New Zealand! D2-D3: Visit the garden city of Christchurch and admire the street art 🎨, then head to Greymouth to enjoy the beautiful views of the magical Melaleuca Rock and Lake Matheson 🌈. D4-D5: Take a helicopter🚁 in the glacier town on the west coast and explore the spectacular sight of the ten thousand year glacier. Then, head to Wanaka, take a photo with the lonely tree🌲, and then head to Queenstown, passing the beautiful Arrowtown🍂. D6-D7: Free time in Queenstown, where you can choose from various interesting activities such as skydiving. Afterwards, head to Mount Cook National Park, where you can choose to take a light hike on the Hooker Valley or Tasman Trail🚶‍♀️, and stay at the Dark Sky Reserve Hotel in the evening to enjoy the starry sky🌌. D8: Visit Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd⛪, then return to Christchurch and then to Auckland. D9-D10: In Auckland, visit the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and enjoy a buffet dinner at the mountaintop restaurant🍽️. Afterwards, go to Agrodome Farm to get close to the animals🐏🐂🐕, and then visit the Middle-earth Hobbit Village in the small town of Matamata. D11: After the wonderful trip to New Zealand, return to Shanghai. -- Must-visit attractions: 🌟 The Hobbit Village: The reappearance of the wonders of Middle-earth in "The Lord of the Rings", as if you have entered the world of fantasy movies! ✨ Waitomo Glowworm Caves: Thousands of beads reflect the mirror, and green light spots flash. This is a dream-like world that makes you feel like you are in the Milky Way. 🍎 Agrodome Farm: There are cute animals, rich orchards, and acres of kiwi fruit trees here, making it a great place for families to visit. 🚡 Rotorua Skyline Cable Car: It takes you up high and far, and enjoys the thrilling fun of the sky swing. It is the best choice for those who are looking for fun. 🌷 Christchurch Botanic Gardens: 10 gardens of different styles bloom with colorful vitality. They are a good place for photography and leisure walks. -- 🧳 Travel preparation: New Zealand travel essentials list 📞 You must bring a phone card for easy contact. Don’t forget to buy a local one from New Zealand! 🔌 A plug adapter is necessary. The sockets in New Zealand may be different from those in your home. 📜 Passports and visas must be checked, they are indispensable for entry and exit. 👕 It’s a bit cold in New Zealand in January, so remember to bring a warm jacket and comfortable shoes. 🔋 You have to bring a charger and a mobile power bank, and you need to charge your cell phone and camera. 💊 Keep a good supply of medicines just in case, health is very important. 💰 Have credit cards and cash ready, spending money is indispensable when traveling. -- Travel to New Zealand and feel the charm of pure nature. We look forward to your next adventure! 🌟

#auroralight Located in New Zealand’s stunning South Island, Wanaka offers an extraordinary experience for those seeking the breathtaking beauty of the Southern Lights, or Aurora Australis. While the Northern Lights often steal the spotlight, the Southern Lights are no less mesmerizing, painting the night sky with swirls of green, pink, and purple. Wanaka’s clear, dark skies make it a prime location to catch this celestial show, with the majestic Southern Alps and Lake Wanaka providing a picturesque backdrop. The best time to view the Aurora Australis is during the Southern Hemisphere’s winter months (June to August), when the longer nights and crisp, cold air offer optimal conditions. While waiting for the Aurora to appear, visitors can enjoy the town’s outdoor activities, from hiking and skiing to relaxing by cozy cafes. With its stunning natural beauty and peaceful atmosphere, Wanaka offers the perfect balance of adventure and relaxation. Whether you’re trekking through alpine terrain or stargazing under the Southern Lights, this hidden gem provides an unforgettable way to experience one of nature’s most captivating phenomena. So, grab your warmest coat, find a quiet spot, and let Wanaka’s Aurora magic light up your night!

～～～ 2024 is almost over As a travel blogger, I visited many places this year And recorded many beautiful moments Here are my 9 favorite places I visited this year ❶ Maldives Once you've seen the sea in the Maldives, nothing else compares. You have to go at least once in your life. ❷ Japan: Mount Fuji Who can own Mount Fuji with love? It's so beautiful! Cherry blossoms and snow-capped mountains in the same frame, I look forward to seeing the red leaves in the same frame. ❸ South Korea: Jeju Island A visa-free island full of freedom and relaxation, perfect for a spontaneous trip with your best friend. ❹ Sichuan: Mount Siguniang Mount Siguniang in autumn is a god-level existence! Red leaves, colorful forests, golden mountains, and babbling streams, the scenery is as good as Switzerland. ❺ Japan: Kyoto If you can only choose one place to visit in Japan, it has to be Kyoto. The unique cultural atmosphere and rich historical heritage are unforgettable. ❻ Jiangxi: Wangxiangu A fairy town on a cliff, like a real-life fairy tale world. When night falls, the lights are bright, and the whole valley is lit up, it's so dreamy. ❼ Xinjiang: Kanas A pure land on earth, the back garden of the gods, covered in snow in winter, silent, living in a fairy tale log cabin, so beautiful. ❽ New Zealand: Wanaka My favorite town on a road trip in the South Island of New Zealand. Sitting by the lake, facing the snow-capped mountains, it's so chill. ❾ Xinjiang: Sayram Lake The last tear of the Atlantic Ocean, the beautiful blue left me speechless, I took thousands of photos.

#自车游 #100 ways to travel New Zealand, a vast country, should be the best place for self-driving travel. Although it is a right-hand drive, there are few cars, few traffic lights, and few forked roads. The destination scenic spots usually have one road to the end, and you can enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way, such as It’s really comfortable to travel by car. You can even rent a campervan to drive. It saves money to stay in a campervan and you can experience nature up close. This self-driving tour of the South Island of New Zealand is to rent a car from Christchurch and go all the way south to Queenstown. A four-seater car can be rented and returned without looking back. Encountered many beautiful towns and attractions along the way: Lake Tekapo, Mount John Observatory, Wanaka Tree, Te Anau Glowworm, Milforth Sound, Fox Glacier, Arrowtown, Glenorchy, Vineyards, wineries, gold mining towns, etc. The biggest advantage of traveling by car in New Zealand is that you can enjoy the beautiful scenery when you see it, and there are usually parking lots at the scenic spots. No matter how much shopping luggage you have, you don’t have to worry about carrying it yourself. It is very convenient to just leave it in the car. New Zealand is really a paradise for camping and self-driving tours! #New ZealandSouth IslandSelf-Driving #New ZealandTravel #Self-Driving Travel #100 Ways to Travel

Traveling to New Zealand under the Aurora is a dreamy and unique experience. The following are relevant introductions and suggestions: 1. Best viewing time: - April to September every year is the best time to watch the Southern Lights in New Zealand. During this period, New Zealand is in the autumn and winter seasons. The nights are longer and the probability of clear skies is higher, which is more conducive to the appearance and viewing of the Aurora. However, the appearance of the aurora is uncertain and requires some luck even during the best viewing period. 2. Best viewing location: - Southern South Island: - Tekapo: This is a famous starry sky town. It is located within the World Dark Sky Reserve. It has little artificial light, high terrain, dry climate and high air transparency. It is an excellent place to watch aurora and starry sky. During the day, you can also enjoy beautiful views of the Church of the Good Shepherd, snow-capped mountains and lakes. - Wanaka (Wanaka): The scenery here is beautiful, and you can take a photo easily. The best place to watch the aurora is Eely Point, which is within walking distance from the center of Wanaka. You can enjoy the beautiful starry sky at night. This is also a paradise for ski enthusiasts, and there are a wealth of outdoor activities to participate in during the non-Aurora viewing season. - Aoraki/Mt Cook: Mount Cook National Park is a dark sky reserve with no light pollution, and you can see the beautiful starry sky and aurora. However, the terrain here is rugged and you need to pay special attention to safety when walking at night. - The Catlins: Located on the southeastern coast of the South Island, it is an excellent destination for encountering the Aurora. There are also many wild animals, as well as natural and natural beauty such as waterfalls, coastal heritage roads, forest petrified remains, and cathedral coast cliff caves. Historic landscape. - Stewart Island: New Zealand's third largest island, located 30 kilometers south of the South Island. It is far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. More than 85% of the area is a national park. The ecological environment is pristine and pure. It is a good place to increase the chance of encountering the Aurora. You can also experience hiking and bird watching. - The southern tip of the North Island: Breaker Bay in Wellington, the southernmost city of the North Island, also has the opportunity to see the aurora. It has beautiful white sand beaches and clear water. While admiring the aurora, you can also feel the vitality and multiculturalism of the city. 3. Travel preparation: - Warm equipment: Aurora viewing is usually at night, and temperatures are low in New Zealand’s autumn and winter. You need to prepare enough warm clothing, such as down jackets, thermal underwear, hats, scarves, gloves, etc. - Photography equipment: If you want to photograph the aurora, you need to bring a professional camera, a tripod and a lens suitable for long exposure. Setting a long exposure can make the colors of the aurora more vivid, and it is recommended to carry spare batteries and memory cards. - Transportation: Some aurora viewing areas are relatively remote. Self-driving is a more convenient mode of transportation. You can freely arrange your itinerary and stay time. If you don’t want to drive yourself, you can also choose to join a local Aurora viewing group. - Accommodation arrangements: Book accommodation close to the aurora viewing area in advance so that you can go to watch the aurora in time when it appears. Some hotels or B&Bs that provide aurora viewing services are also good choices. They may provide relevant information and reminders. 4. Matching with other activities: - Daytime travel activities: While waiting for the Aurora to appear during the day, you can participate in New Zealand's rich outdoor activities, such as hiking, mountain climbing, skiing, visiting vineyards and tasting wine, etc. New Zealand has magnificent natural scenery, such as fjords, snow-capped mountains, lakes, etc., which are worth spending time exploring. - Food experience: Taste New Zealand's specialties, such as seafood, mutton, dairy products, etc. You can also try local coffee and wine to add more fun to the trip. In short, traveling to New Zealand under the aurora requires planning and preparation in advance, while maintaining patience and flexibility in order to encounter the beautiful aurora at the right time and place.

#NaturalLandscape #100WaysToTravel Can a tree in the lake also become a popular tourist attraction? It sounds quite crazy, but That Wanaka Tree is so magical! The #WanakaLone Tree growing in #LakeWanaka. Lake Wanaka in South Island of New Zealand was formed by the melting of glaciers. It is 300 meters above sea level and has an average water depth of 300 meters. It is adjacent to the Southern Alps and is the fourth largest lake in New Zealand. A lonely, crooked willow tree, growing all by itself in Lake Wanaka. Because of the beautiful background, the lone tree in the lake becomes the best model for taking pictures, testing the skills of photographers to see who can capture the loneliest beauty? It’s nice to take a walk around the lake and enjoy the beautiful scenery, but otherwise what’s the point of just having a tree? But when I took a quick shot, it was really beautiful! It's incredible! #NewZealandFreeTravel #NewZealandSouthIsland #LakeWanaka #lakewanaka #thatwanakatree

Wanaka, one of New Zealand's favorite towns It is really a great pleasure to take a walk and take photos by the Wanaka Lake early in the morning. The photos in this article were taken when we went there in 2011. You can walk, ride a bike, or have a picnic by the lake. There is also a children's play area. It is a really comfortable place. I still remember that there were people practicing canoeing on the lake early in the morning. There was also an I-site nearby where we could consult on travel issues. We also bought postcards and sent them back to Taiwan. #Good Places for Families#Overseas Travel

The most famous tree #thatwanakatree It is very pleasant to walk along the lakeside There is a small shopping district next to it, and the first row facing the lake is full of bars. Besides taking photos, you can also go shopping and enjoy delicious food. #NewZealand #SouthIsland #wanaka #LakeWanaka

One of the most famous Instagram locations in New Zealand is Roys Peak overlooking Lake Wanaka with awe-inspiring views of Mount Aspiring and other peaks of the central South Island. Getting to the peak is a picturesque hike through alpine meadows and tussocks grasslands The Roys Peak Track is one of the many hiking trails of Wanaka that one shouldn't miss while in New Zealand. Wanaka is also one of the chief skiing locations of the Southern Hemisphere (and a chance to escape the heat of summer of the Northern Hemisphere).#2023travelwish #awesomepic

Wanaka is a gorgeous skii town in the Otago region of New Zealand. With breathtaking glaciers and a back drop of the Mount Aspiring Alps it's a must visit for any travellers looking for a slice of bliss. Surrounded by nature walks and rugged hiking trails, there's plenty to do and see for any adventure seekers. With so much untouched natural beauty to look at, its easy to forget the hidden gem that is the Wanaka township and the great community vibes that the whole area brings. Will certainly be coming back next visit to New Zealand! #new Zealand Travel #hiking #naturalpark #tripblazers #snow Mountain

New Zealand is a dream destination for many who loves the outdoors, mountain backdrops and instaworthy shots. There are 2 islands one in the North Island and one in the south island. Christchurch is a place located in the south and caters more for the adventure seekers who loves beautiful hikes, overlooking the mountain backdrops and also the many quiet soothing scenic walks. There are a few popular attraction in Christchurch are the gorgeous looking Mountcook and Lake Tekapo, The wanaka tree with the backdrop of the lake, the tasman glacier walk and many more. Before heading to Christchurch, it is recommended to plan your roadtrip to ensure you travel plans are efficient and you do not spend too much time on the road. #bucketlistreboot #newzealand #christchurch #naturescapes #naturalwonders #mustvisit #mountains #hikes #scenic #holidayvacation

Visit Lake Wanaka during autumn for an immersive fall experience! The vibrant autumn colours are stunning to say the least. Look for the lonely tree, an icon of this gem. No matter where you look, the scenery is gorgeous. Plan this in your itinerary when visiting New Zealand! #passionpassport

Roys Peak, located near Wanaka is rated as one of the best hikes in New Zealand. It has one of the most Instagram worthy views at the peak and after I saw countless photos on Instagram, I knew I had to do this hike! The whole hike took me almost 8 hours to complete and I would rate it as quite a difficult hike. The journey up was long, monotonous and always at a constant incline. But I assure you when you reach the top, the stunning views will make everything worthwhile! I reached the peak in time for sunset and managed to capture an Instagram worthy photo of the golden sun rays shining on the peak. If you are planning to hike till night, be sure to bring along a flashlight as the road down will be in complete darkness. #momentssg #hiking #unforgettableexperiences #scenicspotguide

One of the most Insta-famous and most photographed tree in New Zealand is That Wanaka Tree, a lonely willow tree in Lake Wanaka! Many tourists and photographers gather here at sunrise and sunset to capture this beautiful lone tree sitting in a lake with stunning mountain backdrop. It is really a unique sight to behold! This tree is located right in the town of Wanaka, in the South Island of New Zealand. It’s a small little town about an hour’s drive away from Queenstown. While you’re there, you can take your time to enjoy this unique little tree, but if you prefer to stay away from the crowds, you can take a stroll further down along the lake. I noticed there weren’t much people who did that so it was quieter and more peaceful, and you can enjoy the scenery of the snow mountains in the distant. #newzealand #unforgettableexperiences #scenicspotguide #thatwanakatree

Said to be the most photographed tree in New Zealand, I am not surprised about this statement because once you are there, you will see a huge crowd of people with their cameras trying to take photo of this tree! Even so, I would still recommend everyone to visit the place because the scenery here is really really beautiful! It might be touristy, but don’t ever let them stop you from coming because you’re gonna lose out on an opportunity to see something amazing! This is also one of the few spots of New Zealand where you do not have to hike a lot to reach the main view point of the location. The tree is merely a few minutes walk away from the carpark, making it easily accessible to everyone of all ages! Apart from the tree, the scenery around here are all really good spots to take some wonderful photos to bring home as memories too. Leave at least 30-mins to an hour when you are coming here, to fully immerse yourself in this wonderful spot! #hiking #nationalpark #travelinspiration #scenicspotguide #springholiday #naturalwonders

Go deep into the Dart River wilderness without worrying about lugging all your own gear or the safety precautions involved when exploring unfamiliar territory. With a naturalist guide by your side and all equipment included, you’ll take a jet-boat ride, trek through the forest, and embark worry-free on an off-road backcountry tour through Mt. Aspiring National Park. Hotel pickup and drop-off adds extra gin your day in the wilderness with pickup at your hotel; bring only your necessities for the day and a water bottle. As you venture deep into Mt. Aspiring National Park, listen to engaging commentary from your naturalist guide as you travel. Enjoy the scenery (which has been featured in the Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings films) while your guide takes care of driving and directions. Next, transfer to a jet-boat for a thrilling, high-speed ride on the Dart River. Then hike through an ancient forest, listening to your naturalist guide talk about the native animals and plants and its the area’s longtime native Maori inhabitants. #themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool

Absolutely beautiful day. There wasn’t a lot of lavender actually blooming yet – we were a little early in the season – but there was one corner completely in bloom and it was gorgeous. They had a lot of other flowers in bloom in different gardens as well as some farm animals, so we just roamed around and checked it all out. They had hairy pigs and hairy cows that were pretty cool, otherwise normal animals like mini ponies, sheep, goats, donkeys and llamas. We tried a small cup of the lavender honey ice cream at the end ($4.50 for a tiny cup) – was ok, but not a wow – and sat in their outdoor shaded garden which was beautiful. Their shop sold just about anything you could think of with lavender in it. With all the flowers, there were tons of bees around, so if you're allergic, be careful. We didn't have any issues with them, but just wanted to note it for others. #themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool

This lavender farm was just 5 minutes away from Wanaka. Easy drive and easy to find as there was sign at the roadside or you could easily find a cloud of purple lavenders in a farm. We visited Wanaka Lavender Farm many times and we would re-visit no matter how many times we explored the place. There were many species of lavenders, the kids could feed the animals and roamed around the lavenders. It was a nice place to take beautiful photos. It had a lavender gift shop stocked with plenty of lavender products such as bath bombs, bath salts, shower gels, lavender bulbs, lavender sachets, lavender oils and candles and etc. We loved the little tea room beside the gift shop where we had our cup of lavender tea, lavender ice cream served during the hot summer days. #themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool

A good mountain walk, easy access (farm track). The peak is at 1386m (from memory) so it is a 1000m climb from car park. At the top you can view both lakes as the mountain is named after the Greek word isthmus which is " a narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger areas of land." We went in Winter so there was ice on some of the track which might make it hard for some. It is closed between November and December by the farmer. Popular track saw several other groups whilst up there. Bring water and warm clothes for at the top. Climbed isthmus peak as Roy's peak track closed. Good climb and great views along the way and at the top. But very steep solid climb on the way up. My 10 year old is a keen walker and did fine but it may be a challenge for the less enthusiastic younger ones or the less fit. At least 4 hours return allowing for breaks. #themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool

Due to the temporary closure of Roy's Peak, we decided to hike the Isthmus Peak during our stay in Wanaka, in November 2017. To be honest, it has been a bit harder than expected, especially the first two hours. It tooked us 3 hours to go up and two hours to go down and we are in regular fitness But hang on, once you reach the middle of the way up, you can already appreciate all the way you already hikked and enjoy the view. Once at the top, the 360° landcape in mind-blowing and you won't regret the effort, that's for sure. We decided to get at the top for the sunset to enjoy the golden hour and it was a beautiful as expected. We finally start to go down around 7:pm and walked the last 45 minutes we the headlamp as only light. Definitly one of the highlight of our NZ trip. Some locals advised us to hike this trail instead of Roy's Peak, even if this one would have be open because the view is similar and it's less crowded. We have spend 2 hours a the top and we didn't see anybody. Enjoy ;-) #themeparks#lakes#beaches#infinitypool

My wife and I are in our 60’s and did this walk on a perfect warm sunny day. We are regular walkers but certainly not to this degree. Firstly good idea if you park at the lower carpark as it is a little easier to access the beginning of the walk. Signage is not that good. The upper carpark seemed to be full of free campers. The walk or hike is hard. It took 3 hours of hard hiking to reach the top with quite a few breathing stops. A few sandflies in the first 300 metres or so so walk quickly. We Fantastic views from the very top of this hike and well worth the heavy breathing on the way up. On the way down it took a good 2.5 hours of thigh burning walking. Some places you would certainly benefit from walking poles. I suggest depending on the time of year but go early to avoid the other walkers. Dress for hot and cold and take heaps of water. We took 1.5 litres each and used most of it. This hike to me, is much better than the Rob Roy hike as you get such wonderful views all the way up and when at the top it is almost 360 degree views over both lakes and mountain ranges. Just breathtaking! #themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool

Wed drove through town and along the lakefront then decided to park up and walk. There is no parking at the yacht club continue walking on to Eely Point and then around into Bremner Bay then on to Beacon Point. The views are simply stunning and with the sun shining on the water and trees, Kayaks paddling up and down the occasional boat. A lovely walk but the track can be busy with cyclists who are sometimes going idiotically fast so be aware as some of them seem not to be. Dress for the weather, layers, sunscreen hats and all that, take water and advise the use of insect repellent. #awesomepic #couplestrip #deliciousfood #themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool

We were fortunate to be staying in a private lodge named TITITEA which is outside the Mt ASpiring NP and they operated a minibus shuttle a few kms to Raspberry flats parking area. From here it’s about 2km to where the Rob Roy swing bridge crosses the river and you can take either the trail 4km up hill to Rob Roy or carry straight on 9km more to Aspiring DOC hut, so a 22km round trip walk. The track follows the west branch valley floor and river. It’s pretty easy going along the river valley and very scenic inside the park with snow capped mountains, towering craggy rock formations, glimpses of glaciers and waterfalls. The river valley is beautiful; wide with grassy paddocks and cattle, and there are lots of muddy patches and small streams to cross along the way. Its highly probable you’ll get wet feet! We had lunch at the Aspiring DOC hut, admiring the views of (cloud covered) Mt Aspiring and other Mountains. Toilets and water are available. Some walked further beyond the hut for about 45 minutes to Shovels Flat. The more adventuresome can climb up the Cullers Route for views but a reasonable degree of fitness is needed. All up it took about 6hrs to do the 22km return day tramp #summervacation#beachvacation#hikingtrails#hotelstay#urbanexplorer

We booked with Wanaka Heli Hikes as they offered a tailor made package. It was just the 2 of us and Laetitia, who guided us, so it was perfect! We booked the “Alpine Heli Hike” and then added an additional glacier visit. So the day is being collected from town, you are driven out to the heli hanger & you heli out to a spot with no tracks or trails and you walk through the alpine, low brush environment, with a few clouds & a few birds as your company. And Laetitia!!! She comes with you too :) You walk, and it’s up hill and it’s not an easy walk. We are fairly fit 40-50 year olds, and it was a push, but a great push. Gets you out of your comfort zone! We got to the Buchanan middle spur at 2.30pm & were collected by heli to take us to the glacier. At the glacier, we landed, walked round, frank from a pool of beautiful, clear water & I cried at eventually being on a glacier! To say it was an extraordinary day is to do it a disservice. Having done it, I am over awed at the beauty of this hike. It was a hike, yes. But Laetitia, with her years of guiding, pushed us, so hike was a hike with scrabbles up some steep edges. Did it push us? Hell yes! Did we feel safe? Completely! Were the views amazing? Stunning....360’s of the entire area! Was it a once in a lifetime thing? Completely Was it worth the money? Totally. We were booked for the Wiggley in Mt Cook but it was cancelled with the weather & I’m pleased it was now, because we did this and it was an amazing experience. And it was personal and Laetitia was amazing. Such a fun person to have as company for the day. Thanks Wanaka Heli Hikes for our great day (and making my dream come true of getting on a glacier!)

My mate and I did this hike last week just before the snow storm hit Central Otago region. We have done several hikes in NZ and around the globe and this is my favourite day hike. Started off from Queenstown at 4:30 am and got to the car park around 6-ish. We were hoping gas stations in Wanaka might be open to buy some food but they weren’t. Lucky we packed some snacks and drinks the night before. It was a beautiful crisp spring morning. Like others have said it is challenging right from the word go. But the scenery makes up for it. Initially it will feel like a bush walk and you will come across cute little lambs and other farm animals which means you will have to dodge a lot of poo so watch your step. After that, the track gets a bit more challenging and exposed but the views get better and better. The last 1-1.5 hours of our ascent to the peak was covered in snow and it was just magical looking at the mountains and Lake Hawea down below thinking how lucky we are in NZ ! We were the only 2 humans on the track and we got to the top around 9ish. It was quite windy at the peak so after some quick photos and throwing fresh snow at each other we made our way down. We pretty much ran/ jogged down and came across some human traffic going up and finished the hike in 5 hours 40 minutes with lots of stops for photos and food. When we got to the car park just before midday we still saw people just starting off - don’t know why they would do this hike in the hot sun with absolutely no shade on the trail. We carried small daypacks with 2 litres of water, Up n Go and some muesli bars. Clothing wise I wore a running shirt and shorts and a fleece jacket which I got rid off after about 1 hour of climbing and of course my sturdy pair of hiking boots. This is a hike I’d wanna come back and do again - it was just magical with all the snow. #awesomepic #couplestrip #deliciousfood #nyedestinations

The team at Paddle Wanaka are easy to deal with and can cater to your needs whether it be a guided tour or you simply want to do your own thing. We highly recommend doing The Tiki Tour if you’re keen to do a guided tour and learn about the area. Depending on the wind direction, you will either paddle from the lakeshore and at the end be picked up by boat, or travel out to your start point by boat and paddle back to the lakeshore. The safety briefing before you set off is very thorough and you’re in safe hands. Our guide Austin was really knowledgeable and we enjoyed the stories he told us about Bull Island and Ruby Island, he shared several Maori legends with us as well. The information about Lake Wanaka and other lakes and rivers in the region was also interesting. We had an afternoon tea stop on Ruby Island before heading back to the lakeshore. The Tiki Tour is definitely worth doing. Thanks Austin and Chris for a great afternoon on the lake. #awesomepic #couplestrip #deliciousfood #summervacation#beachvacation#hikingtrails#hotelstay#urbanexplorer

The city of Wanaka which is located in the south of the island of New Zealand is very attractive for adventurers and tourists who want to relax. Located in the clear waters of New Zealand's fourth largest lake, a short drive from Mount Aspiring National Park, the town of Wanaka is an ideal place for fishing, hiking, skiing, wine tasting or golfing. The city also hosts Warbirds Over Wanaka, the Southern Hemisphere's largest three-day space exhibition. It's nice to see somewhere relatively unspoilt by buildings and over-tourism. We visited early March, pretty much late in the season. Could happily have spent longer here, but we're staying for Josef Glacier. The walk from Edgewater to town is about 20 minutes. Winding along the shoreline. Loved Wanaka himself. Quite pleasant after the hustle and bustle of Queenstown. The water is so beautiful and clear. Real treat not to see trash anywhere. (In fact all of NZ is trash free. Something we should learn from the UK.) #awesomepic #couplestrip #deliciousfood #summervacation#beachvacation#hikingtrails#hotelstay#urbanexplorer