Wanaka Town - South Island, New Zealand

Sitting on the shores of the lake, Wanaka is a quiet, peaceful place which is sometimes referred to as a mini Queenstown, although the two could not be more different. It is definitely an adventure destination but also has the charm and pace to be an excellent place to relax for a couple of days.

Wanaka Fest is held in mid September every year and is a 5 day event that has the feel of a small town fair. Street parades, live music, unusual events and competitions bring locals out in their droves.

Every second Easter, Wanaka hosts Warbirds over Wanaka, a massive international air show that can attract 100,000 people to the town.

Dining in Wanaka township is a pleasure with options ranging from fine dining to pub meals. A lively bar scene makes a great end to a long day of adventure activities.

For its size, Wanaka has a good selection of interesting shops set amongst the main streets and a few small malls.

Wanaka Accommodation

Wanaka offers an excellent range of luxury resort accommodation, hotels, motels, apartments, holiday homes, B&B's, backpacker hostels and camping grounds. You will need to book ahead as accommodation does tend to fill up.

Wanaka Activities

Magnificent scenery and clear skies make Wanaka an excellent place to get airborne. You can take a 20 minute scenic flight and you can add on a tandem skydive where you freefall for up to 45 seconds.

A less extreme way of taking in the scenery is to go Tandem Paragliding. You can take these tandem paraglides off the back of a boat on the lake or for more altitude you can take off from Treble Cone Skifield.

There are many options for scenic flights over stunning scenery, including Mount Aspiring, Olivine Ice Plateau and the inaccessible lakes of Arblaster, McKerrow and Tutoko.

Wanaka Scenic Flights

Most flight seeing operators offer trips over the Southern Alps to link up with a boat cruise on Milford Sound. There are also helicopter options where you can stop off in a remote alpine location for a walk and a picnic.

Wanaka Skiing

For skiers and snowboarders there is something for everyone in the Wanaka region. Cardrona Alpine Resort 24kilometres south of Wanaka is known for its dry snow and abundance of gentle slopes ideal for beginners and intermediates.

They run a junior ski school and creche making it ideal for families. There is little extreme terrain but snowboarders have the run of four half pipes. There is a sizable ski school, ski packages and rentals on the slopes plus full restaurant and bar facilities.

A unique feature of this resort is that accommodation is offered right on the mountain itself in luxury, self-contained studios and apartments which can sleep up to eight.

Treble Cone lies 22 kilometres west of Wanaka and caters to more experienced skiers with open uncrowded slopes and 705 vertical meters of skiing with spectacular views over Lake Wanaka.

The terrain is varied with moguls, powder runs, gully runs, half pipes and three groomed trails to cater to beginners. Lessons, ski gear and excellent food are all available. There are buses to take you up the seven km access road.

For cross country skiing enthusiasts, the Waiorau Snow Farm, 24 kilometres south of Wanaka offers 42kms of marked and groomed Nordic trails designed for beginners and experts in both Telemark and Nordic disciplines.

Wanaka Heliskiing

For runs up to 1200 vertical meters in virgin snow on any of the 6 mountain ranges, Heliskiing at Wanaka is an unbeatable experience.

Packages are put together by the number of runs you want and most excursions are in the Harris Mountains between Queenstown's Crown Range and Wanaka's Mount Aspiring National Park. Bookings should be made well in advance.

Wanaka White Water Rafting and Sledging

For water enthusiasts there is no shortage of lake excursions and activities. There are lake cruises, yachts, kayaks, windsurfers, jet boats, and water skiing available. On the rivers there are rafting, kayaking and white-water sledging journeys on offer.

Wanaka Trout Fishing

Wanaka and Hawea Lakes and the rivers flowing out of them are popular spots for trout fishing. You will require a licence which, along with all the gear you need plus guides, is available through the various local tackle shops.

Wanaka Walking Trails

Mount Aspiring National Park is a paradise of mountains, glaciers, river valleys and alpine lakes. For trampers and wilderness lovers the park offers an extensive choice of journeys and walks from 2 hours to five days either guided or freedom walking.

There are many other great short walks, or more demanding multi day tramps, close to Wanaka township and the surrounding areas.

One of the more unusual attractions just 2 kilometres out of Wanaka is Puzzling World, an array of tilted buildings that make up a complex and challenging maze. Inside are puzzling optical illusions, holigrams and faces that float and seem to follow you everywhere.

LooknbookNZ can arrange your Wanaka accommodation and Wanaka activities letting you and your family/friends have a pulse pounding adventure in the realm of adventure activities that Wanaka has on offer.