An inspiring place for relaxation in the pretty lakeside town of Wanaka, this region also offers an amazing range of adventure activities from horse riding in rugged foothills to awe-inspiring scenic flights amongst the frosted white peaks of soaring mountains. West of Wanaka, Mount Aspiring National Park, the nation’s third largest national park, is renowned for the diversity of its landscapes, from rugged forests to alpine meadows.
Highlights
Mount Aspiring (Tititea) Known as Tititea ‘The Glistening Mountain’ by Maori, Mount Aspiring is an impressive 3,033 metres tall. Mount Aspiring National Park Part of Te Wahipounamu – Southwest New Zealand World Heritage Area, Mount Aspiring National Park is incredibly varied and large, and is home to many native plants and birds (including Kea, the world’s only alpine parrot). Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea The Wanaka region is home to two dramatically blue lakes popular for boating, fishing and swimming. Rob Roy Glacier Track One of New Zealand’s best half-day walks. Located 50 kilometres from Lake Wanaka in Mount Aspiring National Park, the track into the Rob Roy Valley offers access to a dramatic alpine landscape of rainforest, glaciers and waterfalls. Unique museums Warbirds & Wheels houses an amazing collection of WWII fighter aircraft and vintage cars, while the National Transport & Toy Museum has 50,000 toys! Stuart Landsborough’s Puzzling World Stuart Landsborough’s Puzzling World is a strange place of three-dimensional mazes and mind-altering puzzles. Even the restrooms are worth a look! Mountain biking The Wanaka region boasts over 750 kilometres of MTB tracks and trails.
Destinations
Wanaka Lakeside resort within easy reach of Mount Aspiring National Park. Hawea Smaller settlement set on the tranquil shores of Lake Hawea.
Getting There and Around
Air Wanaka Airport offers flight-seeing to Milford and Mount Cook. Queenstown Airport offers domestic flights and some trans-Tasman services. Road Wanaka is 6 hours, 5 minutes from Christchurch and 1 hour, 40 minutes from Queenstown. Travel to the West Coast via Haast Pass. The drive from Wanaka to Haast takes around 2 hours. Coach services operate regularly between Wanaka and Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. There is a local bus service between Wanaka and Queenstown. During winter, the roads may become difficult to navigate because of ice. Christchurch to Wanaka [424 km; 6 hr, 5 min] Queenstown to Wanaka [117 km; 1 hr, 40 min] Wanaka to Haast [145 km; 2 hr, 5 min] Wanaka to Dunedin [276 km; 3 hr, 55 min] Wanaka to Invercargill [285 km; 4 hr, 5 min]
