A Kiwi once told me that “Queenstown is for tourists, and Wanaka is for travelers.” Visit this quaint, quiet lakeside enclave, just an hour’s drive from the much busier Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island, and you’ll see what they mean.
Whereas Queenstown has developed into the area’s preeminent destination for international travelers, darling Wanaka (population 12,150) has long been a haven for domestic tourism. It’s centered around the base of a cerulean alpine lake, with a charming village filled with coffee shops and restaurants, and a network of hiking and biking trails spiraling out in all directions. There’s also a reason that Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time and Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy filmed in this region—the rugged Southern Alps are so untapped, so unspoiled that they appear to be not just from another time, but another world altogether.
That being said, scenery isn’t Wanaka’s only specialty. Where else can you find a dazzlingly clear lake, skiing, a town with fantastic restaurants, wineries, and every adventure outfitter all within spitting distance of each other? And why navigate the crowds of the nearby and much more touristy Queenstown when you could go just slightly further afield and feel like a true local?
Queenstown is an indispensable part of any South Island visit—but just know that in peak summer season, its streets become choked with tourists, you’re as likely to hear an American accent as you are a Kiwi one. Wanaka on the other hand is just as scenic, and a whole lot more serene. If visiting this Kiwi hideaway sounds enticing, here’s how to make the most of your trip.
Getting There
Driving to Wanaka is half the fun. After landing at Queenstown airport, the drive northeast takes just about an hour. Take the Crown Range Road through the dramatic Cardrona Valley, and you’ll see what people mean when they call this the most beautiful place on earth. After passing the mountains, going down the valley and through the hills, the road brings you straight to the shores of Lake Wanaka, where its namesake town sits in the shadow of snow-capped crags and evergreen trees.
Where to Stay
Because Wanaka developed as a family-friendly destination primarily catering to domestic tourism, there isn’t a robust hotel scene here like you’ll find in Queenstown, or other parts of South Island. You’ll find a few basic apartment-style hotels along the lakefront, but there are a few hidden gems to be found here.
Luxury home rental agency Release Wanaka offers dozens of exceptional properties with a residential feel—like this fabulous modern home with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake, where Oprah is rumored to have stayed while filming A Wrinkle in Time. The sprawling Mahi Whenhua Private Luxury Villa, situated on an alpine Ridgeline above town, is the former vacation home of Shania Twain and is great for larger groups. For an off-grid experience that begins and ends with helicopter transfers in and out of Wanaka, consider Minaret Station; it’s located off-grid in a remote mountain valley a quick flight from town.
What to Do
Nature is your ultimate playground here. Outfitter Alpine Helicopters offers a range of scenic flights as well as helicopter-assisted hiking and biking excursions that bring you up into the Southern Alps. Heights not your thing? A rollicking jet boat tour with Wilkin River Jets is no less thrilling. And if you’ve never tried your hand at via ferrata mountain climbing, this is the place to do it—Wild Wire Wanaka operates the world’s tallest waterfall-climbing course that includes a helicopter ride back to the base. (And, for Lord of the Rings fans, the course offers views of some mountain scenery featured in The Hobbit films.) If lower-key adventure is more your speed, there are endless hikes, kayak rentals, and other excursions, maybe of which depart from the town center. Lake Wanaka s tourism website is a great resource through which to find them all.
Where to Eat and Drink
You won’t have a bad meal (or drink) when you’re here—New Zealand’s baseline for fresh, sustainable food and warm hospitality feels so much higher than the rest of the world. Take breakfast, for instance: at Scroggin Cafe and Eatery, you’ll be elbow to elbow with locals starting their day over freshly baked cinnamon rolls the size of bread loaves, and chasing them down with piping hot long blacks (the Kiwi answer to an Americano). As the morning goes on, Scroggin’s transitions into a lunch spot, where you can refuel with a savory Lamb Toast topped with caramelized onions and feta. Other favorites include the inventive small plates at Kika, and the internationally-inflected tasting menu at Arc.
Wherever you end up for dinner, ask for your server’s suggestions on local wines—Wanaka sits in the heart of Central Otago, a wine region producing some of the world’s best Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. There are dozens of wineries to visit in the surrounding areas, but the family-owned Maude Wines offers the unique advantage of being in Wanaka proper, on a lovely farm overlooking the lake. Owners Dan and Sarah-Kate Dineen are often found in the tasting room, welcoming guests from around the world—offering a level of warmth and individual attention you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
It’s not just unique wines that come from Wanaka. Be sure to allot time for a visit to Cardrona Distillery, the leader of New Zealand’s nascent whiskey movement. Visionary founder Desiree Reid is developing some of the most intriguing, sustainable spirits you’ll find anywhere, and a tour offers an upfront view of the distillery’s many sustainable practices—like feeding spent mash to the local livestock. The distillery’s passions for community, sustainability, and high-quality hospitality are perfectly emblematic of what makes Wanaka, and New Zealand writ large, so magical.
