Fresh Air › Instead of Queenstown
Wanaka
Wanaka sits at the northern end of Lake Wanaka, 117km by road from Queenstown, with Mount Aspiring National Park at its back door. The town has the outdoor activity infrastructure without Queenstown's density of visitors. The Rob Roy Glacier track in the Matukituki Valley is one of the finest half-day walks in New Zealand. The lake, the surrounding mountains, and the quality of the light on the Southern Alps are indistinguishable from what draws people to Queenstown — in a considerably smaller and cheaper town.
Why visit
Lake Wanaka and Mount Aspiring National Park offer the same quality of landscape as the Queenstown area with a more relaxed town at the centre. Rob Roy Glacier track is one of New Zealand's best day hikes.
Crowd level
Growing fast but still a fraction of Queenstown's visitor numbers.
Best time
October to April for hiking; June to September for skiing at Treble Cone and Cardrona
Getting there
About 1hr drive from Queenstown airport. No public transport — hire car or shuttle.
Tradeoffs
Getting expensive fast as its reputation grows. Fewer high-end restaurants than Queenstown.
Direct comparisons
Layers
Region
At a glance
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Otago
- Fresh Air Score
- 79/100
- Cost level
- $$$
- Distance from Queenstown
- 75 km