Photo: Janko Luin · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Mou Waho Island Nature Tour (Eco Wānaka Adventures)
A boat cruise across Lake Wānaka to a predator-free island reserve with a lake of its own on top.
The trip crosses Lake Wānaka to Mou Waho, a predator-free island reserve, then follows a guided walk up to Arethusa Pool near the summit. Groups are small, capped at ten people per guide, and morning or afternoon tea is served with the mountains in view. Visitors get the chance to plant a native tree while they are there. The walking is about three kilometres and uneven in places.
Highlights
- Cruise to a predator-free island reserve
- Walk up to Arethusa Pool, a lake on top of an island in a lake
- Small groups of ten per guide
- Plant a native tree on the island
Good to know
- Location
- Mou Waho Island, Lake Wānaka
- Start point
- Wānaka lakefront, departures at 9am and 1:30pm
- Duration
- 3.5 to 4 hours
- Track length
- 3 km, uneven in places
- Grade
- All ages and fitness levels
- Cost
- See operator for current pricing
- Family-friendly
- Yes
The operator generally recommends ages 4 and up, and children need to be comfortable walking on uneven ground with an adult. Infants can be carried in a backpack carrier. Booking required.
Visiting from Sundale
The boat leaves the Wānaka lakefront at 9am and 1:30pm, a short drive from the park, and booking is required. Allow three and a half to four hours for the trip itself plus the drive each way, so it takes up a morning or an afternoon rather than slotting in between other things.
There is about three kilometres of walking on the island and the ground is uneven in places, so wear shoes with grip. The operator generally recommends ages four and up, with infants carried in a backpack carrier. Morning or afternoon tea is included, and you get the chance to plant a native tree.
An afternoon departure still leaves time for a swim in the seasonal pool or a quiet evening in the communal kitchen. Take the morning boat instead and the rest of the day is free, whether that means the lake foreshore or the ten-minute run into Wānaka town.
Stay nearby
Questions
Do I need to book?
Yes, booking is required. There are two departures a day, at 9am and 1:30pm from the Wānaka lakefront.
How long does the trip take?
Three and a half to four hours, covering the cruise, the guided walk up to Arethusa Pool and tea with the mountains in view.
Is it suitable for children?
The operator generally recommends ages four and up, and children need to be comfortable walking on uneven ground with an adult. Infants can be carried in a backpack carrier.
Sources
- Duration 3.5 to 4 hours; departures 9am and 1:30pm; 3 km uneven walk; 10 people per guide; ages 4 and up recommended; tree planting and tea included — source
Nearby
More things to do.
Lake Hāwea
A quieter lake 15 minutes from Wānaka, on the road north towards Makarora and the West Coast.
An easy scenic 15-minute drive from Wānaka as stated by Lake Wānaka Tourism
Paddle Wānaka
Kayak and stand-up paddleboard hire straight off the beach at Roys Bay on the Wānaka lakefront.
1, 2 or 3 hour hire
The Wānaka Tree
The lone willow standing in the shallows of Lake Wānaka, and the most photographed tree in the country.
Easy
Your Wānaka basecamp
Make Sundale your base.
Cabins, studios, motels and soft-grass camping, five minutes from the water and close to everything above.