Things to do in Wānaka
Walks & hikes
Wānaka walks cover an unusual range for one small town. At the gentle end sit the Eely Point Walk, the Waterfall Creek Track and the easy Blue Pools Track. In the middle are the Mount Iron Track loop, the Glendhu Bay Track and the Hāwea River Track. At the top are Roys Peak, Isthmus Peak, Rob Roy and Rocky Mountain.
Staying at the park puts you five minutes' walk from the Lake Wānaka foreshore and ten minutes from town, so the short lakeside tracks need no car at all. The bigger climbs are early starts, and the drive out is easier from here than from the middle of town. Check-out is 10am, so save the long ones for a full day.
Come back muddy and the guest laundry, hot showers and drying-out time are all on site. The seasonal swimming pool suits sore legs in summer, and the communal kitchen means a proper dinner rather than a cafe. Cabins and motels suit families walking the shorter tracks; camp sites suit early starts.
Blue Pools Track
An easy forest walk over two swing bridges to river pools that run an extraordinary blue.
30 minutes one wayEasy walking track
Diamond Lake and Rocky Mountain
A stack of walks off one car park, from a 45 minute lake circuit up to a 775 metre summit above Glendhu Bay.
Diamond Lake Circuit Track return: 45 min. Diamond Lake lookout return: 1 hr. Lake Wānaka lookout return: 2 hr. Rocky Mountain Summit Track return: 3 hr.Sections of this track are steep, with significant fall hazard, and the track is often slippery even in summer
Eely Point Walk
A 20 minute lakeshore walk from Wānaka town to a sheltered picnic and boating spot.
20 min
Glendhu Bay Track
A lakeside track from the edge of town along the western shore of Lake Wānaka to Glendhu Bay.
3-4 hrIntermediate grade for mountain bikers, with a few steep gradients
Hāwea River Track
An easy riverside track linking Lake Hāwea township to Wānaka via Albert Town.
Albert Town to Hāwea dam: 3-4 hrSuitable for all ages and experience, over easy country
Isthmus Peak Track
A steep climb on the neck of land between Lake Wānaka and Lake Hāwea, with both lakes in view from the top.
30 minutes drive from WanakaOver 4 hoursAdvanced. Steep and challenging, with 1000 m of elevation gain over 8 km
Mount Iron Track
A short loop climb to a rocky summit with 360 degree views over both lakes and the Upper Clutha basin.
1 hr 30 min loop
Rob Roy Track
A valley walk into Mount Aspiring National Park that ends beneath a hanging glacier, waterfalls and sheer rock walls.
about 1 hour 20 minutes4-5 hours return to the bush line / glacier viewpointWell formed track, moderate - good fitness levels required
Roys Peak Track
A long, steep climb to one of New Zealand's most photographed viewpoints, high above Lake Wānaka.
5-6 hr returnChallenging full-day hike, high fitness needed, over 1,200 m elevation gain
Waterfall Creek Track
A flat, easy lakeside stroll from the Wānaka waterfront past Rippon Vineyard to Waterfall Creek.
30-60 min
Questions
Before you head out.
Which Wānaka walks are good for kids?
The Blue Pools Track is an easy walking track of 30 minutes one way. Eely Point takes 20 minutes, Waterfall Creek 30 to 60. The Hāwea River Track is described as suitable for all ages and experience over easy country.
Are any of these walks closed at times of year?
Roys Peak closes for lambing from 1 October to 10 November. Rob Roy crosses avalanche paths, most common May to November. Isthmus Peak has avalanche risk May into November and safari hunting March to May. Mount Iron may close in summer for wildfire risk.
Can we take a dog?
Only the Mount Iron Track lists dogs, and they must be on a leash because the track crosses private land. Isthmus Peak needs written permission from Makarora River Ranch instead, at least 24 hours ahead.
Stay at Sundale
A base five minutes from the water.
Your Wānaka basecamp
Make Sundale your base.
Cabins, studios, motels and soft-grass camping, five minutes from the water and close to everything above.