Lake Wanaka and Cardrona

A Resort Town On Lake Wanaka An Hour From Queenstown But With A Noticeably Quieter Pace, Home To The Single Most Photographed Tree In The Country A Lone Willow Standing In The Lake Shallows Plus The Cardrona Ski Field, Roys Peak'S Switchback Summit Track And A Valley Of Vineyards And Orchards · Wanaka, Otago

Wanaka sits on Lake Wanaka's shore, an hour from Queenstown over the Crown Range or Cardrona Valley Road but with a noticeably slower, more residential feel than its famous neighbour. The town's single most photographed sight is a lone willow standing in the lake's shallows just off the foreshore, known simply as 'That Wanaka Tree' - striking at sunrise or sunset, and crowded with photographers at both. Above the town, Roys Peak's switchback track climbs to a sweeping panorama over the lake and the Southern Alps, a serious full-day walk, not the quick stroll its famous photo suggests. Thirty-four kilometres up the valley, the Cardrona Alpine Resort ski field opens for a winter season that depends entirely on snow. A short drive around the lake reaches Glendhu Bay, Rippon Vineyard's lakeside rows and the trailhead into Mount Aspiring National Park's Matukituki Valley. The lake itself, long and often glassy calm, supports swimming, paddling and boating from a town beach near the main street, and Puzzling World's maze and illusion rooms give a reliable rainy-day option for families.

An hour north of Queenstown over the Crown Range or Cardrona Valley Road, Wanaka, Otago, New Zealand

Wanaka's lakefront, the Wanaka Tree and the town itself have no gate and are open at any hour, free to visit. Cafes and shops along the main street generally run from about 8am to 5 or 6pm, later in summer. The Cardrona Alpine Resort ski field operates a fixed winter season, roughly June to early October snow depending, and is simply closed outside it - there is nothing to see at the base in summer beyond the access road. Roys Peak's car park and track have no set hours but the Department of Conservation closes the lower section each spring for lambing on the farmland it crosses, typically late August to mid October - check current dates before planning the walk.

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