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Where to stayBy Clever Tourists · Published
Stay in Wanaka town, within walking distance of the lakefront. The restaurants, the shore of Roys Bay and That Wanaka Tree are on foot, and the Roys Peak trailhead and the road toward Mount Aspiring National Park are a short drive. Wanaka is small, so the real choice is between the town and the quieter settlements around it. We spent 2 days in Wanaka in March 2023, after Queenstown and before the drive over the Haast Pass to the West Coast, and two nights is the minimum for a sunrise at the tree and a day on a trail.
Free toolConvert to your own currency at live rates →Live mid-market rates for all 17 currencies we used, so you can see what a price actually costs.• First visit: Wanaka town centre, near the lakefront.
• Hikers: the town's western side, toward the Roys Peak trailhead and Glendhu Bay.
• Budget: Albert Town, or a powered site at a holiday park if you are in a campervan.
• Families: the town centre or Albert Town, with space and easy access to the lake.
• Ski season: the Cardrona Valley, on the road to the Cardrona ski field.
• Quiet and romantic: Lake Hāwea, about 15 minutes' drive north.
The town centre sits at the southern end of Lake Wanaka, on Roys Bay. Restaurants, cafés and shops are within a few streets of the waterfront, and the lakeside path leads to That Wanaka Tree, the lone willow growing in the water, which is at its best before dawn. Our New Zealand guide recommends staying in town for exactly this: the lakefront, the willow tree and the Roys Peak trailhead are all within a short drive.
It suits first-timers, families and anyone without plans to drive every evening. You can walk to dinner and back.
The downside: it is the most expensive part of the area in peak summer, and rooms in the very centre sell out early in the December to February holiday season.
Heading west along the lake, the road to Glendhu Bay and the Matukituki Valley passes the Roys Peak car park. Accommodation along this side, from the edge of town outward, tends to be larger houses and lodges with lake and mountain views.
Glendhu Bay itself has a lakeside holiday park, a popular campervan base. The area suits hikers who want an early start on Roys Peak, and travelers heading up the valley toward Mount Aspiring National Park.
The downside: you need a car for everything, including dinner. Beyond Glendhu Bay, the road up the Matukituki Valley to the Raspberry Creek car park, the start of the Rob Roy Glacier Track, turns to gravel and crosses fords, so check that your rental agreement allows it. Note too that the Roys Peak track is closed for lambing every year from 1 October to 10 November; the Department of Conservation suggests Isthmus Peak as an alternative.
Albert Town is a residential settlement a few minutes' drive north-east of Wanaka, where the Clutha River leaves the lake. It has river walks, a campground and holiday homes.
It suits budget travelers, families in holiday homes and longer stays. It also sits on the road north toward Lake Hāwea and the Haast Pass.
The downside: few restaurants or shops of its own, so most meals mean driving into town.
Lake Hāwea is a small township about 15 minutes' drive from Wanaka, at the southern end of its own lake, on State Highway 6 north toward the Haast Pass and the West Coast.
It suits couples, travelers who want quiet evenings, and road-trippers continuing north, as we did, toward Haast and the glaciers.
The downside: very limited dining and services, and every trip to Wanaka, Roys Peak or the tree is a drive.
The Cardrona Valley runs south from Wanaka toward the Crown Range road and Queenstown. Its historic hotel and the Cardrona ski field are the focus in winter.
It suits skiers and travelers who want a rural stay halfway toward Queenstown.
The downside: in summer you are far from the lake, and the Crown Range road is steep and winding, with chains sometimes required in winter.
You need a car: there is little public transport around Wanaka. From Queenstown, the nearest international airport, it is about 1 hour 10 minutes over the Crown Range road, or around 1.5 hours on State Highway 6 via Cromwell, the easier road in bad weather. Read driving in New Zealand before you go.
Views: many town-centre rooms have no lake view. If it matters, look at the slopes above Roys Bay or along Lakeside Road, the lakefront road running north-east from the centre, and check the listing photos taken from the room itself, not the lake.
Campervans: Wanaka has holiday parks around the lake. Freedom camping is restricted and fines apply; check our freedom camping rules, and compare options in cruise vs campervan in New Zealand.
Season: summer, from December to February, is peak, with school holidays and the highest prices. March, when we were there, is quieter and still warm. Winter is ski season, when Cardrona fills.
How many nights: two is the minimum, for the tree at sunrise and one full day on Roys Peak or in the Matukituki Valley. See how many days in Wanaka. Our route came from Queenstown and continued to Haast and Fox Glacier; the full loop is in our 23-day South Island road trip, with a shorter 10-day version. If you are coming from Christchurch, stop at Lake Pukaki on the way.
Wanaka town centre, near the lakefront, so restaurants, Roys Bay and That Wanaka Tree are on foot and the Roys Peak trailhead is a short drive.
Yes for quiet evenings and for road trips continuing north to the Haast Pass. It is about 15 minutes' drive from Wanaka, with very limited dining.
Every year from 1 October to 10 November for lambing. The Department of Conservation suggests Isthmus Peak as an alternative.
Two at minimum, for the tree at sunrise and a full day on a trail. We spent 2 days in Wanaka in March 2023.
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