Wānaka: Your South Island base

On the shores of New Zealand’s fourth largest lake, surrounded by the Southern Alps and with a national park almost at the end of the street, Wānaka looks like a classic vacation town. In practice, it works far better as a base – somewhere you unpack once and then sprawl from the door into vineyards, ski fields, hiking trails, bike tracks and remote valleys that feel a long way from anywhere, yet remain easy to reach.

For travellers who like their adventure opportunities dialled up but their logistics uncomplicated, this combination is hard to beat. Add a serious concentration of architect-designed holiday homes (many award winning) and a long-standing network of guides, pilots and producers, and you have one of New Zealand’s most appealing resort towns. That’s the vibe that the locals work tirelessly to protect and that too makes it one of the friendliest places to be in the South Island.

There are many of the town’s most sought-after holiday homes and private residences available for rental for visitors to Wānaka looking to make it their base for a holiday.

Where is Wānaka?

Wānaka is around an hour’s drive from Queenstown Airport over the Crown Range. If ever the Crown Range is closed due to snow, you can also take the other scenic route via the Kawarau Gorge. Both quickly swap city Queenstown’s dramatic mountain backdrop and busy-ness for alpine landscapes.

Once you’re in Wānaka, you are at the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park – a region of glaciers, beech forests and high valleys – with Cardrona and Treble Cone ski fields in one direction and the Central Otago wine country in the other.

For an immersive itinerary that maximises your time in New Zealand’s South Island, that geography matters. From one base you can:

• Ski at two major resorts and the cross-country Snow Farm
• Access some of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest heli-ski terrain
• Spend a day tasting pinot noir in boutique Central Otago wineries
• Walk or bike straight from your front door along lakeside and riverside tracks
• Be back in time for a private chef’s dinner in your villa

It feels remote, from elsewhere in the world, but you rarely spend more than an hour in a car or helicopter to get where you want to go.

One base, four seasons

Wānaka is genuinely a year-round travel destination. Rather than hopping from place to place, many guests now choose to anchor themselves here and let the seasons dictate the rhythm of their days.

Winter

From June through to October, Wānaka becomes a seriously fun snow hub and since 2025 has been home to New Zealand’s largest ski field:

• Cardrona is the all-rounder, with groomed pistes, terrain parks and family-friendly facilities
• Treble Cone draws strong skiers and riders with its steeper natural terrain and long fall-line runs

Above them, heli-ski operators access hundreds of backcountry runs – a short flight from town to untouched snow and picnic-style lunches in the mountains.

Spring

As the days lengthen, you can still ski in the morning and be back in time for an afternoon e-bike along the lake or a tasting at Maude or Rippon. Vineyards are quieter, the lakefront is calmer and temperatures are comfortable for walking in the Matukituki and Makarora valleys. 

Late spring days carry the warmth of some summer days – depending where in the world you’re from – which means sunscreen is on for climbing the many crags around Wānaka, exploring Diamond Lake or attempting frisbee golf in the woods.

Summer

December, January and February belong to the water. Mornings might mean a kayak across glassy Lake Wānaka, stand-up paddleboarding from Eely Point or a private boat charter to Mou Waho Island. Afternoons are for swims at Bremner Bay, mountain-bike laps at Bike Glendhu or Cardrona’s summer bike park. Barbecues on the deck or in your villa’s loggia as the sun drops behind the peaks finish the day off beautifully.

Autumn

Come March and April, the region turns gold. Arrowtown and the Wānaka–Hāwea corridor are particularly photogenic as is Central Otago when you wander to acclaimed pinot noir vineyards within an hour’s drive. 

The cooler air suits longer hikes to names such as Isthmus Peak and the Rob Roy Glacier track, and it is an easy season for long lunches, fires lit in the evening and a glass of Central Otago pinot by the outdoor fireplace.

Through all four seasons, staying in one well-chosen villa means you never have to compromise on space, privacy or routine.

What a day in Wānaka might look like

The details shift with the time of year and your group composition, but there are highlights that guests choose again and again as well as treats or once-in-a-lifetime activities that must be done while you’re here.

Morning

Perhaps a helicopter lifts off from your lawn or one just outside of town, taking you to a private ridge for first tracks on an untouched slope or a ridge-top picnic. Private heli-ski days, scenic charters and off-grid excursions, including adventures to remote sounds and heli-only-access high-country stations, are all possible.

In summer, that same helicopter might instead set you down beside an alpine tarn for a short guided walk, before looping out over glaciers and returning you to Wānaka in time for a late lunch.

Afternoon

Afternoons lend themselves to quieter pleasures: a guided wine tour through Central Otago’s small, owner-operated vineyards; an e-bike ride along the lakeside trail to Albertown or Hawea; a swim at the lake with a picnic packed by your chef, delicious slow-cooked goodness from Fig, or the perfect pie and doughnut combo from the Doughbin.

Families can mix this with time at Puzzling World, the National Transport and Toy Museum or the Wānaka Lavender Farm – all a short drive from town. But it is just as common to see multi-generational groups staying put, simply using the pool, spa and grounds at their villa basecamp.

Evening

Dinner might be an easy walk into town for relaxed but refined bistro cooking, or a fully private affair: chef, serving team and sommelier coming to you. Many homes are designed around cooking and entertaining, from double kitchens to extensive terraces and outdoor fireplaces, so it makes sense to use them.

Villa life: where to stay

In and around Wānaka, from lakefront apartments to private residences and large, architectural homes, there are many options. The following selection gives a feel for how different types of travellers can base themselves here.

For gatherings and multigenerational groups

Ridgecrest is designed to make the most of 180-degree views over Lake Wānaka and the Southern Alps. Expect multiple living areas, two well-equipped kitchens, a large hot tub facing the lake and a dedicated media and games room – useful when some of the group want pool and movies while others linger over dessert by the fire.

Wānaka Haven works almost like a private lodge. Eight bedrooms and generous living spaces open to a lawn, swimming pool, spa and wide mountain views, with indoor and outdoor fireplaces creating natural gathering points in every season. It has enough room for a celebration but still feels residential and relaxed.

Riverslea combines five bedrooms with a pool, spa pool and outdoor fireplace. It has the feel of a contemporary family home scaled up: plenty of space for children to spread out, office nooks for those who need to work remotely, and quick access to walking and biking tracks and the river itself.

For lakefront living

Roys Peak Farmhouse is set on 50 acres giving you space and privacy with big, open views. Inside, it is all about understated comfort – four bedrooms, relaxed living areas and a spa pool and sauna positioned to make the most of the outlook. From the property you can step straight onto the Millennium Track and walk or cycle into town along the lakeshore.

Nautilus Penthouse sits right on the lakefront, a few minutes’ walk from cafés, bars and the Wānaka wharf. The three-bedroom apartment has wide views from its balcony and access to shared facilities including a pool, gym and spa pool – handy if you like the idea of a morning swim but do not want to drive.

For architecture lovers, couples and smaller family stays

Aurum is an ultra-modern, three-bedroom villa that feels almost suspended above the lake. Floor-to-ceiling glass draws the landscape into the living spaces; large decks blur the boundary between inside and out. Designed by Sebastiano Broadhead, it is a strong choice for design-conscious guests who want privacy but still appreciate being close to trails, the lake and town.

The Brick House is a four-bedroom, certified Passive House villa. It combines energy-efficient design with generous glazing and a hot tub facing the lake and mountains. The result is a home that stays comfortable year-round, just a few minutes’ drive from restaurants and the lakefront.

Te Pakeke is a purpose-built retreat. Hidden behind a tall timber gate and walled courtyard, this one-bedroom villa is all clean lines, polished concrete and timber, with a fireplace, generous kitchen and indoor-outdoor spaces oriented towards the lake and peaks. It feels self-contained and private, yet you are still close to walking paths and the water.

Make Wānaka the epicentre of your New Zealand trip

For many visitors, Wānaka starts as a line on a wider South Island itinerary. Increasingly, it ends up being where they spend most of their time.

Stay in a Wānaka holiday home and you have a base that works as well for quiet days as it does for adventurous ones. Is it time to consider Wānaka as your New Zealand base?

Kate Stinchcombe-Gillies

Kate Stinchcombe-Gillies is CMO of Release NZ. Release NZ represents a portfolio of luxury holiday accommodation in Wānaka and Queenstown – their passion being to connect guests to everything that makes this part of the world so special. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.