Wanaka travel guide

One of the most immediate ways to get acquainted with the area is to make the short 45-minute climb up Mount Iron (240 m), just 2 km before the township on the main road. A stubborn lump of rock left by the glaciers, its 360° views are very impressive and provide an ideal way to get your bearings. The track is well marked and there is a car park by the roadside. Wanaka town centre borders the very pretty Roy’s Bay that opens out beyond Ruby Island into the southern and indented bays of Lake Wanaka. The lake, which is 274 m above sea level and over 45 km long, occupies an ancient glacier bed. The aesthetics speak for themselves, but the glistening waters are also a prime attraction for boaties, water-skiers, kayakers and windsurfers. Even before you consider these activities you will find yourself simply admiring its beauty from Wanaka’s attractive lakefront.

Near the airfield is the Have a Shot complex, T03-443 6656, with its range of ‘smack it or shoot it’ activities from clay-birds to archery to golf. Prices range from $7-30.