Wanaka Activities & Wanaka accommodation: Story of Wanaka, New Zealand

GENUINE HOSPITALITY

We're genuinely excited about sharing our local knowledge so you can make the most of your time and come to love Lake Wanaka as much as we do.

Image: Spa bath, Lake Wanaka. Fredrik Larsson

OPEN SPACES

The freedom to explore is a rare thing in today's world. Lake Wanaka is a spectacular natural playground, one which we're committed to.

Image: Boating on Lake Wanaka. Camilla Stoddart

INDEPENDENT PASSION

We're keen to keep the character, Kiwi flavour and passion in our community. We'll do our utmost to champion owner operators.

Image: Hiker on top of Mt Roy. Garrick Cameron

PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT

We feel a strong responsibility to protect the incredible environment in Lake Wanaka. We'll never take it for granted.

Image: Swimming in Lake Wanaka. Camilla Stoddart

VIBRANT COMMUNITY

Our locals come from around the corner or the other side of the world. In Lake Wanaka, when you visit, you can live and feel like a local for a few days, a season or forever. It's in the community spirit.

Image: Preschool children at daycare, Cardrona Alpine Resort

A STUNNING PLACE TO LIVE

If you're into the outdoors then there is no better place to visit or live than Wanaka...

Image: Wanaka nestled on the shores of the lake.Credit: Gilbert van Reenen

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About Wanaka

The Wanaka Story

Lake Wanaka’s Lifestyle Reserve highlights the quality of experience on offer in Lake Wanaka is a rarity, even by New Zealand standards. In the same way wildlife reserves and National Parks have become holiday destinations, the concept of a lifestyle reserve acts as a draw-card for those wanting to experience the ultimate Kiwi lifestyle. It combines spectacular scenery with a genuine sense of community, where operators are passionate about sharing their way of life, environment and what they do.

With its ‘Lifestyle Reserve’, Lake Wanaka is not only inviting you to experience its exceptional lifestyle but also highlighting the destination’s long term commitment to ensuring the quality of their experience is never compromised.

Lake Wanaka’s spectacular location at the foot of the Southern Alps with the wilderness of the Mt Aspiring National Park nearby makes it a magnet for outdoor lovers the world over. Many of our operators chose Lake Wanaka as a base to indulge in their passion, be this boating, hiking, climbing, skiing or mountain biking, just to name just a few. They’re genuinely excited about sharing their knowledge and showing off Lake Wanaka, so that you come to love it as much as they do.

Built on the values of its community, Lake Wanaka’s Lifestyle Reserve is supported by a charter that echoes the New Zealand Tourism Strategy principles of Manaakitanga and Kaitiakitanga (see editors’ note) and will ensure quality and longevity, namely:

Genuine hospitality: sharing local knowledge so visitors can make the most of their experience,
Pristine environment: preserving Lake Wanaka’s spectacular natural surroundings,
Independent passion: championing owner operators,
Vibrant community: welcoming everyone to share in the Lake Wanaka lifestyle,
Open spaces: developing with sustainability in mind and investing in the creation of recreational facilities.

The New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015 refers to Manaakitanga and Kaitiakitanga :

Manaakitanga implies a reciprocal responsibility upon a host, and an invitation to a visitor to experience the very best we have to offer.
Kaitiakitanga is about guardianship, care and protection. It provides a basis for our approach to sustainably managing our natural, cultural, and built environment for current and future generations.