Day 1: Cardrona
By car from Wanaka: 35 mins | 34km
Head up the Cardrona Valley to The Cardrona for a quad bike tour over a high country farm. There are river crossings (but not too deep) plus dips and hollows, rises and ridges and for the more adventurous, you can ride to the top of the mountain.
At the end of your tour, head next door to the Cardrona Distillery to taste their hand-crafted spirits. All their spirits are made starting with just malted barley, water and yeast. They have single malt whisky, gin, vodka and orange liqueur and do tours and tastings daily. There’s also the historic Cardrona Hotel for a beer and some chips.
Things to see and do:
Day 2: Matukituki
By car from Wanaka: 35 mins | 34km
The Matukituki Valley is home to a whole host of activities which generally take half a day to complete. For the lovers of water, try canyoning or jet boating, while the whole family can do the via ferrata climb up the iron rung ladders beside Twin Falls. The off road 4WD tour over a real working farm and to Colquhoun’s Beach is a real classic Kiwi adventure. For the really adventurous types try a tandem paraglide off Treble Cone and a heli skiing in winter.
Things to see and do:
Day 3: Wanaka Airport
By car from Wanaka: 12 mins | 11km
It’s time to head out to Wanaka Airport and take to the skies for some thrills and spills. No visit to Wanaka would complete without skydiving from an airplane strapped to the back of a stranger. But don’t worry as they won’t be a stranger for long.
If you’re a bit of a control freak, then you probably won’t be content to sit back and let someone else fly the plane. Take the controls yourself and fly your very own 20-minute scenic flight or better yet an extreme trail flight in your own stunt plane with Ivan, twice the NZ national champion and with over 20-years aerobatic experience.
No experience required, and no experience like it.
You can spend all day at the Airport as the Warbirds and Wheels Café and Luggate Hotel will help keep your energy levels up for as many adventures as you can handle.
Things to see and do:
Day 4: Lake Wanaka
The lake holds tons of adventure opportunities - both high-octane and low and slow. Explore our rivers on a jetboat experience. Tour the lake on a jet-ski or even rent a powerboat and go wakeboarding and water-skiing.
If you want to get airborne, check out parasailing for an incredible 360 view of the township and surrounding landscape.
Finally, take a slow approach and rent a paddleboard or kayak. Or even hire a tour guide and learn all the ins and outs of our lake.
