Makarora

Rich in hidden gems of history and natural beauty, Makarora is a must do for anyone with a real sense of adventure

Situated on the Haast Pass Highway between Wānaka and the West Coast, Makarora offers visitors easy access to Mt Aspiring National Park just 50-minutes from Wānaka. 

Choose a scenic flight in a plane or helicopter, or take a jetboat up the Makarora and Wilkin Rivers – whichever way you choose to enter the World Heritage Area, you can do so easily from Makarora. 

A popular hunting and fishing area, many outdoor enthusiasts utilise the transport resources available to reach the more secluded parts of the park. 

A significant stop on your onward South Island journey, Makarora offers a multitude of short walks right off the main highway - including the popular Blue Pools Track. 

The many and varied walks and hikes available from Makarora include the famed Siberia Valley and Gillespie Pass Circuit, and – not for the faint-hearted or the afraid-of-heights – Rabbit Pass. 

There are plenty of places to stay and eat in Makarora so you can explore this region for a day or a week – the choice is yours.

 Discover the best of our region by following the scenic highlights photo tour. 

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Driving to Wanaka Explore the Region

Driving to Wānaka

Driving on the South Island roads of New Zealand is a great way to experience the region, with relatively quiet roads and some of the most amazing scenery right outside the window.

Major car and campervan hire companies are all located at Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown airports. There are also a number of rental car companies based in Wānaka.

How to get to Wānaka

Explore the Region

Wānaka is unique and captivating; it inspires you to discover, and gives you the freedom to explore.

Located in the stunning alps of the South Island, New Zealand, visitors from around the world are drawn to the Wānaka region by its outstanding beauty.

Explore Wānaka

  1. Mount Aspiring
    National Park     54 min
  2. Christchurch 5 h 14 min
  3. Ashburton 3 h 56 min
  4. Geraldine 3 h 19 min
  5. Tekapo 2 h 17 min
  6. Mt Cook 2 h 6 min
  7. Twizel 1 h 39 min
  8. Omarama 1 h 21 min
  9. Franz Josef 3 h 32 min
  10. Fox Glacier 3 h 6 min
  11. Haast 1 h 43 min
  13. Cromwell 39 min
  14. Queenstown 1 h 4 min
  15. Milford Sound 4 h 34 min
  16. Te Anau 2 h 52 min
  17. Dunedin 2 h 52 min
  1. Mount Aspiring
    National Park     54 min
  2. Coronet Peak
  3. The Remarkables
  4. Cardrona
  5. Treble Cone
  6. Snow Farm
  7. Heli Skiing
  8. Heli Skiing
  9. Makarora 50 min
  10. Lake Hawea 1 h 7 min
  12. Wanaka Airport 11 min
  13. Luggate 13 min
  14. Tarras 27 min
  15. Cromwell 39 min
  16. Arrowtown 53 min
  17. Queenstown 1 h 4 min
  18. Queenstown Airport 59 min
  19. Matukituki Valley 51 min
  20. Raspberry Creek 1 h 6 min

Flights to Wānaka

Getting to Wānaka is easy - click on your city to see how close you are to Wānaka. It’s a short, scenic 60-minute drive to Wānaka from the closest international airport, where you will find all major rental car companies and scheduled bus services that provide transport to Wānaka throughout the day.

How to get to Wanaka