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You guys. It’s been a sizzling minute since I’ve written about Wānaka.
I’ve been right here for a decade minus a number of years the place I used to be in Lyttelton. Even although it’s wildly lovely and extremely well-liked with vacationers, I’ve discovered that I don’t usually write about it or share a lot as a result of it’s my house. And after I’m house, I’m chilling greater than exploring.
But now that tourism is again on the playing cards, and our empty parking spots are filling up once more with campervans, it’s time for one in all my most requested posts – essentially the most lovely and Instagrammy photograph spots in Wānaka. Ask, and also you shall obtain – even when it’s years later. Hey, I’m human.
Sometimes I mirror again on my arrival to Wānaka almost a decade in the past and the way Instagram wasn’t actually a lot of a factor again then. But as soon as phrase acquired out, Wānaka turned extremely well-liked largely to simply how rattling photogenic of a spot it’s.
With iconic views, a shiny blue lake, and usually improbable climate, it ought to shock nobody how well-liked Wānaka is. It’s exhausting to take a nasty photograph right here. But in fact, what makes Wānaka further particular is the story of the place and the individuals behind it. Beyond the epic views and enjoyable adventures, Wānaka is house to a number of the most extremely inventive and proficient individuals. It’s a little bit of a magnet!
Here are my picks for the ten most Instagrammable spots in Wānaka – get pleasure from!
1. Check out the enduring Cardrona swing
Exploring New Zealand mountain cities is not like the remainder of the world. Our populations are tiny in comparison with Europe and North America, which suggests mountain visitors usually is the prerogative of sheep. If you wish to stand up the hills, you gotta use your personal two toes. Or go in a helicopter.
That being stated, we now have a number of the most unimaginable ski fields on the planet proper on the doorstep of Wānaka – Cardrona and Treble Cone. Once the snow melts away within the hotter months, Cardrona turns right into a summer time paradise. With mountain biking tracks, mountaineering trails, carting, and engaging meals, it’s an effective way to get excessive up within the mountains by yourself with a automobile.
Head up for the day and take a look at the epic views in summer time – and don’t skip out on the enduring swing on the high of McDougall’s Express Chondola. Overlooking each Queenstown and Wānaka, the views are epic.
2. Take a photograph of the enduring Wānaka tree
A location that wants no introduction is the very well-known Wānaka tree – an exquisite willow tree within the lake -that sits close to the highest of essentially the most Instagrammable spots in Wānaka. The legend goes that the willow tree grew out of an previous fence pole left over from a inventory fence. With its lovely silhouette, leaves that change shade with the seasons, and beautiful mountain backdrop, it’s no marvel it makes for an ideal photograph.
Just keep in mind that in case you go to throughout dawn or sundown, it may well usually be crowded with photographers and other people on the lookout for the right seize. Though with time and endurance, I’m positive you would get a pleasant photograph.
I’ve had an extended love-hate relationship with this explicit tree. I don’t love the concept of individuals coming to Wānaka to get this particular photograph (which individuals do). It’s additionally not even a local tree. To me, Wānaka is an extremely dynamic place with a lot to supply guests. Be positive to construct in additional time to soak all of it in completely.
3. Spend a day mountaineering out to Rob Roy Glacier
The first hike I took after I moved to Wānaka was to Rob Roy Glacier in Mt. Aspiring National Park. Ever since I’ve tried to get out right here annually.
You must drive out to the Raspberry Flat carpark which is about an hour from city, on a street that sometimes has fords you must cross. But it’s so value it. You climb alongside a shocking mountain river gorge by way of the beech forest earlier than coming out beneath the Rob Roy Glacier. If you keep for lengthy sufficient, the kea may go to you.
I usually see ice avalanches tumble down from the glacier. It’s a spectacular place.
4. Relax and unwind on the native lavender farm
I can nonetheless bear in mind when locals opened up the Wānaka Lavender Farm, and it was such a superb addition to a city most individuals deal with for snowboarding or mountain-based adventures.
As somebody who loves flowers and vegetation, I believe it’s distinctive attending to expertise locations like this.
Over the years, I’ve watched it develop into an epic vacation spot spot, the right place to carry your family and friends and hand around in the gardens. And I by no means depart with out getting lavender ice cream, which is wonderful.
5. Take a giant mountain tiny human photograph on Roys Peak
If we needed to choose the perfect out of essentially the most Instagrammable spots in Wānaka, it’s completely Roys Peak. With panoramic views of Wānaka and Mt. Aspiring National Park, it’s well worth the hype for the view. For years, {couples} would fly up right here in a helicopter (to close by Coromandel Peak, which has the identical view) to take wedding ceremony pictures. With the rise of visible social media, it rapidly took over the ‘gram too.
Two-thirds of the way in which up the Roys Peak monitor, an offshoot runs alongside a ridge the place everybody takes their photograph. But be ready to get in line, actually. Everyone needs photos at this explicit spot, and the views are even higher in case you keep on to the highest.
But so far as tracks go, I discover Roys Peak to be kinda lame. It’s an previous farm 4WD monitor that zigzags up the mountain. There’s no water or shade; the downhill will wreck your knees, so prep accordingly.
6. Road journey out to the Blue Pools
On the Haast Pass, an hour out of Wānaka in your option to the west coast, you’ll cross by the Blue Pools.
A brilliant chill quick stroll by way of the native beech forest will carry you out to the Blue Pools, a shocking ravine minimize by way of by the Makarora River. Here the water is tremendous clear and sometimes displays neon blue. Freezing, it comes straight down from the Southern Alps. A swim is value it, however don’t count on it to be heat.
Brave people usually bounce off the massive swing bridge over the Blue Pools within the summertime, however clearly, do your analysis beforehand.
7. Hang out by Lake Hāwea
It’s been seven months since I settled into slightly home in Hāwea, a small lakeside suburb 20 minutes from Wānaka. And I find it irresistible right here, and it’s undoubtedly underrated as one of the crucial Instagrammable spots in Wānaka.
Many of my buddies have moved out to Hāwea to construct their houses and quiet down, so I’m in good firm. With its alpine lake encircled by huge mountains, it’s an important place to soak in some epic views. Trails and tracks dot alongside the ridges and slopes right here, making it the right spot to loosen up in nature by yourself.
While the lake in Hāwea is a bit colder than Wānaka, it will get deeper a lot faster and is tremendous clear and blue. It could be similar to swimming within the Caribbean if it had been 20 levels celsius colder.
8. Splurge on an epic keep at Mahu Whenua
The end-all-be-all of epic luxurious lodging with a robust conservation story needs to be Mahu Whenua, simply exterior Wānaka. ‘Mahu Whenua’ in te reo Māori means ‘healing the land.’
Stretching from Lake Wānaka to Arrowtown, Mahu Whenua is New Zealand’s largest personal conservation venture, masking 136,000 acres of land.
Over the previous decade, Mahu Whenua’s proprietor has labored exhausting to revive the land to its pre-farmed state, making certain it’s going to final the ages with Crown Covenants positioned on it. Undertaking intensive analysis, they started planting tens of millions of native bushes, eradicating predators and pests, which has resulted in growing numbers of native birdlife within the space.
9. Tackle the epic Gillespie Pass
One of essentially the most epic tramps with wonderful views round Wānaka needs to be the Gillespie Pass Circuit close to Makarora. A tramp for the skilled, it’s a virtually 60-kilometer monitor by way of the Southern Alps.
Last summer time, I lastly tramped the entire Gillespie Pass over a few days, by which my ass was kicked, however you recognize, like, in a great way. Who wants all their toenails in any case?
The facet journey as much as Lake Crucible is an absolute must-do, so be sure you construct in time for it. You can shorten the journey and make it safer by skipping the river crossings (which may be unsafe) by jetboat or helicopter with Wilkin River Jets.
10. Soak within the unimaginable starry evening sky
While the close by Mackenzie Basin will get all the eye for the biggest darkish sky reserve within the southern hemisphere, do you know that Wānaka additionally has unimaginable stargazing?
The South Island usually has nice stargazing as a result of it’s not very populated, and bigger populations imply a number of gentle air pollution, which blocks the celebrities. Almost anyplace round Wānaka at evening may have unimaginable stargazing until it’s cloudy or you might be by the rugby pitch throughout a nighttime sport when the spotlights are on.
Head someplace darkish and lookup. And look south. You may get fortunate and see the Southern Lights twinkling alongside the horizon.
Do you’ve got a favourite view in Wānaka? What do you reckon are essentially the most Instagrammable spots in Wānaka? Spill.
