Things to Do On-and-Off the Slopes in Wānaka

The skiing and snowboarding are world-class, but there’s so much more waiting beyond the chairlifts. From snowshoeing through quiet alpine meadows to unwinding in a lakeside sauna, Wānaka is bursting with winter experiences for every type of traveller. Here’s your guide to making the most of Wānaka in winter—on and off the slopes.

Backcountry Wānaka snow adventures

Snow Farm for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing

Just 45 minutes from Wānaka, Snow Farm is a favourite with cross-country skiers and snowshoers alike. With 55km of groomed trails weaving through the Pisa Range, it’s easy to see why some people relocate here for the whole winter.

Whether you're a seasoned pro or strapping on skis for the first time, there's something here for every level—including lessons for beginners. If you prefer a slower pace, hire a pair of snowshoes and wander the park’s 24km of snowshoeing trails, discovering alpine meadows, frozen streams, and rocky outlooks along the way.

Tip: Snow chains are essential for the access road, so come prepared.

Heli-skiing in the Southern Alps

If you're after a bucket-list kind of thrill, heli-skiing in the Southern Alps is hard to beat. Take in jaw-dropping views from above before carving your way through untouched powder.

With access to more than 15 mountain ranges and hundreds of runs, local operators can tailor a day to suit intermediate or advanced skiers. Want to make it even more memorable? Book an overnight adventure and stay in a mountain chalet or cosy backcountry hut.

Scenic Wānaka experiences

Take a cruise to Ruby Island

This beautiful little island is a predator-free nature reserve, rich in local stories. Popular with local picnickers it was designated a reserve in 1886. In the 1920s, the Hunt family built a dance hall with local beech logs from Makarora they floated down the lake. Locals went across on a ferry for the dances and cabarets held every Saturday night. 

Join a guided walk to explore the remains of the old dance hall, learn about mānuka honey production, and meet the rare buff weka—a curious, flightless bird extinct on the mainland. Lake Wānaka Cruises also runs other guided adventures to the lake’s islands. Wanaka’s first carbon positive operator, they plant native forest in Ātiu Regional Park for every ticket they sell.

Private high-country walks, farm tours, and off-road experiences

The star of the show in Wānaka is the alpine landscape. Ridgeline is a small group tour company with exclusive access to the wild backcountry of the high-country sheep stations where the peace takes your breath away. Their experienced local guides are a mine of information on farm history and the local environment.

Ridgeline offer off-road adventures in West Wānaka and Mount Aspiring Stations, alpine farms part of the heritage of the region. They also offer guided walks to West Wānaka Station and Mātukituki Valley, and landscape photography safaris across the region.

Relaxation and recovery

Warm up with a sauna in a stunning, natural location.

The Sauna Wānaka is on the Outlet River track where the Clutha River begin, just 5kms out of town. Book a guided sauna for an instructor to lead you through your steam session with gentle breathwork, meditation, music, essential oils and cold-water immersions in-between.

15 minutes from Wānaka tranquil lakefront treasure the Secret Sauna is set on Lake Hāwea with a view down the lake to the snow-clad ranges. Steam in the scent of eucalyptus and cedarwood, cold plunge in the lake’s crystal waters, finish with a herbal tea, and leave feeling connected to nature. Also, at Lake Hāwea, LandEscape Wānaka has wood-fired hot tubs with a mountain backdrop ideal for stargazing or a sunset soak.

In town, Active Massage Wānaka has just opened a dedicated Recovery Space offering a hot tub, sauna, and ice bath experience—perfect for tired ski legs or a rejuvenating wellness reset. Pair your recovery session with a deep tissue or sports massage from their experienced team for full-body restoration.

Wānaka food and wine scene

Casual eateries

Dining in Wānaka ranges from relaxed and casual to more refined. Neighbourhood bar and eatery Hello Ranger is open from 9:00am till late with menu full of hearty snacks, pizzas, burgers, and large plates ideal for appetites honed in the hills. Another crowd-pleaser is Paloma, a taqueria making sensational tacos with seasonal New Zealand ingredients. Expect tortillas made from scratch, slow cooked meats, tostadas, and churros.

Fine dining

Muttonbird serves modern New Zealand cuisine in a fun space with a retro twist. The menu heroes great local produce, cooked by chefs who know what they’re at. Order the Muttonbird Mix for a curated taste of their great sharing menu. Kika brings an elegant, international aesthetic and Italian flair to local produce and the fruits of their own kitchen garden. The atmospheric space is warmed by the big stone fireplace.

Cellar door and breweries

There are five cellar doors within a short drive of Wānaka. Rippon has been organic since it was founded and biodynamic since 2002. Aitkens Folly is a boutique family-owned vineyard with spectacular chardonnay and two friendly dogs. Also check out the Maude Wines tasting Room, Nanny Goat Vineyard, and Paddons Paddock.

If you’re a craft beer lover, Wānaka Brew Bar pours a line-up of Wānaka Beerworks finest and ales from other local breweries in a sunny space with lake views. Rhyme x Reason is a brewery and tasting room. Try a tasting paddle or fill up a rigger with your favourite brew.

Tip: Some cellar doors may be closed on Monday/Tuesday in winter, so we recommend checking before visiting.

Wānaka culture and heritage

Wānaka galleries

Wānaka has a cluster of art galleries. The Wānaka Fine Art Gallery displays impressionist works from celebrated New Zealand landscape artists. Gallery Thirty Three shows work from contemporary New Zealand and Australian artists. The Old School House has a selection of vintage local advertising and local artists’ prints.

Wānaka museums

The National Transport and Toy Museum will delight any car enthusiast, as well as anyone who’s still a child at heart. This phenomenal private collection has over 600 vehicles, twenty aircraft, and more than 60,000 toys. For more light-hearted fun for big kids, head to Puzzling World. Founded in 1973, this idiosyncratic collection of bizarre buildings, illusions, eccentric toilets, and a maze have been messing with people’s minds for over 50 years.

Local culture and heritage

WanaHaka’s whakatau or welcome to Wānaka, connects you with the Māori culture of the region. After a welcoming challenge, whaikōrero – speeches acknowledging connection with the land – and a haka that pays respect to the whenua / land and whānau / people of the region, your hosts share a brief history of Southern Māori and European colonisation.

For more local history, the Te Ara Maumahara memory path runs between McDougal and Dungarvon Street. The path features 645 historical tiles commemorating significant events in Wānaka and the Upper Clutha, New Zealand, and the world in the last thousand years.

More Wānaka winter wonders

Winter in Wānaka is truly spectacular. This guide to Wānaka winter activities has plenty more ideas to help you plan your stay.