Top Wanaka Art & Culture

Here's your chance to experience one of New Zealand's most spectacular and exclusive views.  A pre-dawn heliflight lifts you high into the mountains landing on  Coromandel Peak (Mt Roy) overlooking Lake Wanaka for sunrise- no hiking required.  Enjoy up to an hour capturing the stunning morning light before your helicopter flight to your awaiting 4WD. Continue your morning on the private back roads of West Wanaka Station to stunning landscapes of mountains, Lake Wanaka and valleys.

Over 80% of the world’s population live under light polluted skies which means that the infinite beauty and majesty of the night sky is hidden from them. In Central Otago we are fortunate to enjoy many long evenings under clear skies with minimal light pollution, creating rare opportunities to take images of the solar system and wider cosmos. This fun tour is for people of all skill levels who’d like to discover more about dark sky photography. Depending on the season, time and conditions there will be a variety of objects to shoot; the moon, planets, stars, clusters, galaxies and satellites. There are meteor showers often and on rare occasions the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights) will flash in green and purple hues across the sky. All of these phenomena can be photographed using the stunning Wanaka scenery as context and backdrop. On this tour you can acquire some astrophotography experience and skills even if you don’t have the right camera equipment as all of this is supplied.

Discover the idyllic landscapes of the Mount Aspiring National Park, where filming for the Lord of the Rings took place, on this action-packed half-day tour from Wanaka. Zip along the Matukituki River on a jet boat, admire spectacular views of Lake Wanaka and Mount Aspiring, then hike past forests and waterfalls to see the Avalanche Glacier.

The pōwhiri, or welcome, is an important ritual in New Zealand’s Indigenous Māori culture, inviting visitors as they arrive on their whenua (land). Experience a full pōwhiri, including the wero (challenge) and mihi whakatau (welcome speech), first-hand with this unique cultural experience. Connect with local Māori traditions in a way that you simply can’t through guidebooks and museums; learn more about the local iwi (tribe) and their responsibilities as kaitiaki, or custodians of the land.

Experience this one-of-a-kind wine tasting with a fascinating Māori culture spin! Learn about Māori history and their experiences of this region while sampling many wonderful wines. Of the wineries listed we will visit 2, if you have a preference please let me know.