To get to Wanaka we drove from Franz Josef glacier through the scenic Haast Pass. Beware though--during the winter, this road closes at 5pm at the Haast side. We narrowly missed this and had to spend a night in the tiny village of Haast--the hostel had several groups of people who had also gotten stuck. Everyone was walking around like zombies... such a dead spot!
The next day we were glad that we had missed the road as it meant we got to do the journey by daylight--certainly worth it. Along the way, brown DOC (Department of Conservation) signposts indicated places worth stopping at, like the pretty Fantail Falls and other scenic lookouts such as at the shores of Lake Hawea (see photo).
Driving into Wanaka, we were awestruck...Wanaka is a picturesque town on the shores of Lake Wanaka and is ringed by mountain ranges.
The town is full of skiiers and snow-boarders, and the adjoining ski fields (Treble Cone and Cardrona are the main two) are reputed to be among the best in the world. We spent a great day skiing at Cardrona in the sun!
In Wanaka, my braver friends did a tandem skydive from 9,000 feet. This involved a 10-second free fall at 200kph before the parachute kicked in! See the attached photo. Wanaka is reputed to be one of the best places in NZ to do a skydive, as it's a little cheaper than most other places and the views are astounding.
There are plenty of trendy bars, restaurants, and cafes in Wanaka to keep one well-fed and watered. A lovely place to spend a few days and a pleasant alternative to Queenstown.