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Wanaka

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Wanaka. The more laidback brother of Queenstown.

Still family, as the amount of backpackers, tour buses and Asian-parades in search of hiking- and skiing-voyages definitely don’t diminish the tiniest bit when travelling 70km northwards... but somehow this picture-friendly town has a more relaxed feel to it.

Wineries

The close proximity of a few excellent wineries might have a part in that. As such, the very second I arrived - after four different hitchhikes with four different nationalities (German – Tongan – Czech – Kiwi) - I dropped down my backpack and made my way to the first one of three: Maude. A head start, as this is the best one of all within a reasonable walking distance of the center. Besides a tasteful restaurant, Maude’s winery offers an exciting mix of New Zealand’s varied flavour palette. I started off with the lighter work: the Mt. Maude East Block Riesling, a refreshing sip of apple lime and grapefruit with just the right balance of sweetness. Delicate and accessible. Also the slightly heavier Pinot Gris with its rather unusual combination of musk and florals grabbed my immediate intention, even though I can’t be classified as a Pinot Gris devotee. The same can be said about my relationship with the Chardonnay, Maude’s version being probably as good as it gets for this wine type.

I was ready for the dark side! A Pinot Noir, thank you very much! A dark, spicy, captivating sensation. A wine that demands you to sit down to be properly enjoyed. I couldn’t therefore be happier to be presented with yet another Pinot Noir (Maude Kids Block). And another one (Mt. Maude EMW)... the crown of its work celebrating fruits, clove and spice in a powerful mix as soft as silk. We have a winner, ladies and gentlemen, and we only just started. [Tastings $15, online shop here]

You therefore can’t imagine the disappointment when I swallowed the first tasting glass at Rippon Winery: Fair enough, they have the most scenic location overlooking the enchanting Wanaka Lake and their vineyards gloriously dignify the surrounding rolling mountains... but that’s no excuse for bad wine. The whites are all too sour, pulling down the corners of your mouth after every sip. The reds are all so dry you keep masticating for minutes afterwards in order to get your saliva back somehow. I’m sure they had great intentions, it just didn’t work out that well. [Free / Tip-based tastings]

Luckily there’s room for a recoup: The Aitken’s Folly. There are only three wines on bottle, but that should be enough as this small family-owned winery knows exactly what they are doing. That wasn’t always the case, the down-to-earth owner Fiona Aitken smiled when pouring another glass, but I personally vouch for their Pinot Noir and two refreshing Chardonnays. [Free / Tip-based tastings]

If you possess a private vehicle (I checked for you and found the cheapest deals on this website) you can easily fill plenty more days with tasting glass after tasting glass, but as I didn’t I focussed on that other thing Wanaka is pretty amazing at: Hiking opportunities!

Hiking

Wanaka Walks Brochure
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The choice is endless, but I decided to start off with the most famous one to see what all the fuss is about: Roy’s Peak. Now, this one being so damn touristy raises assumptions of its low level of difficulty, as that can be said for most of the well-promoted ‘New Zealand Great Walks’. But if that’s your general expectation before heading up you might be in for a disappointment (or relief, depends on how much you enjoy a challenge): this hike is pretty darn hardcore.

The well-beaten paths are wide enough and there’s no chance in hell you will ever manage to get lost, but this steepness is certainly not suitable for a laid-back family outing with the kids. Unless your kids are athletes.

I was positively surprised, but also very glad I took along my hiking poles... Winter turns the upper peak into one big ice plate and any support to make the slithering ascend somewhat doable is more than welcome. I’m sure that’s what the other walkers thought when tumbling down like domino's over and over again. That said, the notorious selfie-line on the panorama-ridge is significantly reduced during wintertide.

It is a well-known fact among locals that the DOC and New Zealand Tourism Board have the tendency to send all tourists to the exact same hikes, as a means of controlling the visitor flow and preserving the (better?) backcountry-hikes for the natives and future generations. Therefore, trails such as the Outlet Track are not even mentioned on any pamphlet or brochure... keeping all its beauty perfectly intact. Flat, sunny and scenic, I couldn’t be more grateful to local Couchsurfer Tim to take me along on this deserted river trail (that even has a campsite in summer!).

Another - more obvious - one is the Diamond Lake Track, an 18km-ride out of town. You’ll finish this picturesque little loop in a lousy ten minutes, but you’re more than welcome to continue on the Rocky Mountain Trail. Stretch up, as you’re in for a steep one! But remember, usually the harder you work, the more gratifying the results... which is most certainly the case for this delightful little tramp!

Mountains are pure pleasure in all seasons, the sunny ones generally the most suitable for hiking... but imagine what winter can do to an area like this! Exactly, I’m talking skiing, I’m talking snowboarding.

You might not have expected it, but New Zealand and skiing goes hand in hand.

Wanaka is the centrepiece of no less than three winter sports areas: Cardrona, Ski Farm and the distinguished Treble Cone.

As I was only going to have one day on the slopes I settled with the latter, the fanciest ski resort of all. Budget Bucket List doesn’t apply to this outing, but I was smart enough to buddy up with a local, which saved me the rental costs of all gear as well as the ride up and down the area. Plus, I was provided with excellent companionship of a former skiing instructor, boosting my confidence after 4,5 years of ski-inactivity. Luckily, I still had it! It’s like riding a bicycle, you can’t un-learn how to do it once you’ve got it down.

The skiing areas might not be as large and expansive as what you experienced in Europe, or, let’s say, Canada... but it makes up for that with spectacular vistas:

In one thing New Zealand remains fairly unchallenged: its earth-shattering natural grandeur.

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