landmark
That Wanaka Tree
New Zealand's most photographed tree, a lone crack willow growing in the shallows of Lake Wanaka with mountain backdrop.
3 km · about 5 min drive
OceaniaNew ZealandOtago
Wanaka
Otago, New Zealand · Oceania
About Wanaka
Wanaka works well as a base: 25 minutes from Lake Hawea, 36km from Crown Range Road.
Wanaka is in Otago, New Zealand, with about 13,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Lake Hawea, about 13 km away.
Wānaka (Māori pronunciation: [ˈwaːnaka] ) is a ski and summer resort town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. At the southern end of Lake Wānaka, it is at the start of the Clutha River and is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park.
Wānaka is primarily a resort town with both summer and winterRead more
seasons. Its economy is based on the many outdoor opportunities this offers.
Historically, Māori visited the Wānaka area to hunt and fish in summer, or on their way to seek pounamu (greenstone) on the West Coast. Ngāi Tahu abandoned their seasonal camps after a raid by a North Island war party in 1836.
Along with the rest of the Queenstown-Lakes District, Wānaka is one of the fastest-growing towns in New Zealand, with the population tripling between 2000 and 2020.
Where to Stay in Wanaka
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Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Wanaka.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Wanaka?
Within an hour or so of Wanaka: That Wanaka Tree (3 km), National Transport & Toy Museum (8 km), Cardrona Bra Fence (21 km), Cardrona Hotel (23 km).
Are there any good drives near Wanaka?
The nearest famous roads are Crown Range Road, Crown Range Summit and Lindis Pass.
Where is Wanaka?
Wanaka is in Otago, New Zealand, about 13 km from Lake Hawea.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 13,200
- Continent
- Oceania
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Otago
- Timezone
- Pacific/Auckland
- Coordinates
- -44.7000, 169.1500
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in New Zealand
Many rural bridges are single-lane. Give way as signed.
Full driving guide for New ZealandTags
Worth the detour from Wanaka
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
museum
National Transport & Toy Museum
Eclectic collection of vintage vehicles and motoring memorabilia in New Zealand's sunny Nelson region.
8 km · about 15 min drive
landmark
Cardrona Bra Fence
A wire fence on the Cardrona Valley Road between Wanaka and Queenstown hung with thousands of bras since 1999, now an official breast-cancer-charity collection point.
21 km · about 25 min drive
cafe
Cardrona Hotel
A legendary 1863 gold rush hotel on the Crown Range Road between Queenstown and Wanaka, one of New Zealand's most iconic roadside pit stops.
23 km · about 25 min drive
famous road
Crown Range Road
New Zealand's highest sealed road at 1,076m, a switchback climb between Queenstown and Wanaka.
36 km · about 40 min drive
famous road
Crown Range Road
New Zealand's highest sealed road at 1,076 meters, a dramatic alpine crossing between Queenstown and Wanaka.
37 km · about 40 min drive
mountain pass
Crown Range Summit
Highest sealed through-road in New Zealand at 1,076 m, linking Queenstown and Wanaka with hairpin bends and a summit viewpoint.
37 km · about 40 min drive
racetrack
Highlands Motorsport Park
Circuit and motoring museum at Cromwell in Central Otago, offering supercar rides alongside State Highway 6.
40 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Wanaka
- 36 kmCrown Range RoadNew Zealand's highest sealed road at 1,076m, a switchback climb between Queenstown and Wanaka.
- 37 kmCrown Range RoadNew Zealand's highest sealed road at 1,076 meters, a dramatic alpine crossing between Queenstown and Wanaka.
- 37 kmCrown Range SummitHighest sealed through-road in New Zealand at 1,076 m, linking Queenstown and Wanaka with hairpin bends and a summit viewpoint.
- 41 kmLindis PassA 971 m pass on SH8 through rolling tussock-gold hills between the Mackenzie Basin and Central Otago: one of New Zealand's most photographed stretches of high-country road.
- 49 kmRemarkables Viewpoint (Queenstown)A lakeside pull-off on the road to Queenstown where The Remarkables mountain range reflects in the mirror-calm waters of Lake Wakatipu.
- 54 kmKingston–Queenstown Road (SH6)A stunning lakeside drive along the shores of Lake Wakatipu from Kingston to Queenstown beneath the Remarkables mountain range.
Nearby Destinations
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