Private Wanaka loop tour
A grand circle through the best of the Southern Lakes.
Private Wanaka loop tour
A grand circle through the best of the Southern Lakes.
From NZD $480 per person
Every tour is private, for your party alone, and runs on demand.
The day in brief
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Duration
Full day, approx. 7.5 hours
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Departs
9:00 am, door to door
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Returns
Approx. 4:45 pm
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Activity
Easy, with optional lakeside walking
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Lunch
Included, a lakeside picnic style lunch in Wanaka
A grand circle through the Southern Lakes
This is the full scenic circle, and the best way to take in the breadth of the Southern Lakes in a single, unhurried day. It runs out through the wine country of Gibbston and Cromwell, lingers a long midday at Wanaka, and comes home over the Crown Range through the Cardrona Valley.
Out through the gorge
The morning heads into the Kawarau Gorge, with a first pull-in above the river where the original bungy bridge hangs over the water and the Roaring Meg races down to meet it. On to Cromwell for morning coffee in the restored heritage precinct, the old gold town saved from the water when the valley was dammed, and in season the fruit stalls on the way out of the basin, where the cherries and stonefruit come off the orchards around you.
A long midday at Wanaka
By midday you reach Wanaka, and this is where the day slows down. The lone willow known as That Wanaka Tree stands out in the shallows a short walk from the lakefront, and from there guests can keep walking along the water at their own pace while your guide meets them further round with lunch laid out by the lake. There is time afterwards to wander the township or simply sit.
Home over the Crown Range
The afternoon climbs the Crown Range, the highest sealed road in New Zealand, with a stop at the Cardrona Hotel, whose 1863 facade is one of the most photographed in the country and whose garden bar is a fine place to pause. Higher up, a second lookout opens the long view back over the Wakatipu Basin. If there is time in hand your guide takes the quieter way home through Arrowtown and the back road into Queenstown.
Included in your tour
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Your own vehicle and guide
A private luxury vehicle and dedicated driver-guide for the day.
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Door to door
Hotel pick-up and return in Queenstown.
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Lunch
A lakeside picnic style or cafe lunch in Wanaka.
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The details
Bottled water throughout the day.
Not included: drinks beyond lunch, and any wine tastings along the route, which are arranged on request.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Wanaka loop?
How long is the Wanaka loop?
About seven and a half hours door to door, leaving at 9:00 am and back in Queenstown around 4:45 pm.
Is it the same road both ways?
Is it the same road both ways?
No. The day runs out through the Kawarau Gorge and Cromwell and comes home over the Crown Range through the Cardrona Valley, so you see the whole circle.
Is lunch included?
Is lunch included?
Yes, a lakeside picnic style lunch in Wanaka, or a cafe lunch if the party would rather.
How much walking is there?
How much walking is there?
As little or as much as you like. The lakefront at Wanaka is flat and easy, and everything else is a step from the vehicle.
Travel it privately
Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and we will shape the day around you.
Travel it privately
Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and we will shape the day around you.
