The Wānaka tree
A lone willow in the water.
Pedro Szekely from Los Angeles, USA — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hagai Agmon-Snir حچاي اچمون-سنير חגי אגמון-שניר — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Pedro Szekely from Los Angeles, USA — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Kevin Prince — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia — CC BY-SA 2.0
Lake Wānaka is New Zealand's fourth largest lake, in the Otago region of the South Island. High mountains surround it, and on its shore stands the town of Wānaka, gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park, a calmer base than nearby Queenstown with some of the finest scenery in the country. It lies 300 m above sea level, covers about 198 square kilometres, reaches more than 300 m deep and runs 42 km long. It sits in a wide valley carved by glaciers in the last ice age, over 10,000 years ago. The Matukituki and Makarora rivers feed it, and it is the source of the Clutha River. Its name is tied to a Māori word meaning a place of learning. At the edge of town a lone willow stands in the water, one of New Zealand's most famous pictures. Paths run along the shore among trees and gravel, with snowy mountains behind the blue water. Nearby hills show the town, lake and valleys together, and the colours change greatly between spring and autumn. Wānaka town sits on its southern shore, about 53 km in a straight line from Queenstown, linked by the Cardrona Valley road. Do not climb the Wānaka tree or crowd it. The water is cold even in summer, so ask before swimming. Bring warm clothes, and early morning is the best time for reflections.
A lone willow in the water.
Snow above blue water.
Easy walking by the town.
Wānaka town, Otago region, South Island
Yes, the town is about 53 km in a straight line, linked by the Cardrona Valley road.
The water is cold even in summer, so ask locally first.