Lake Wanaka, South Island, New Zealand (11)

2013 Best Summer Trip #11

The top ski town in the Southern Alps combines spectacular Lord of the Rings-style alpine scenery and world-class runs at four mountain resorts at Lake Wanaka and two more within an hour’s drive. Buy a OnePassNZ to ski and snowboard at eight South Island locations, or skip the lines and lifts completely by heli-skiing through the deep, dry powder of a virgin snowfield.

When to Go: June-October, ski season; July 5-9, New Zealand Mountain Film Festival; August 4-22, World Heli Challenge; August 15-25, WinterGames NZ

How to Get Around: Bus and door-to-door shuttles to ski areas are available from Wanaka, Queenstown, Wanaka Airport, and many local hotels. Book in advance. If you rent a car, make sure the snow chains required in winter are included.

Where to Stay: Stay slopeside in a ski-in, ski-out self-catering apartment or lodge at Snow Park, Snow Farm (cross-country only), or Cardrona Alpine Resort. Whare Kea Lodge and Chalet on Lake Wanaka offers the ultimate Kiwi ski accommodations. Lift off from the front lawn of the lodge for a morning heli-ski run down the slopes of Dragonfly Peak, stopping for a gourmet lunch in the chalet.

Where to Eat or Drink: Wanaka’s whimsical Cinema Paradiso welcomes snow enthusiasts to its new, larger location this ski season (the famous movie house and café relocated to a former Catholic Church in December 2012). Loyal customers will be relieved to see that the Paradiso’s well-worn couches, quirky airplane seats, and yellow Morris Minor car also made the move. Split a preshow pizza in the café (meals aren’t served in the theater), buy a warm-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookie at intermission, and extend the evening back in the café with a glass a local Pinot Noir.

Helpful Links: Lake Wanaka Tourism

Fun Fact: Strike up a conversation with a local shop or innkeeper and you’ll likely meet someone who was or knows a goblin, troll, or crew member from The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings movies. With several filming locations in and around nearby Mount Aspiring National Park, many of Lake Wanaka’s year-round residents worked in front of the camera or behind the scenes on the productions.


Lake Wanaka - 瓦纳卡湖，新西兰第四大湖泊
spectacular - 壮观的
alpine - 阿尔卑斯的，高山的
cater - 满足（要求）
ultimate - 最终的，根本的，最高的，最大的
chalet - 小木屋
whimsical - 变化无常的，奇怪的
enthusiast - 爱好者
relieve - 享受，解脱
couch - 沙发
quirky - 奇妙的
split - 切割，使分裂
intermission - 休息时间，中断
strike up - 开始，结交
goblin - 小妖精，丑妖精
troll - （斯堪的纳维亚神话中居于洞穴或山上、专门偷小孩的）丑陋怪物，山精，巨怪