Top Wanaka Historical Tours

Experience the rugged beauty of remote Milford Sound from Wanaka, all in half-a-day. With a choice of morning or afternoon flight departures, fly over lush national parks, epic glaciers, and alpine lakes, before touching down in the Sound. Enjoy a scenic cruise, keeping an eye out for some of the local inhabitants including seals, penguins, and dolphins, before returning to Wanaka by plane.

This self-guided audio driving tour takes you on a stunning, two-hour journey from Wānaka to Queenstown via the scenic Crown Range and historic Arrowtown. It is a trip through natural drama, rich gold-rush history, and quirky landmarks. Key highlights of the tour include: Driving New Zealand’s highest sealed alpine road, the Crown Range. Visiting iconic landmarks like That Wānaka Tree and the historic Cardrona Hotel. Passing by the famous and quirky Cardrona Bra Fence. Exploring the historic gold-mining town of Arrowtown. Hearing stories of Māori trailblazers, explorers, and skiing pioneers. This tour can be combined with the 'Queenstown to Wānaka' tour for a complete circular route. Would you like me to find out more details about either of the mentioned tours?

Journey from Wanaka to Queenstown, soaking in the stunning views of the Southern Alps and Cardrona Valley. This small group tour is fully guided and designed for comfort, making stops at iconic sites like the historic Cardrona Hotel and the breathtaking Crowne Range lookout. Your passionate guide will share insightful stories along the way, creating a memorable experience. Travel in a modern, comfortable minibus with a small group. Visit the historic Cardrona Hotel and enjoy the scenic Crowne Range Lookout.

A fully hosted day where your Guest Experience Manager (who you will have a direct phone number for) will ensure you are set up to have a great ride and experience. The Lake Dunstan Trail is one an Official NZ Great Ride and possibly the best one-day NZ Great Ride in New Zealand. nzbiketrails is a Qualmark Gold accredited company - meaning that we a provider delivering within the top 10% of New Zealand Experiences. We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional levels of Guest services which is represented by our reviews. Our aim is to help guests see the beauty of New Zealand, on great bikes, led by passionate trail riders who love what they do. We also aim to 'do good' in the communities that we operate in.

The pōwhiri, or welcome, is an important ritual in New Zealand’s Māori culture, inviting visitors as they arrive on their whenua (land). Experience a full pōwhiri, including the challenge and mihi whakatau (welcome speech), first-hand in Wānaka. Connect with Māori traditions in a way that you simply can’t through guidebooks and museums; learn more about the local iwi (tribe) and their responsibilities as custodians of the land.

Wānaka is a pristine alpine village where mountains blend into crystal-clear waters in New Zealand’s Southern Alps. On self-guided audio tour, you’ll discover Wānaka’s remarkable transformation from remote settlement to beloved lakeside destination. The tour begins at the Wānaka War Memorial, with its commanding view over the township and lake. From there, you’ll meander through the charming village center with its cafés and galleries, follow the spring-fed Bullock Creek, and stroll along the scenic lakefront boardwalk. Along the way, you’ll learn how the town evolved from a frontier outpost called Pembroke, and a hub for gold miners and high-country farmers, to the adventure hub it is today. The tour ends in the peaceful Wānaka Station Park, once part of a vast sheep station established in the 1860s, where you can relax amongst its collection of mature exotic trees planted by early settlers.