• Home
  • About
    • Skye Gilkeson
    • Contributors
  • Work with Us
  • Media
  • Disclaimer and Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Email Disclaimer

The Fit Traveller

As luxury travel and wellness experts we help you travel well

  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Morocco
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Maldives
      • Myanmar
      • Nepal
      • Singapore
      • Sri Lanka
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • Belgium
      • Croatia
      • Denmark
      • England
      • Finland
      • France
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Malta
      • Norway
      • Serbia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • The Netherlands
      • United Kingdom
    • North America
      • Bahamas
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • United States
    • South America
      • Brazil
      • Nicaragua
      • Peru
      • El Salvador
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • Cook Islands
      • New Zealand
      • Samoa
  • Travel
    • Travel Guides
    • Family Travel
    • Travel Hacks
  • Stay
  • Retreats
  • Lifestyle
    • Photography
    • Profiles
    • Style
    • Tech
    • Wisdom
  • Wellness
    • Fitness
    • Running
    • Yoga

Hiking, New Zealand / April 10, 2017

Five of the Best Hikes in Wanaka, New Zealand

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Flipboard

Wanaka is a small town an hour north of Queenstown in New Zealand that has been growing in popularity with visitors over the past few years. Nestled in the Southern Alps with the centre of town seated directly on the crystal clear waters of Lake Wanaka, it has a lot to offer visitors from world-class canyoning, access to excellent climbing routes, a variety of lake activities such as kayaking and SUP, and superb wineries to explore. The best part about this area though might be the endless amount of Wanaka hikes on your doorstep. 

Brittany Lillegard 

wanaka hikes

Rob Roy’s Glacier Valley hike is an easy-to-moderate track that takes you past stunning active glaciers. Near Wanaka, New Zealand. Image © Brittany Lillegard

5 of the Best Wanaka Hikes 

The Queenstown to Wanaka drive takes about an hour and is one of the most scenic road trips in the world.

When it comes to things to do in Wanaka, you should absolutely factor in at least one or two of these Wanaka hikes during your visit.

Whether you are staying in Queenstown, doing a south island road trip, or staying in town, even one of the shorter Wanaka walks will whet your appetite for more.

Roy’s Peak Hike

Contents

  • Roy’s Peak Hike
  • Rob Roy Glacier Walk
  • Isthmus Peak Wanaka
  • Breast Hill
  • Gillespie Pass Circuit

Roy’s Peak (pictures in our cover image) is the most popular day Wanaka hike and becoming one of the most popular hikes in New Zealand. So, while it isn’t a hidden gem, it is a must-do while you are here.

The views from Roy’s Peak are some of the most breathtaking in the world and completely worth the grunt up to the top.

The track is a steep, unforgiving incline for most of the journey, and while the incredibly fit locals will you tell you it is an easy jaunt, it is definitely on the challenging side for most people.

To help prepare, you’ll want to bring plenty of water (there isn’t any available on the track), a few layers of clothing (even on a good day, the weather can change drastically in a short period of time).

Of course, don’t forget your camera – the million-dollar view is worth the extra weight in your pack.

Full day | Carpark on Mt Aspiring Road | 7 minutes from Wanaka 

Rob Roy Glacier Walk

Located in Mount Aspiring National Park, the Rob Roy Glacier walk is one of the easier Wanaka walks and one of the best day hikes in New Zealand for that reason too.

It is well worth the hour’s drive from Wanaka. While the volatile west coast weather can make a visit to Franz Josef or Fox Glaciers a bit of a gamble, the weather is generally more favorable for visiting Rob Roy’s.

The track itself is usually busy on a good weather day, but the valley that opens up to the glacier has plenty of space to find a semi-private location to admire the glacier and enjoy your lunch.

Half-day | Raspberry Creek Car Park, Mt Aspiring Road | 1 hour from Wanaka 

 

Related: Where to Eat in Queenstown

hikes wanaka

The beautiful blues of Lake Hawea from Isthmus Peak, just outside of Wanaka, New Zealand. Image © Brittany Lillegard

Isthmus Peak Wanaka

Also referred to as “the neck”, you’ll be able to see both Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea from the top.

A solid half-day hike on a moderate incline, this track is often unfortunately skipped by most visitors.

Considering you get double the lake views, we think it is worth spending the extra time in the area to explore.

Half-day | Isthmus Peak car park on SH6 | 30 minutes from Wanaka

 

Related: 4 of the Most Beautiful Beaches on New Zealand’s South Island

hikes wanaka

Breathtaking views of Mount Aspiring National Park to Lake Hawea from Breast Hill, near Wanaka, New Zealand. Image © Brittany Lillegard

Breast Hill

The least trodden of the day options listed here, Breast Hill is located on the northern side of Lake Hawea.

You will likely encounter a few other hikers on your way up the continuously steep track with few spots to rest, but the unforgiving incline is worth having a bit more “privacy” on your journey.

You can make the round trip back to the car park in one day, or you can pick up a hut pass at the visitor centre (about $NZ5 per person) and spend the night at the Pakituhi Hut so you can catch a quiet sunrise in the valley.

The hut is also a common stop for those completing the Te Araroa trail which extends the entire length of New Zealand and takes an average of three to six months to walk.

So, pack some extra chocolate to share with these weary trampers, and you’ll be sure to make some quick friends.

Full day to several days | Gladstone Reserve on Timaru River Rd | 45 minutes from Wanaka

 

Related: 5 of the Best Hikes in Norway

Best multi-day hikes near Wanaka New Zealand

Stunning scenery on the Gillespie Pass Circuit, from Makarora New Zealand. Image © Aspiring Guides

Gillespie Pass Circuit

For those looking for something more adventurous, the Gillespie Pass Circuit is a challenging 3-4 day Wanaka hike located in Mount Aspiring National Park.

The track should only be completed by experienced trampers, but it is a truly off-the-beaten-path walk that takes you through some of New Zealand’s most pristine waterfalls, glaciers, temperate rainforests, and alpine views.

If you are up for the challenge but don’t have the backcountry experience, you can book a guided trek with Aspiring Guides who will provide you with a professional guide to help you assess the weather, show you how to navigate the river crossings safely, and take care of your meals and snacks for you.

3-4 days | Town of Makarora | 1 hour from Wanaka

 

Before setting off on any of these Wanaka hikes, stop by the Mount Aspiring Visitor Centre to verify weather and track conditions, pick up maps and hut passes, and check the availability of water on the tracks.

 

Five of the Best Wanaka hikes. Hikes near Wanaka and Wanaka walks that should make your bucket list. Whether you are on a south island road trip, travelling from Queenstown to Wanaka for the day and doing one of the Wanaka day hikes, these five hikes in Wanaka should be on your list. From Roy's Peak track to Breast Hill, we show you why these hikes in Wanaka are some of the best hikes in New Zealand and what you need to know before you go. #wanaka #newzealand #hiking @thefittraveller

Brittany Lillegard
Brittany Lillegard

Brittany is a traveling strength coach and yoga instructor from Chicago. She fuses her travel stories with her coaching background to help inspire and empower women to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and to take charge of creating their own adventures.

She thrives off of coffee and wine, prefers to spend her days barefoot, and when she isn’t coaching or working on her handstand skills, she can be found plotting her next adventure.

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Flipboard

Filed Under: Hiking, New Zealand

« A Weekend Getaway to the Blue Mountains
The Amala, Seminyak, Bali »

The Fit Traveller may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Prices may be subject to change without notice.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Read more here.

 

CONTACT THE FIT TRAVELLER

 

ABOUT SKYE GILKESON

Copyright © 2014 ‐ 2023 — The Fit Traveller • All rights reserved • Privacy Policy Disclaimer