7 Most Instagrammable Spots in Wanaka, New Zealand's Lakeside Answer to Queenstown

Wanaka sits at the southern end of its namesake lake on New Zealand's South Island, close enough to Queenstown to be an easy day trip but distinct enough in character to be worth its own stop: fewer bars, more hiking trail heads, and a backdrop of Mount Aspiring National Park's peaks reflected in still water on calm mornings. Here are seven spots that keep it in heavy rotation on New Zealand travel feeds.

1. That Wanaka Tree

A lone willow standing a short distance out in the lake's shallows, this tree has become one of New Zealand's most photographed single subjects, reachable by an easy walk along the lakefront from the town centre.

2. Roys Peak Track

The 16-kilometre return hike to Roys Peak's 1,578-metre summit produces one of the country's most reproduced ridgeline shots, looking back over the lake from a curved viewpoint partway up. The track closes annually from around 1 October to mid-November for lambing season.

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3. Diamond Lake and the Rocky Mountain Track

A shorter, steeper alternative to Roys Peak, this track climbs to a lookout over Diamond Lake itself and the wider Wanaka basin, making it a popular choice for visitors without a full day to spare.

4. Glendhu Bay

A short drive west around the lake's edge, Glendhu Bay offers an uncluttered stretch of shoreline with Mount Aspiring's peaks lined up across the water, particularly striking at sunrise.

5. Rippon Vineyard

One of New Zealand's oldest vineyards, Rippon sits on a slope directly above the lake, its rows of vines framed against the water and mountains in a view that has become a recognisable shorthand for Central Otago wine country.

6. Puzzling World

A long-running attraction on the edge of town, Puzzling World's leaning tower and illusion rooms are a deliberately odd counterpoint to the natural scenery elsewhere on this list, and a reliably popular stop for a different kind of photo.

7. The Wanaka lakefront promenade

The walking path along the town's own waterfront, backed by cafés and framed by the lake and mountains beyond, is the easiest and most repeatable shot in town, especially in the low light of early morning or early evening.

Traveller tips

• Queenstown Airport, roughly an hour's drive away, is the nearest airport with regular domestic and some international connections.
• The Roys Peak car park fills early in summer; an early start avoids both crowds and midday heat on the exposed track.
• That Wanaka Tree is on public lakefront land and easily reached on foot; no entry fee applies.
• Rippon Vineyard's cellar door has seasonal opening hours; check ahead before visiting outside peak season.