Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
www.wanakabeerworks.co.nz
;
SH6; tours & tasting $10; tastings 11am-4pm, tours 2pm Thu-Tue)
Somewhat incongruously attached to the toy museum, this small brewery's two main
beers (Cardrona Gold lager and Brewski pilsner) are complemented by seasonal brews.
Dave the owner is a real-deal Belgian brewing supremo.
Warbirds & Wheels
MUSEUM
(
www.warbirdsandwheels.com
;
Wanaka Airport, 11 Lloyd Dunn Av; adult/child $20/5; 9am-5pm)
Dedicated to NZ combat pilots, the aircraft they flew and the sacrifices they made, this
museum features Hawker Hurricanes, a de Havilland Vampire and lots of shiny, beauti-
fully restored classic cars. Grab a bite to eat and fire up the jukebox in the retro diner.
Rippon
WINERY
(
www.rippon.co.nz
; 246 Mt Aspiring Rd; noon-4.30pm Jul-Apr)
Along with just about the best
view of any NZ winery, Rippon has great wine too. To save fights as to who's going to
be the designated driver, take a 2km stroll along the lakeside and look out for the track
up the hill from the end of Sargood Dr.
DON'T MISS
MT ASPIRING NATIONAL PARK
Verdant valleys, alpine meadows, unspoiled rivers, more than 100 glaciers and
siast's paradise. Protected as a national park in 1964, and later included in the
Southwest New Zealand (Te Wahipounamu) World Heritage Area, the park now
blankets 3555 sq km along the Southern Alps, from the Haast River in the north to
its border with Fiordland National Park in the south. Lording it over all is colossal
Mt Aspiring (Tititea; 3033m), the highest peak outside the Aoraki/Mt Cook area.
While the southern end of Mt Aspiring National Park near Glenorchy includes
better known tramps such as the Routeburn (
Click here
)
, Greenstone and Caples
(
Click here
) and Rees-Dart (
Click here
)
Tracks, there are plenty of blissful short
walks and more demanding multiday tramps in the Matukituki Valley, close to
Wanaka; see the Department of Conservation (DOC) brochure Matukituki Valley
Tracks($2).
The dramatic
Rob Roy Glacier Track
(two to four hours return) takes in glaciers,
waterfalls and a swing bridge. It's a moderate walk, but some parts are quite steep.
The
West Matukituki Valley Track
goes on to Aspiring Hut (four to five hours return;
peak/off-peak $25/20 per night), a scenic walk over mostly grassy flats. For
overnight or multiday tramps offering great views of Mt Aspiring, continue up the
