The setting
A mountain town, Wanaka life revolves around the peaks and the lake.
Although it’s tempting to just relax by the lake, Wanaka is also a haven for outdoor pursuits. Mountain-biking is a natural fit with the local terrain, and there has been a push to make the town more attractive to riders, which makes Wanaka an up-and-coming biking destination.
The space
We’re booked in at The Moorings, a motel in a prime spot on Lakeside Drive, which overlooks the lake and is a minute’s walk from the city. Studio units and two- or three-bedroom apartment-style rooms are offered.
Secure bike storage is available, as is a hose to clean the day’s muck from our machines. Though the set-up doesn’t cater specifically for bikes, we find it adequate. Coin-operated laundry is also offered. Apartments have a car port, and studios have outdoor parking. Wi-fi is available at reception.
The kit
I’ve lived in places less well-equipped than our two-bedroom apartment with large living area, kitchen, bathroom, upstairs and downstairs bedroom, and outdoor space with barbecue.
A four-burner gas stovetop, oven, and DishDrawer fills out the kitchen. The downstairs bedroom has a queen bed, while upstairs is a queen and a single. The living area has two couches, a coffee table, a big TV, and a cosy gas fire. A shower-over-bath and toilet share the bathroom.
Most studios have uninterrupted views of the lake – but as our apartment is tucked in the back of the motel, we don’t enjoy that luxury.
Comfort factor
Spacious, warm, and clean, the Moorings is an ideal base.
Worth stepping out for
We spent most of our time out on the trails, but found we only had time for a taste of the biking Wanaka has to offer. A lot of the hard work that has made these great trails was done by local club Bike Wanaka, which sells a helpful through several shops in town.
Deans Bank is a fantastic 11-kilometre loop track, which looks over the Clutha River. It’s proper mountain-biking, but the well-graded trail is accessible to anyone with basic bike skills and a sense of adventure. Seasoned riders will still find plenty to keep them interested, though.
From the Albert Town campsite, the trail climbs gently to a plateau offering superb views of the mountains and the Clutha. The track is mostly in the open, apart from a section in a pine plantation. It’s flowing, with a smooth surface and bermed corners, and I’m soon in the rhythm of the rollercoaster trail. We make several stops at picnicworthy viewpoints along the way, and leave feeling one lap wasn’t enough.
Cardrona Bike Park is New Zealand’s highest mountain bike park, making the most of its alpine setting, with mountain vistas on offer everywhere we look.
We lap a track called Crankshaft, a flowing intermediate level trail designed to be entertaining for everyone from seasoned park-rats to fledgling downhillers. The flowing trail is full of big bermed corners and undulating straights, with chances for some airtime for those going fast enough. It makes fabulous use of the contours of the terrain.
The highlight is the final ride all the way to the valley floor. The seemingly endless trail sees the terrain transform from alpine to farmland.
The park offers riding options for all levels, bike and gear rental, lessons, and a shuttle service from Wanaka.
Across the road, the striking Cardrona Distillery offers tours and tastings. It’s worth visiting just for the beautiful stone buildings, which feel like the Scottish highlands have been dropped into Cardrona.
Our tour guide is distiller Dan, who takes us through the process of creating their base alcohol from just three ingredients – malted barley, yeast, and pure Cardrona Valley water. The four spirits in their range come from that base alcohol. It’s a fascinating blend of traditional techniques and modern facilities.
The tasting room is elegant and understated.. The whisky needs to age about nine more years before it’s ready, but their vodka, orange liqueur, and award-winning gin is good to go. We also try the base alcohol, which has a distinctive banoffee smell.
Back in town, the gravel path along the shores of the lake is the perfect way to explore the area by bike. Good Rotations bike shop is the place for rentals, with two types of bike available. Owners Matt and Babu live for all things cycle-related, and provide flawless rentals and expert advice on ride options.
For the adventurous, a fatbike ( with extra wide tyres) can take you just about anywhere. The big tyres work in most types of terrain. The other alternative is an e-bike – a bike with an electric motor to help pedalling, to provides an effortless ride to the cafe, winery, or That Wanaka tree.
We take fat bikes to Albert Town along the groomed lakeside track and the Outlet Track that runs next to the Clutha River.The bikes aren’t designed for speed, but they feel stable and reliable in all conditions. We enjoy getting off the groomed trail and going rogue over the sand and rock of the lakeside.
We couldn’t squeeze it in, but would have loved to go heli-biking with Wanaka Bike Tours. They also offer guided bike trips and bike rentals.
Food
While getting a rental bike, it’s worth grabbing a bite from The Good Spot. Delicious hot food and a range of sweet treats are sold from an ecoconscious caravan in the Good Rotations courtyard.
The high-quality bacon butties and toasted sandwiches are superb, but the stand-out is the cinnamon scroll – soft, sweet, and balanced, it’s the ideal treat to finish a great ride.
For dinner, we head to Kika, an Italian-style restaurant designed around shared plates. The comfortable space mixed a classic and modern feel, and the staff are helpful as they wait for us to collectively choose our meal.
We order the lamb shoulder and whole flounder, with spinach and ricotta gnudi, and broccoli with burnt eggplant puree as sides. The star is the tender lamb, which comes apart with a spoon and is bursting with flavour.
The verdict
Wanaka deserves a place on the biking map. Although there’s enough for a full biking itinerary in the region, more casual riders are well-suited to spending a day exploring the sights. Both the scenery and the range and quality of available riding makes it a must-do.
Getting there
A flight to Queenstown and an hour’s drive is the easiest way in. Air New Zealand and Jetstar fly to Queenstown, with direct trips possible from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. A regular bus service runs daily from Queenstown to Wanaka, or rental cars are available at the airport.
Essentials
Rates start from $180 for a studio, or $260 for a two-bedroom apartment. Visit themoorings.co.nz.
More information
bikevember.nz and lakewanaka.co.nz The writer travelled courtesy of Lake Wanaka Tourism.