Lake Cruise & Mou Waho Island Nature Walk, Wanaka

There's a lake on top of the island you're walking to.

A lake cruise and guided nature walk on Wanaka's Mou Waho Island, a predator-free reserve home to the rare flightless Buff Weka. The 30-minute cruise each way frames a one-hour optional walk to the island's summit, where a freshwater lake sits enclosed within the island itself. Morning or afternoon tea is served overlooking both lakes, and you plant a native tree as part of the eco-experience. Departures run at 9am and 1:30pm. Allow around 3.5 hours total. A professional guide leads the walk, and the group stays under ten people.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Lake Wanaka1h · entry included
2. Blue Pools Track2h

Lake cruise and island nature walk

• Take 30 minute cruise on Lake Wanaka
• Step onto Mou Waho Island nature reserve
• Join guided walk to island summit
• Discover lake on island top
• Enjoy morning or afternoon tea
• Plant a native tree on island

The experience

The boat leaves the dock for a 30-minute cruise across Lake Wanaka to Mou Waho Island. The island is a nature reserve and predator-free zone, which is why the rare flightless Buff Weka, extinct on mainland New Zealand, survives here. When you step ashore, the guided walk begins, climbing to the island's highest point. The payoff is the thing most visitors don't expect: a freshwater lake trapped on top of the island, sitting inside the larger lake you just crossed.

The walk itself is moderate and takes about an hour return. Morning or afternoon tea is served at a vantage point overlooking both bodies of water: the lake below and the lake above. Before heading back to the boat, you plant a native tree on the island, a small act that ties the visit to conservation. The return cruise mirrors the outbound journey, giving you a second pass across the water with the island receding behind you.

Departures happen at 9am and 1:30pm, and you need to arrive 15 minutes early to check in. Groups max out at ten people, which keeps the walk and the boat feeling intimate rather than crowded. A professional local guide leads the walk and answers questions about the Buff Weka, the island's ecology, and the geological oddity of the summit lake. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and infants sit on a lap during the cruise.

What’s included

• Professional local guide leading the island walk.
• 30-minute cruise each way on Lake Wanaka.
• morning or afternoon tea served at the summit.
• snacks.
• a native tree to plant on the island as part of the conservation experience.

Options for this experience

2 options

Lake Cruise and Island WalkGuide in English · 09:00 and 13:30Option 1: Boat cruise across the lake to enchanting Mou Waho Island, followed by a fully guided nature walk up to the island's summit to see the "Lake on top of the island!" and plant a tree!

Infants aged 0-3 years travel freeGuide in English · 09:00 and 13:30Free infant policy: infants aged 0-3 years go free of charge

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 13:30

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (4 to 14 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 10 · max 8 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Eco Wanaka Adventures

Is this one for you?The one-hour optional walk suits travelers with moderate fitness who want to climb to a real summit and see something geologically unusual, the enclosed lake, rather than a flat island stroll. If you're traveling with young children or prefer to stay on the boat, you can skip the walk and still experience the cruise and the island's setting.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 14 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the lake on top of Mou Waho Island?

Mou Waho Island has a freshwater lake enclosed at its summit: a lake sitting inside an island that itself sits in Lake Wanaka. It's a natural feature the guided walk reveals as you climb to the top of the island.

How long is the walk on the island?

The guided bush walk on Mou Waho Island is optional and takes about one hour return, climbing from the shoreline to the summit where the island lake is located.

What time do the cruises depart?

Lake Cruise & Mou Waho Island Nature Walk departs at 9:00am and 1:30pm. You should arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled departure time to check in.

What's included in the tour?

The tour includes the 30-minute cruise each way, a professional guide for the island walk, morning or afternoon tea, snacks, and a native tree to plant on the island as part of the eco-experience.

How many people go on each departure?

Groups are limited to a maximum of 10 people per booking, and a minimum of 2 adults is required. The small group size keeps the experience intimate on both the boat and the island.