A little over an hour's drive from the action and adventure resort of Queenstown, is Wanaka - a delightful alpine village set on a tranquil lake ringed by golden hills rising to snow-capped mountains.

A stable continental climate ensures crisp sunny winter days with an average temperature of 10 degrees centigrade and cool frosty nights. The views from the mountains are endless: out across the islands and inlets of Lake Wanaka or the patchwork green and gold of farmland and white-capped peaks stretching to the horizon.

The stellar terrain makes for fun, reliable skiing all winter. The world-class ski resorts of Cardrona and Treble Cone offer quality terrain to suit absolute beginners and hard-core skiers and snowboarders alike. For park and pipe enthusiasts, novice to expert, Snow Park offers a resort purely dedicated to freestyle terrain.

Wanaka's apres-ski atmosphere adds to a day on the snow, giving the chance to relax and enjoy the special resort town feel. All the ingredients are here for a memorable holiday by the lake in this beautiful resort - great bars, cafes and restaurants, and any amount of off-snow adventure activities - from skydiving to golf, mountain biking to winery tours. Locals invite visitors to enjoy the atmosphere further by taking part in the annual week-long Winter Festival in August/September.