Wānaka Wine Country by Campervan: Lakeside Vineyards and Mountain Views

Quick summary: For a campervan or motorhome wine trip, Wānaka offers some of the most beautiful vineyard settings in New Zealand, with vines sloping down to the lake and the mountains of Mount Aspiring National Park beyond. It’s a small wine area, but an easy one: some cellar doors are a short walk or bike ride from the lakefront holiday parks, and the town is around an hour from Queenstown and less than an hour from the vineyards of Cromwell and Bannockburn.

At a glance
Where	Lake Wānaka, north of Queenstown
From Queenstown	Around 70 km over the Crown Range, or around 115 km via Cromwell
From Cromwell	Around 55 km
Signature wines	Pinot Noir, aromatic whites
Best way to taste	On foot or by bike from town, or a tour
Tours	Wānaka wine tours

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Why visit Wānaka’s wineries by campervan?

Because the town is one of the best bases in the South Island, and its vineyards are close enough to reach without the vehicle. You can walk the lakefront path, taste at a cellar door overlooking the water, and be back at your campsite for sunset. Wānaka is also a gateway to the Haast Pass, Mount Aspiring National Park and the vineyards of the Cromwell Basin.

How do you taste in Wānaka without driving?

• Walk or cycle from town to cellar doors close to the lakefront.
• Take a tour that visits Wānaka’s wineries and, on longer trips, the Cromwell Basin and Bannockburn.
• Hire bikes in town and follow the lakeside and river trails.

Browse Wānaka wine tours, and see our guide to campsites near vineyards.

Should you take an RV over the Crown Range to Wānaka?

It depends on the vehicle and the conditions. The Crown Range Road between Arrowtown and Wānaka is the shortest route and very scenic, but it’s steep and winding, climbing to one of the highest main roads in New Zealand, with tight hairpins on the Queenstown side. Larger motorhomes and less experienced drivers may prefer the longer route via Cromwell on State Highway 6, which follows the Kawarau Gorge and Lake Dunstan and passes the Gibbston and Bannockburn vineyards. In winter, check the road conditions, as snow and ice can affect the Crown Range.

What else is there to do?

• That Wānaka Tree, a willow growing in the lake, one of New Zealand’s most photographed sights.
• Roys Peak, a steep, long walk with famous views over the lake.
• Lake cruises, including trips to Mou Waho Island, a predator-free reserve.
• Mount Aspiring National Park, with walks to the Rob Roy Glacier.
• Puzzling World, a quirky attraction with illusion rooms and a maze.

Where can you stay?

• Lakefront holiday parks in Wānaka, some within walking distance of cellar doors and the town centre.
• Campgrounds at Glendhu Bay and along the lake.
• Freedom camping is limited around Wānaka, for certified self-contained vehicles, and only where Queenstown Lakes District Council permits it.

Where does the trip go next?

• To Central Otago’s vineyards in Cromwell and Bannockburn. See Central Otago and Gibbston.
• Over the Haast Pass to the West Coast. See our sister site’s Queenstown Lakes route.
• A full loop of the region: see our Central Otago wine loop.

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Frequently Asked Questions