Wanaka & Twizel Environs, Apr 2026

Lake Wanaka
My photo workshop continues to the 45-km long glacial lake, Lake Wanaka, about an hour from Queenstown and surrounded by the Southern Alps.  The crystal clear lake is best known for the famous solitary “That Wanaka Tree”.  The lone willow tree is at the foothills of the UNESCO Mount Aspiring National Park, an easy 100-meter walk from the Wanaka Rotary Playground.  There are crowds of photographers here especially during sunrise and sunset.  Here are some of my shots from sunrise.
“That Wanaka Tree”
Lake Wanaka
“That Wanaka Tree”
Lake Wanaka

 

 

“That Wanaka Tree”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“That Wanaka Tree”

 

 

 

 

 

“That Wanaka Tree”

 

 

 

 

 

There are many orchards in the area that are especially beautiful in autumn.  We drove around to different places for quick photo stops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many orchards in the area that are especially beautiful in autumn.  We drove around to different places for quick photo stops.

 

 

 

 

There are many orchards in the area that are especially beautiful in autumn.  We drove around to different places for quick photo stops.

 

 

 

 

There are many orchards in the area that are especially beautiful in autumn.  We drove around to different places for quick photo stops.

 

 

 

 

 

There are many orchards in the area that are especially beautiful in autumn.  We drove around to different places for quick photo stops.

 

 

 

 

 

There are many orchards in the area that are especially beautiful in autumn.  We drove around to different places for quick photo stops.

 

 

 

 

 

There are many orchards in the area that are especially beautiful in autumn.  We drove around to different places for quick photo stops.

 

 

 

 

 

There are many orchards in the area that are especially beautiful in autumn.  We drove around to different places for quick photo stops.

 

 

 

 

 

There are many orchards in the area that are especially beautiful in autumn.  We drove around to different places for quick photo stops.

 

 

 

 

 

There are many orchards in the area that are especially beautiful in autumn.  We drove around to different places for quick photo stops.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunset spot at Luggate overlooking the Clutha River

 

 

 

 

Sunset spot at Luggate overlooking the Clutha River

 

 

 

Sunset spot at Luggate overlooking the Clutha River

 

Twizel
About 2.5 hours from Queenstown is charming Twizel, built in the 1960s as a temporary town for construction workers building the nearby Waitaki Dam.  Nowadays, Twizel, the largest town in the Mackenzie Region, has become a home base for exploring Mt Cook, Lake Pukaki, and Lake Tekapo, etc.  It is a popular place for canal fishing as well as being the filming location for many scenes in Lord of the Rings.  We stayed at the Alps Motel in Twizel.

 

 

Alps Motel Twizel

 

 

 

 

Alps Motel Twizel

 

 

 

 

Foggy morning at Kellands Pond, created from gravel pits during the hydro-electric works and now a wetland habitat.

 

 

 

 

 

Foggy morning at Kellands Pond, created from gravel pits during the hydro-electric works and now a wetland habitat.

 

 

 

 

 

Foggy morning at Kellands Pond, created from gravel pits during the hydro-electric works and now a wetland habitat.

 

 

 

 

 

Kellands Pond, created from gravel pits during the hydro-electric works and now a wetland habitat.

 

 

 

 

Kellands Pond, created from gravel pits during the hydro-electric works and now a wetland habitat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kellands Pond, created from gravel pits during the hydro-electric works and now a wetland habitat.

 

 

 

 

Kellands Pond, created from gravel pits during the hydro-electric works and now a wetland habitat.

 

 

 

Kellands Pond, created from gravel pits during the hydro-electric works and now a wetland habitat.

 

 

Just southwest of Twizel is the artificial Lake Ruataniwha which was formed as part of a reservoir for the hydroelectric power project.   We went to the part called “Twizel Lagoon” which is a sheltered and shallow section of the lake.

 

 

Twizel Lagoon

 

 

 

 

Twizel Lagoon

 

 

 

Twizel Lagoon

 

 

Peter’s Lookout / Mount Cook
About 45 mintues from Twizel is Aoraki/Mt Cook, the tallest mountain in New Zealand and a must do when visiting the Mackenzie Region of South Island.  According to Maori legend, on a voyage, the canoe of Aoraki and his brothers, sons of the Sky Father, became stranded on a reef.  The brothers climbed onto the top of the canoe when the south wind froze and turned them into stone.  Their canoe became South Island and Aoraki, the tallest of the brothers, became the highest peak, and his brothers, the Southern Alps.  Just 10 minutes drive outside of Twizel and sitting under the highest mountain of New Zealand, Aoraki/Mt Cook, is the largest lake in the Mackenzie Region, Lake Pukaki.  The alpine lake is milky turquoise in color because it is glacial-fed where the pulverized “glacial flour” rock particles from the Tasman and Hooker glaciers remain suspended in the water.  Just from the Visitor Center Carpark, one can get a nice capture of the lake with Mt Cook in the background.  Another place to photograph Lake Pukaki alongside the majestic peaks of the Southern Alps is from Peter’s Lookout.  We arrived at Peter’s Lookout before sunrise to set up.  The lookout is off the side of a large car park which is just off the main road, so very easy to access.
Sunrise at Peter’s Lookout

 

 

Peter’s Lookout

 

 

 

 

Sunrise at Peter’s Lookout

 

 

 

 

 

Sunrise at Peter’s Lookout

 

 

 

 

Sunrise at Peter’s Lookout

 

 

 

 

Fall colors at Old Iron Bridge, Twizel.

 

 

 

 

Fall colors at Old Iron Bridge, Twizel.

 

 

 

 

Fall colors at Old Iron Bridge, Twizel.

 

 

 

 

Fall colors at Old Iron Bridge, Twizel.

 

 

 

 

Fall colors at Old Iron Bridge, Twizel.

 

 

 

Fall colors at Old Iron Bridge, Twizel.

 

Next post will be on the different lakes visited on my photo workshop: Tasman Lake, Lake Ohau, Lake Poaka, and Lake Alexandrina.  Stay tuned!

 

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