Lake Cruise & Mou Waho Island Nature Walk
Overview
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3 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Lake Cruise and Mou Waho Island Nature Walk
• A “must see” in Wanaka, take a 30 minute cruise to the remote, predator free Mou Waho Island, home to the rare and flightless Buff Weka (extinct on mainland NZ).
• Optional one hour return guided bush walk, taking you up to reveal the island’s secret- a lake on top of the island!
• Morning (or afternoon) tea supplied, overlooking both lakes.
• Plant a native tree on the island as part of this unique eco-experience!
• Departures 9.00am and 1.30pm, allow 4 hours.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Guests MUST be at the meeting point 15 minutes before the scheduled departure to check-in.
A minimum of 2 Adults per booking is required
A maximum of 10 people per booking
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Children must be accompanied by an adult
If you have any dietary requirements, you must let us know ahead of time.
What To Expect
Lake Wanaka
Enjoy a 30 minute cruise each way on Lake Wanaka.
Step off the boat and onto Mou Waho. This predator free island is a nature reserve for the Buff Weka, extinct on mainland NZ. Enjoy a guided walk to the top of the island where you will discover the Lake on an island, on a lake, on an island! Enjoy morning or afternoon tea, and help us give back by planting a native tree!
Options
Infants 0-3yo Free of Charge
Free of Charge Infant Policy: Infants 0-3yo Free of Charge
Lake Cruise & Island Walk
Option 1: Lake boat cruise to magical Mou Waho Island, then a fully Guided Nature Walk to the summit of the island to see the "Lake on top of the island!" and plant a tree!
What‘s Included
Professional local guide
Morning tea or Afternoon tea
Snacks
Coffee and/or Tea
Plant a Tree!
Private transportation
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
183 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Undersold by Trailfinders
Sue A,May 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a fantastic time. Enjoyed the cruise but the walk on the island with the guide was excellent. Eco tours are the only guides that are allowed on the island. Very knowledgeable and passionate about the ecology of the island. They do a huge amount of indigenous tree planting and are effectively the islands custodians. As part of the tour you get to plant a tree.
Unique
Y8148YSrichg,May 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very knowledgeable guide. Unique way to learn about the area
INFORGETTABLE!!
822kps,Apr 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We'll never forget our discovery of this wonderful island and its inhabitants in the company of the so attentive David,truly dedicated to regeneration of the area,despite the "muggles".Thanks so much David
Spectacular trip worth every dollar
523AliF,Apr 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Has a wonderful time on this tour, with a great boat trip out to the island and then a fabulous walk up to the lookout and lake. Our guide Michael was superb, stopping frequently to rest our legs and share his knowledge of flora, fauna and history. The views were truly special, especially as we were lucky enough to have a sunny calm day, and the whole experience worth every dollar paid.
EXCEPTIONAL!
Toufou25,Apr 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Craig and his colleague are very good guides, the ride is just beautiful in the middle of the vegetation and the views breathtaking!
Nice tour with nice views and good explanations!
noekiv2026,Apr 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A very nice experience! First cruising the lake with beautiful views, then arriving on the beautiful island. The walking sticks are advisable, although we also saw people walking on flipflops... this is not advisable given that some pieces are quite style. The view is really fantastic!! The tour guide regularly tells an interesting story about nature. And at the end I got to plant the tree in memory of my husband Casper. That was a very nice one. After this the trip went back down and we sailed back by boat. Only downside I found the many small boats with tourists who do not always know what they are doing, but Eco Wanaka can do nothing about that.
Wonderful trip!
GaryLunz,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Michael was a great tour guide. We especially loved his education on the local flora and fauna. We also loved the experience of planting a tree on the island. Highly recommend this.
Mou Waho Island tour
Journey28746494203,Mar 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent naturalist tour of Mou Waho island. Don’t miss it ‼️
Not to be missed if visiting Wanaka
Sherpa38809416422,Mar 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Trip not to be missed. Michael was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Fun for the whole family. Stunning.
Definitely a 10 out of 10 excursion.
scott h,Mar 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great tour with David. Excellent hike to the top of the island to see “the lake on top of the Island. Also learned a lot about the vegetation and animal life on this sanctuary island.
Related Experiences
Operated by Eco Wanaka Adventures