Kite Area guide
Lake Wānaka, Wānaka
Lake Wānaka is riding in the mountains: gravel underfoot, fresh water, and a seasonal pattern that runs backwards.
When to kite
Best months: January, February, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
About this Kite Area
Lake Wānaka sits in Otago beneath the Southern Alps, and riding here is unlike anywhere else in this atlas — fresh water, mountains on every side, and gravel and coarse sand instead of beach.
The wind comes from the south and the north-north-west, and when it arrives it can be strong: expect upwards of 25 knots, with the prevailing north-westerly onshore. The seasonal pattern inverts what you would assume. Summer, December to March, brings extended high-pressure systems that suppress the wind; winter's frontal weather delivers the more consistent breezes.
The water runs flat to choppy and is unaffected by tide. This is an intermediate spot with appeal for experts, not a place to learn.
Summer temperatures reach the high twenties and winter is genuinely cold, so a wetsuit makes sense year-round. The launch is a medium-sized beach with grass to rig on and ample parking, but there are obstructions close by that need watching. Queenstown is an hour away over the Crown Range.