A couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to take a day trip to Mou Waho, a small island at the northern end of Lake Wanaka. It was a cold and foggy morning when we met at the pier in Wanaka. All the documentation stressed we be there 15 minutes before boarding at 9am to ensure we did not miss the trip. At 9am the boat was still moored some distance away and a small group of tourists shivered in the cold. A few minutes later a guy arrived, wandered down another jetty and we saw him take a tender out and start the boat. I was not overly impressed!

From there the trip improved. We headed out along the lake, about a 30 minute boat ride. The cloud started to part and we could see the odd patch of sun shining through. By the time we arrived at the island we could see most of the mountains around the lake.

Mou Waho is about 120 hectares and has a long history of Māori and European presence. While it was once heavily forested but several fires over the years destroyed most of the native flora. It has been farmed, and even had a small boat-building operation at one stage. Today it is uninhabited and has been replanted with native plants and has been pest free since the 1990’s. It is now home to the buff weka and other endangered species.

Although there was a small jetty our boat pushed right up onto the beach. We disembarked and wandered up the trail to the lookout at the top of the island. It was lovely and peaceful with stunning views over Lake Wanaka to the surrounding mountains.

Near the top of the island is another small lake. In this lake are two small islands (hence the title of this blog). It really is very picturesque.

After taking in the sights and exploring a few side tracks, we headed back to the beach. It was remarkably warm sitting in the sun waiting for the other visitors to return for the short trip back to Wanaka.