Mou Waho Island Tour: Explore Native Wildlife and Stunning Panoramas on Lake Wanaka

Embark on the Mou Waho Island Tour to discover native wildlife, stunning panoramas, and a unique island formation on Lake Wanaka. Join us now!

Duration: 3 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Wanaka Water Taxi and Wanaka 4x4 Explorer - Meet at the jetty for a 15km boat journey up the lake to the picturesque Mou Waho Island. The skipper will share insights about the lake’s history and geology while navigating the shimmering waters of Lake Wanaka.
  • Lake Wanaka - Discover the enchanting Mou Waho Island, a favorite spot on Lake Wanaka,…
What's Included
  • Landing and/or facility fees
  • 1.5+ hour freedom walk on the island
  • Extensive live commentary onboard
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information

Join us for an adventure to our beloved spot on Lake Wanaka, Mou Waho Island. Discover an island on a lake, on an island, on a lake, on an island in the sea! Mou Waho Island is a protected nature reserve, home to many native New Zealand birds, including the intriguing and flightless Weka. A brief walk leads you to the island’s summit, offering stunning…

Location
Wanaka Marina
Lakeside Road
We depart from the newer jetty with the silver bridge in the Wanaka Marina. Parking in the marina is on the sealed area only. If this is full, you can drive 200m past the marina to where the road splits and you can park on the left side of both roads right after the split.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(264 Ratings)
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1 star
Julialu9947tj
Apr 12, 2026
Great excursion, anytime again - It was a great trip. Brent as a guide was great. The island is fantastic.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janinebq7983qp
Apr 11, 2026
Another great day in the South Island. - Easy and relaxing . Tour guide was very friendly and informative . Enjoyable afternoon .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Barbara_j
Apr 7, 2026
A challenging hike but... - A challenging hike but well worth the effort. The lake was like glass and the view from the very top was amazing. Our water taxi driver/guide was very informative.
Review provided by Viator
Nicky
Apr 6, 2026
A must do - This was a lovely trip. Skipper Hannah was so friendly. The walk up was not too difficult but magic viewing stops all the way and the island in the lake etc is so unique . A myst see Hannah on the way y
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trip43363260509
Apr 5, 2026
Simply Stunning! - We had a lovely trip to Mou Waho! Our guide was very knowledgeable and set us up well to explore the island. The track was well maintained and we loved the views. Beautiful birdsong surrounded us as we walked through native bush. We even got to see a Buff Weka, a species you can’t see on the mainland. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Teri_c
Apr 3, 2026
Beautiful and relaxing Boat ride to the island - Brent the boat driver was very knowledgeable about the history area of the lake. The boat was very comfortable. We were dropped at the island and hiked up to the the tiny lake on the island which is pretty. We didn't hike to the lookout but I would encourage everyone to do this. The views looked incredible
Review provided by Viator
Auntyr0
Apr 3, 2026
Amazing trip to a very special place - We booked this quite late as we weren't sure about our timings. We are so pleased we did. The whole trip was wonderful. We were a bit too close to departure time and the boat had actually left. Miraculously they came back for us, which was brilliant. The guide was just the right level of informative. The walk to the top of Mou Watou was a bit challenging for me (65 year old had a stroke) but with time and walking poles it was fine. We were blessed with good weather, in the wet I might have struggled a bit, but anyone of normal fitness/agility would not struggle. The views are stunning, loads of bird song, and our guide told us about a different path where we had even more stunning views. Would not hesitate to recommend this, worth every penny.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Go617943
Apr 2, 2026
Fabulous boat trip to Mou Island - Hannah was a great guide with lots of interesting information AND enough time approx. 2 hrs to explore the island on our own. Mou island is extraordinary, calm, lots of singing birds and mystic lake overlooks. Boattrip with only 8 people in the afternoon sun was fantastic.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rockytagliata
Apr 1, 2026
Fantastic Tour! - This is a phenomenal way to spend four hours in Wanaka. Hannah was our captain and she was incredibly well informed about the lake, the mountains, the wildlife, and the history of the area. It’s a small group tour and the small boat allows for everybody to have great sight lines. We were there on a beautiful day and Mou Waho offers an unlimited number of gorgeous vistas. The trail to the top is not that difficult. If you can stand cold water, I recommend a swim in the Arethusa Pool (which is a lake on an island on a lake on an island). If you can swim a bit (about 125 yards), you can swim out to a little island and stand on an island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island. I would also recommend taking the small trail to the other side of the island (it is directly off the marked trail to the top). The views from that side are also spectacular and we also got to hear the sound of rutting deer from across the water. I highly recommend this trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Richard_s
Apr 18, 2026
It is not a guided tour... - It is not a guided tour of the Island. It is a boat trip and a drop off to the Island only where visitors make their own arrangements with no accompanying guide. There is some commentary on the boat trip going to the island which is very basic, partially correct and has no reference to the significant restoration programme which has been undertaken on the island.
Review provided by Viator
From $82
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).