Makarora

Makarora is a small community within the Queenstown-Lakes District of the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand.

Flightseeing is easy from Makarora the airfield is only a couple of minutes walk from the Wilderness Resort and your resident pilot is fully licensed, highly experienced and knows the area better than anyone!

With a selection of scenic flights available, you can select a flight that suits your budget and preference.

Take a beautiful flight around Mount Aspiring and surrounding National Park for breath-taking views of glaciers, towering mountain peaks and snowfields, or choose a charter flight to Mount Cook – the highest mountain in New Zealand! Your flight also includes a birds eye view of the Landsborough Valley and Mount Hooker.

Scenic flights to Milford Sound are also available, flying past Mouth Aspiring and the Olivine Ice Plateau for some truly awesome views.

If you can’t decide which fantastic flight to take simply take in ‘The Grand Triangle’ with a 2.5 hour flight of unsurpassed alpine scenery as you view Mount Cook, Mount Aspiring and Milford Sound!

Thrilling jet boat trips on the Wilkin River are a popular summer visitor activity. Starting from 1 hour fast paced rides into Mount Aspiring National Park, this is an exhilarating way to enjoy many of the beautiful native surrounds not normally accessible via foot. This promises to be an experience you’ll never forget!

Some of the finest trout fishing is available in the Southern Lakes District. Local experienced guides specialise in lake trolling, spin and fly fishing. Your guide can take you fishing for Rainbow and Brown Trout or try your hand at Salmon fishing. Rods are supplied and fishing licences available. Fishing safaris can range from a couple of hours to fully day excursions.

Hunting safaris with experienced local guides are available in many of the backcountry areas, A lot of these locations are easily accessible via small plane charter with hunting huts conveniently located close to these small airstrips. Popular hunting in the region includes Red Deer, Chamois and Thar.

Mount Aspiring National Park is a mountaineer’s paradise! The park’s alpine areas are popular with mountaineers but are suitable only for experienced trampers/mountaineers.

Makarora Wilderness Resort is on the boundary of Mount Aspiring World Heritage National Park and the Department of Conservation Information office. The DOC office provides weather reports, maps, information on tramping routes and huts plus interesting displays on the ecology and history of the area.

The Routeburn is one of the most renowned New Zealand tramping tracks and is within Mount Aspiring National Park.

The Dart/Rees River circuit, Greenstone/Caples circuit and the Wilkin Valley are all wonderful valley walks also located within the National Park. These routs also give trampers the options to go on over higher passes and into alpine areas. During summer time these tracks are suitable for people of average fitness and experience, however during winter many of these tracks are impassable or require greater skill levels to explore safely.

Guided walks along the Routeburn and Greenstone Tracks can also be arranged.

Siberia Experience, this has to be the gem of Makarora activities! This is a 4 hour wilderness adventure in Mount Aspiring World Heritage National Park. Enjoy a 25 minute unforgettable scenic flight with Southern Alps Air, a 2.5 hour walk beginning in the remote Siberia Valley in Mount Aspiring National Park and a 30 minute exciting Jet Boat ride with Wilkin River Jets.

Your Siberia Experience leaves from Makarora at the head of Lake Wanaka (just 1.5hrs from Queenstown) and allows you to enjoy some of New Zealand’s untouched scenery from the air, on land and from the water. Mountains, rivers, glaciers, alpine lakes, rain forest, waterfalls and more – this is your chance to see it all.

The Makarora Wilderness Resort outdoor swimming pool is open during the summer period. You can also discover a calm river pool or take a dip in Lake Wanaka.

While there are several defined short walks available off the main highway, the local Makarora ‘Nature Walk’ is a popular walk for our guests. The 20 minute walk commences opposite our swimming pool and leads into a small area of forest with many species of plants and birds for you to view during your leisurely walk.

Short walks in Mount Aspiring National Park abound and are usually concentrated at the access road ends, around the local towns and from the Haast Pass highway.