Wanaka pairs one of New Zealand's prettiest lakes with the glaciers of Mt Aspiring National Park — and two helicopter operators to match: Wanaka Helicopters at the airport and Aspiring Helicopters at their hangar on the road towards the national park, plus the Makarora wilderness combo of Backcountry Helicopters. Every listed flight is free to cancel up to 24 hours ahead.
Over the lake and onto the local peaks: the classic Wanaka flights with one or two alpine landings.
The classic introduction: 25 minutes of flight time over Lake Wānaka and the township, with an alpine landing at 1,200 metres and panoramic views.
| Sold by | from | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuideBest price | NZ$380 | ★ 5.0 (4 reviews) | Book at GetYourGuide |
| Viator | NZ$380 | ★ 5.0 (4 reviews) | Book at Viator |
Over Wānaka with two alpine landings — Coromandel Peak or Mt Alpha and the Peninsula — plus views of the Matukituki River, Mou Waho, Mount Aspiring and Lake Hāwea.
| Sold by | from | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | NZ$504 | ★ 5.0 (14 reviews) | Book at GetYourGuide |
Deep into Mt Aspiring National Park: glacier and snow landings beneath Tititea/Mt Aspiring, up to the three-hour Mount Cook expedition.
A 35-minute scenic flight with a 10-minute glacier or snow landing in the Southern Alps — flown from the Aspiring Helicopters hangar on the road towards Mt Aspiring National Park (minimum two adult fares).
| Sold by | from | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | NZ$450 | ★ 5.0 (93 reviews) | Book at GetYourGuide |
One hour deep into the alpine landscapes of Mt Aspiring National Park, with a memorable glacier or snow landing in the Southern Alps.
| Sold by | from | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuideBest price | NZ$783 | ★ 4.4 (3 reviews) | Book at GetYourGuide |
| Viator | NZ$870 | ★ 5.0 (2 reviews) | Book at Viator |
The hour-long Wanaka Helicopters route around the Mount Aspiring massif — glaciers, ridgelines and an alpine landing.
| Sold by | from | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | NZ$820 | – | Book at GetYourGuide |
Mt Aspiring up close on a one-hour tour with two roughly ten-minute landings — the big flight from the hangar closest to the national park.
| Sold by | from | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | NZ$595 | ★ 5.0 (4 reviews) | Book at GetYourGuide |
Seventy-five minutes over Mount Aspiring National Park with two landings — the longest scenic flight in the Wanaka Helicopters programme.
| Sold by | from | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | NZ$1,000 | ★ 5.0 (1 reviews) | Book at GetYourGuide |
The expedition from Wānaka: across the Southern Alps to Aoraki/Mount Cook with a glacier or snow landing on the way — a private-scale scenic charter.
| Sold by | from | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | NZ$2,600 | – | Book at GetYourGuide |
The wilderness triple from Makarora: a 15-minute helicopter flight over the Southern Alps into the Siberia Valley, a three-hour hike out, and a jet boat ride home with Wilkin River Jets.
| Sold by | from | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | NZ$695 | ★ 3.4 (5 reviews) | Book at GetYourGuide |
Every flight listed here can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before departure. Operators may also cancel or move flights for weather or pilot availability — with an alternative date or a full refund.
Aspiring Helicopters does not fly from town: the hangar sits on the road towards Mt Aspiring National Park, about a 25-minute scenic drive from Wanaka, just past the Treble Cone turn-off.
Aspiring Helicopters requires a minimum of two paying adults per flight; Wanaka Helicopters' scenic flights depart from 2 Lloyd Dunn Avenue at the airport.
The 25-minute lake flight starts at the lowest price shown above; the long Mt Aspiring and Mount Cook flights cost the most.
Wanaka Helicopters flies from the airport minutes from town; Aspiring Helicopters starts at its hangar closer to the national park — a scenic 25-minute drive out, with a two-adult minimum per flight. Both land in the alps; compare routes and prices above.
Yes — every flight currently listed includes an alpine, snow or glacier landing, from the 1,200-metre lookout over Lake Wānaka to glacier landings deep in Mt Aspiring National Park.
