Mou Waho Island: Exclusive Lake Wakatipu Nature Discovery

This was a wonderful day on the water and the trail on the island. Views were better and better as we went up. Our guide was knowledgeable and personable. I’d recommend it to. Nine who can hike up and down the trail

We had the best time seeing Wanaka from the lake and doing a perfect length hike to the top of the island. We learned so much about the plants and animals in the area too! Boat ride might be a little chilly/splashy in the winter :)

The Mou Wahu Island Nature Walk was awesome! Our guide, Michael, welcomed us at the Wanaka Marina. He is friendly and answered our questions about places to visit around Lake Wanaka. We enjoyed the conversation on the relaxing boat ride to Mou Wahu. The nature walk was fun! Michael has so much knowledge about the flora and fauna. We learned about Manuka, Kanuka, and many other plants and trees. We learned about the different species of birds and of the conservation efforts in New Zealand and on the island in particular. We saw some Wētā which was very cool. The island is very beautiful with its own lake and great views of Lake Wanaka and the surrounding mountains. We had some nice tea and biscuits. I even got to plant a native tree on the island! It was a fun experience. I'd like to do it again.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make a good trip fantastic. We booked the 9am tour and there were 10 of us. Marcus was our guide and he was wonderful. He was knowledgeable, answered all questions, and accommodated everyone on the tour. Fortunately everyone on our trip was able to keep up on the hike so we were able to also go the the west side of the island where we stopped for tea and cookies. It was so peaceful there – to just sit, have a cup and enjoy the beautiful view. At the end of the trip we planted a tree in memory of Jill, the sister of one of the other tourists, who passed away recently. It was a very sweet thing to watch her actually plant the tree in memory of her sister. They could easily have just planted the tree but to ask if anyone had anything special to commemorate/memorialize added that special touch. Couldn’t have asked for a more perfect morning to begin the day.

A pleasant afternoon trip from Wanaka - short boat ride, hike and “high tea” atop Mou Waho. Note the Nature Walk is more like a hike with a few steep and rocky sections. Our guide was very good in providing a nature guide as well as stopping periodically to make sure everyone was ok with the hike.

Great trip made all the better by our guide Michael who was so friendly and informative taking time to explain about the wild life we saw and the trees and shrubs. Our boat ride was fast and exciting to the island with the lake on a lake a nice leisurely hike to the top for a beautiful view topped off with a cup of coffee and a biscuit which Michael supplied for us . Well worth it .

What a brilliant tour! The boat was great and got us to the island quickly. The island tour was excellent with lots of information and ecological context. Brilliant guide. The scenery was magnificent and weather perfect. Seeing a black fantail was a bonus.

This tour consisted of taking a small power boat to an isolated island on Lake Manaka. Once there we hiked up to the top of the island and enjoyed some excellent views. The walk was about 1.5 hours. Our guide Michael was a super guy and a very good guide. He knew a great deal about the plant and animal life on the island and explained the ecosystem of the island. He was also very patient with some slower folks on the walk. I really liked the way the company is so conservation minded. The guides plant a small tree on each of their tours. Michael said the company has planted over 10,000 of these trees!. I would recommend this excursion to anyone.

Lovely tour with excellent guide. All on time. Competent and knowledgeable. Will recommend. Lucky with weather. Lake a millpond.

What a special trip. Five travelers and an expert guide, Micheal, to a special island with spectacular views. Michael is so knowledgeable that even the small details of nature are quickly appreciated. Just go. (The hike is ‘moderate’ with a few steep climbs but can be accomplished by most if you take your time. TAKE 2 trekking poles AND know how to use them and you’ll be fine).