CANTERBURY LAKES DISCOVERY TRIP
Wingfoil & Windsurf New Zealand's High-Country Lakes
Start / End
Queenstown Airport
Duration
7 Days
Meals
Fully Catered
Transport
Coach with Trailer
Group
8-10 max.
Difficulty
Intermediate +
What is the Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip?
The Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip is a 7-day, fully catered wingfoil and windsurf holiday through the Mackenzie Country, from $2,195 NZD. Starting and ending at Queenstown Airport, it visits a different lake each day — including Lake Ohau, Lake Aviemore, Lake Benmore, Lake Pukaki, Lake Ruataniwha, and Lake Tekapo — with coach-and-trailer transport, small groups of 8–10, and all meals included. The trip suits intermediate riders and above.
Beyond the tourist tracks lies a high-country playground most people only see from a plane window. Our Canterbury Lakes Discovery takes you deep into the Mackenzie Country to the secret spots where the wind stays clean and the crowds don’t exist. This is the ultimate road trip for those who crave space, pace, and scenery that looks like a postcard. Water Nomads aim to explore a different spot each day.
We’ve mapped the winds and found the launch spots – all you have to do is show up and fly.
Highlights
Six Lakes, One Epic Road Trip
Ohau, Pukaki, Tekapo and more - potentially a different alpine lake every day.
Wind You Can Bank On
Tekapo sees 69+ days a year over 33 knots - this is no average NZ forecast.
Secret Spots, No Crowds
Remote high-country lakes few riders ever reach - Maui scenery without the queues.
Fully Shuttled, Gear and All
Coach and covered trailer get you and your kit to the right lake, every day.
Postcard Scenery, Guaranteed
Turquoise glacial water beneath Aoraki/Mt Cook - it looks unreal in any photo.
Small Group, Big Comfort
Two spacious 4-bedroom houses, max 8-10 guests, all the room to unwind.
Fed Properly, Every Day
Fresh coffee, packed lunch, and a 2-course dinner with wine - no cooking required.
Long, Hot Summer Days
30° days and warm evenings - the Mackenzie's dry alpine summer at its best.
Who Is This Trip For?
- This trip is suitable for intermediate, advanced and expert wingfoil, windfoil and windsurfers.
- Conditions are ideal for windsurfing, wingfoiling, swell chasing, downwind foiling and foil drive.
- Wind conditions can be anywhere from 12-25+ knots. Water Nomads manage spot locations to optimise wind conditions.
- Water state can be anything from buttery-flat or choppy through to large rolling swells, this is dependent on the lake chosen and wind strength/direction.
- This trip is not for beginners, the ability to gybe and tack is not required however you must be confident with your deep water starts, and manage rapidly changing conditions including potential self-rescue.
If you’re not sure if this trip suits you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
What is Included?
6 nights in modern homes in the heart of Twizel.
Free shuttle transfer - Queenstown Airport.
Shuttle transport to the lake location of the day.
Gear transport by covered trailer included with shuttle.
Expert local spot knowledge and weather conditions.
Premium chef catered 2 course meals and snacks.
Fresh coffee and artisan bread with continental breakfast.
Surfari Trip Date
23th - 29th January 2027
Available Now
31st January - 6th February 2027
Available Now
8th - 14th February 2027 *
Available Now
Surfari Trip Price
7 Day Package
- $3145 NZD Single occupancy room.
- + $250 NZD Private Ensuite addon.
- $2195 NZD Double room per person.
- + $125 NZD Private Ensuite addon per person.
- $2195 NZD Twin share room per person.
* Trip date 8th – 14th February incures +$100 NZD per person surcharge due to local season accommodation demand.
Double / Twin share rooms must be booked and paid together.
Secure payment via Stripe using a credit card or your favourite digital wallet.
Equipment Rental Add-on
- $550 NZD for 1 windsurf or wingfoil board + 3 wings / sails for the whole duration of the trip (by prior arrangement only).
What Our Guests Say
Spent 6 days on the Canterbury Lakes safari with Water Nomads Feb 2025. What a brilliant experience. Heidi & Bevan are fantastic hosts who have a wealth of knowledge of the local area to ensure maximum time on the water in spectacular scenery. I’m from NZ but living in Northern Ireland I was coming back for an extended holiday & wanted to wing foil the lakes. Doing it with Water Nomads took all the guess work out the right locations plus amazing food & transport included.
Couldn’t recommend this trip enough.
Tim
A picture says a thousand words .....
The trip exceeded my expectations on all fronts - scenery, winging, logistics, food, accommodation and it was with a wonderful bunch of wing foilers with a windsurfer or two thrown in when it went nuclear.
Heidi and Bevan are experts and know where and when to go - that was the magic that they shared with us! The place is so beautiful even when you're waiting for the wind to arrive it's still spectacular.
Thank you both for a great week, see you next year.
I had an amazing week with an awesome group. Wing foiling is great but so much more fun when in a group of wind enthusiasts. It was my first time in New Zealand and loved everything about the trip. The food was delicious, the lakes amazingly beautiful, the water was clean, very nice people in the group, fun conversations, and awesome pictures. The conditions were amazing. Heidi and Bevan know where and when to find wind. I spent the first week with the group then I traveled solo in NZ. I had a chance to get ideas of what to do in NZ after the trip. I will like to come back and do another trip with Water Nomads, then explore more of NZ.
What to Expect
Your six nights fully catered wingfoil, windfoil and windsurf Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip is based in the heart of the South Island. You are hosted by Water Nomads in the peaceful settlement of Twizel. The timing of your trip is tailored to capture the summer thermal weather conditions, maximising your water time.
With many micro-climates from the valleys and ranges, the high country lakes can be challenging to know where to be at the right time to find the wind. With Water Nomads experience, we ensure you’ll be at the right spot at the right time.
If you look at the averaging wind statistics on most apps for the Mackenzie Country, you’d think it never blows there at all. But the reality is very different. The mean number of days per year with gusts exceeding 61 km/hr (33 knots) and 94 km/hr (50 knots) for Lake Tekapo is 69 days and 5 days respectively, and Mt Cook village (Lake Pukaki) 108 days and 15 days respectively (data provided by NIWA).
Early summer brings on powerful Northwesterly flows down the valleys. As summer progresses, these give way to a strong Easterly thermal pull up the valleys as the temperature differential between coast and the central planes increase during the day.
The five lakes on Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip taps into these summer conditions perfectly. Water Nomads aim ultimately is to be in the right location at the right time to provide sweet riding conditions from 15 to 25 knots.
Water Nomads provide two spacious 4 bedroom houses in close proximity to each other offer plenty of room for everyone to hang out and socialise. Centrally located to easily access the five lakes. Water Nomads cater for small groups of up to 8 guests, thus you will enjoy the large living spaces, with simple yet comfortable bedrooms.
It starts with a continental breakfast, Artisan bread and fresh brewed espresso coffee to your taste (or tea!).
A hearty lunch is individually packed to allow you freedom to eat when you please.
The day finishes with a wholesome 2 course meal provided by Water Nomads locally commisioned chief, this includes a rich desert and a lot of tall stories around the table!
You are picked you up from and returned to Queenstown Airport by Water Nomads shuttle with a covered luggage trailer to transport your equipment.
You are driven to one of the five lakes each day by shuttle based on optimal weather conditions. Water Nomads ensure you are at the right place at the right time to maximise your day on the water. It is however ultimately your judgement on your ability to sail in the presented conditions.
If you prefer to self-drive to Twizel you are welcome to join the coach transport each day or choose your independence. This is an ideal option if you wish to bring a partner that’s not into wind/water sports.
NB: Gear shuttle expectation is one board + foil + three wings/sails. Naturally you may have larger expectations, contact us to discuss your gear requirements.
Water Nomads takes professional action shots of you on the water which are available to purchase at discounted rates.
Watersports Conditions
The MacKenzie District of Canterbury offers a variety of great lakes offering prestine locations for windsurfing, foiling, freeriding and speed runs with regular summer alpine thermals off the mountains, a bit like a mix of Maui and Lake Garda without the crowds.
The Water Nomads favourite lake pick. With two easy access spots its well known for its beautiful foiling and freeride conditions and its unbelievably clear water. There is an awesome swell building at the eastern shore if the Northerly wind direction is right. The wind here can be epic, regularly exceeding 25-30 knots, a spot where you can test yourself and your gear.
See our Spot Guide: Lake Ōhau
Situated right at Twizel township, an artifical lake created during Twizel’s hydro-electricity era. Lake Ruataniwha’s shallow water makes this lake a Water Nomads favourite for foiling, where the buttery-flat turquoise waters are a joy. This is the ideal location when the Northwesterly is too strong everywhere else.
Lake Aviemore’s thermal Easterly winds in the summer switch on like clockwork and are legendary. Lake Benmore is New Zealand’s largest artificial lake. Both of these lakes are very forgiving and super popular holiday spots, perfect locations for foiling and free riding.
See our Spot Guide: Lake Aviemore
Lake Tekapo is the northern most lake on Water Nomads tour and is postcard picturesque with impossibly blue water, a sailing paradise with easy gravel beach access. This is a foilers dream come true.
Lake Pukaki is the largest of the three roughly parallel alpine lakes running north–south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin. The brilliant turquoise water sitting in the snow peaked shadow of Aoraki / Mt Cook. This is one of the most picturesque lakes, yet has to be the most fickle wind-wise on our tour, Water Nomads goal is to get you out on Lake Pukaki.
See our Spot Guide: Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki
See our Location Feature: The Canterbury Lakes
Frequently Asked Questions
Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip
The Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip itinerary is pretty relaxed, and the flow is usually dictated by the wind forecast.
The first day is effectively travel day, the fly-in guests will be picked up by Water Nomads from Queenstown Airport and driven to Twizel. Self-drive guests can arrive anytime. Access to the accommodation will be from 4pm. Dinner is generally served at ~7pm.
The following days breakfast is agreed upon, usually between 8-9am. The fresh coffee stops when you stop drinking it. Your lunch is provided individually packed to give you the freedom should you wish to spit up, or just enjoy it at your leisure.
Again, the evening meal starts when everyone is refreshed and ready, this is usually agreed around 7pm, though is flexible if the wind is late in the day. The last day finishes with breakfast, pack-up and drive back to Queenstown Airport for departure. Self-drivers can depart Twizel at there leisure, maybe getting in a final session?
With your Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip, your wing foil and windsurf holiday expectations play a big part on the overall experience, one thing we can assure you is each lake we visit has its own personality.
All the Canterbury Lakes are large with a long fetch, so rolling swells are common, especially on Lake Ōhau. A comparison to ocean swells is often made, however no sea creatures with big teeth will be found! Downwind foiling 10+km runs are up for the taking with our shuttle. This is a brilliant Foil Drive playground too.
In contrast, Lake Ruataniwha is the smallest lake being also a shallow and offers beautiful flat turquoise blue water sailing like a Fiji Lagoon. Brilliant for honing new moves and tricks you may pick up from other riders in the group.
Water Nomads group size is limited to 8 guests. All guests are expected to have an intermediate to expert proficiency, we do not cater for beginners or offer lessons.
The Mackenzie District is a large inter-montane basis. Essentially this means it is an elevated plateau ringed by mountains. These mountains help to keep most of the rain away, resulting in a semi-arid landscape. The Mackenzie district has long and hot summers. The warm summer season extends from November to February, where the mercury often rises past 30 degrees Celsius (86 F).
The average surface water temperature of the lakes in January & February is approximately 17 degrees Celsius (63 F).
This can vary depending on sun hours, wind, rainfall and snow melt from the mountains, and temperature changes can alter from day to day. The temperature can often reach as high as 21C, but may also go as low as 15C. For comparison, this is similar Spring or Autumn water temperatures as found in Auckland, or Melbourne. It is much the same as Christchurch summer sea temperatures.
In the summer months of January and February the wind is very reliable the Mackenzie District. As a rule of thumb you will either be experiencing a Westerly frontal system or an Easterly thermal system. Due to being in the mountains the push / pull of these systems can be very difficult to predict or read in a forecast, and this is where Water Nomads are here to guide you.
Our Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip does not include sailing in the Southern Otago Lakes of Queenstown’s Lake Wakatipu or Lake Wanaka.
The Canterbury Lakes are sparsely populated, rarely sailed and challenging to understand the weather patterns. Thus Water Nomads providing the best opportunity to access and sail remote and beautiful places that few others venture.
The sailing spots and sailing community is very strong in Queenstown and Wanaka so you can easily access these spots by joining the locals. You can certainly extend your stay after the Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trips and self-drive the Southern Lakes of Lake Wakatipu and Wanaka. Water Nomads are happy to assist with spot information and local chat groups to get you going.
The Water Nomads shuttle journey from Queenstown Airport to Twizel is 200km which is 2 hours 30 minutes drive time. The trip takes you through the Kawarau Gorge, around Lake Dunstan and over the Lindis Pass, beautiful landscapes of central Otago.
The Flight from Auckland to Queenstown is 1 hour 55 minutes, Sydney to Queenstown is 3 hours.
The drive from Christchurch to Twizel is 286km which will take approximately 4 hours.
7 days from $2195 NZD
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7 days from
$2195 NZD
Deposit $300 NZD required on booking
