Cardrona is 57 km from Queenstown or 146km if you take the “normal” road, and 34 km from Wanaka. Domestic flights from Auckland and Christchurch arrive in Queenstown. A daily bus service then takes in the spectacular one-hour journey over...
Cardrona
Purpose built in the 1980’s Cardrona’s ski resort is located along the Crown Range Road 35km from Wanaka and 57km from Queenstown.
Although its vertical drop (390m) is unexceptional, Cardrona’s base elevation of 1,670m is unusually high for New Zealand and normally receives good quality snow all the way down to the base area. Although it has a reputation for beginner/intermediate terrain, it has some challenges too, and attracts national ski teams from the northern hemisphere for pre-season training.
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Cardrona accommodation includes a limited number of self-catering apartments close to the ski lifts with high levels of repeat guests (early booking recommended) and a wide range of accommodation in Wanaka, 34km (35 mins) from the ski area. Cardrona's Alpine...
Cardrona ski school has more than 100 full-time instructors, with two-hour lessons available in the morning and afternoon. Group lessons are usually for up to eight people. Private lessons are also available. Cardrona Ski Schools More advanced skiers or boarders...
Cardrona Ski Area Cardrona’s ski area between 1,669m and 1,894m describes itself as “relaxed and friendly” and comprises three basins totalling 345 hectares with wide open slopes and a good natural snow record. The excellent snow, dubbed 'hero' snow for...
Cardrona Ski Lifts & Passes Cardrona’s ski lift system has undergone considerable development in recent years, with the introduction of two new high-speed quad chairlifts as well as a new quad in the Valley View area. Cardrona Ski Lifts The...
Cardrona Beginner Skiing Cardrona's beginner friendly ski area includes nursery slopes and three magic carpets for novices and easy terrain for beginners, notably the Skyline trail with spectacular views towards Queenstown. The MacDougall's quad serves some of the easier terrain,...
Cardrona Intermediate Skiing Although Cardrona has a reputation for wide open easy skiing for all the family, it some pretty hair-raising slopes that only really come into play during the annual Cardrona Games when the emphasis suddenly switches to extreme....
Cardrona Boarding & Freestyle Many of New Zealand’s best freestyle skiers and snowboarders, and increasingly off-season northern hemisphere athletes, base themselves at Cardrona and the three terrain parks offer a wide range of rails and jumps, up to four halfpipes...
Cardrona Mountain Restaurants Cardrona has are five cafés on the mountain, mostly places to grab a quick bite to eat and refuel at low cost rather than fine dining, but if you prefer a slightly more sophisticated menu and wine...
Cardrona Village Cardrona Village, at the bottom of the mountain road in the Cardrona Valley is a tiny hamlet of barely more than a few houses, a small church and the Cardrona Hotel, these days better known as a celebrated...
Cardrona Bars & Restaurants There’s very little après ski on the mountain or in Cardrona’s resort village, and although nearby Wanaka is usually fairly quiet compared with the raucous bustle of Queenstown, Wanaka is big enough to have quite a...
Cardrona Other Activities As it hardly ever snows in Wanaka, the nearest town, there's almost no limit to the all-year- round outdoor activities, including wine tasting, sky-diving, mountain biking museum visits and swimming, golf, trout fishing and rock climbing.