Isthmus Peak

Bring plenty of water & sunscreen if you're doing in summer, long track and no shade! Awesome views of lake Hawea as you climb up as well as views over lake Wanaka at the Peak. MUCH better than Roy's Peak!:)

What an amazing hike! It is a long climb under the sun but just out one foot in front of the other and go for it! My group is pretty fit and it took us 6hrs return with a lot of stops for photos. Take your time and really savour it! Note there are a couple of false summits so you’ll know the real one when you see the pole on top of a peak.

Visited back in September 21.

Probably the most stunning walk I've ever, ever done.

Challenging in the hot sun, as it's exposed rock and loose gravel / trail a lot of the way.

Definitely pack proper hiking gear.

Absolutely incredible views over Lake Hawea - highly rate this.

If you're in Wanaka and choosing between this day hike and Roy's Peak, I'm not sure if the views are quite as breath-taking on Isthmus, but the scenery throughout the hike is more interesting, and the path more varied - and it's amazing looking out across both Lake Hawea and Wānaka from the top. We knew beforehand that there are few "fake peaks, " but I preferred this to seeing the end point the whole hike up (and wondering when it was going to start feeling any closer.) It was super windy (and snowy!) at the top when we visited, but the path was clearly marked and felt pretty safe. The two car parks are quite small, but we were the only people there when we visited in May 2021.

Absolutely sensational hike. I haven't done Roy's Peak, but after what I have heard, I can thoroughly recommend Isthmus instead.a variety of terrain and views keep it very interesting (so many picture postcard photo opps!), and even better, not many people and no queuing for photos at the top!

Beautiful views on the way and at the summit. Comparable to the more popular Roy's Peak on a beautiful day, but different at the same time.
Got different seasons as I went there in November between sun and snow.
The hike is totally straightforward and doesn't require any prior experience. Bring a lot of water on a hot day.

It's 2-4 hours up depending on your fitness. Most of it is a 4x4 track that switchbacks up the mountain. It's about as easy as a (near) 1,000 metre elevation hike gets. Definitely a good one for a beginner hiker. The track is super obvious, there's no dangerous sections, and it's mostly just a steady grind up.

I wouldn't recommend it in hot weather.

Although the hike is long it makes getting to the peak even more rewarding. The views from here are amazing with mountains all around and Lake Hawea and Wanaka on either side. Make sure to bring plenty of water and some snacks so you have enough energy to reach the top!

Absolutely beautiful one of the most amazing views highly recommended, not an easy walk though you must be prepared especially in winter with snow and ice conditions

Tough hike. Took us 3hours to the peak. The views of Lake Hawea were incredible on the way up. Hail/rain came in with the wind at the top so we didn’t stay long but still caught a glimpse of Lake Wanaka from there. Can’t decide if the way up or down was harder. So worth it but you’ll probably be sore the next day! Oof.

The climb up is not the easiest climb you can find (8 -9 hours return), if you are a beginner you can defiantly do it but you will need a good condition. Its getting crowded because a lot of people want to escape the hustle from roys peak. Once you are on top you will be rewarded with some stunning views, so much better than roys peak!

It could be quite a challenge when it’s hot, but it is definitely worth it. The views are fantastic.