Best time to visit Wanaka, New Zealand

Our verdict

The best time to visit Wanaka is April

Are you looking for top-secret information about when to visit Wanaka? Look no further! April is the best time to go to Wanaka due to the excellent all-round climate conditions, and it’s not likely to be at its busiest as it’s not during the height of the peak travel season.

During the warmer months, temperatures in Wanaka can rise to a maximum of 20℃ (67℉). The weather in the winter, especially around July, can reach a minimum of -5℃ (23℉).

If you’re keen to work on your tan in Wanaka, you’re most likely get the longest days between sun-up and sun-down around December. The wet season in Wanaka falls around December, so if you prefer the dryer weather, you should look to visit in June instead.

Learn everything you need to know to help you decide when to go to Wanaka below, and don’t forget to use the awesome travel tools we know and love to help you find the best deals and make booking your vacation a breeze!

Warmest month

February

Least rainfall

June

Most daylight

December

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Wanaka seasons

Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in Wanaka as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. Wanaka is in the Southern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:

Season Months
Summer December to February
Autumn/fall March to May
Winter June to August
Spring September to November

Average temperatures in Wanaka

If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Wanaka for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.

Wanaka climate by month

If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in Wanaka for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.

Jump to:

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC

Wanaka in January

  • Average temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average high temperature: 16℃ (60℉)
  • Average low temperature: 6℃ (43℉)
  • Average humidity: 78%
  • Average sunny days: 10 days
  • Average rainfall: 61mm (2") over 18 days
10 days
of pure sunshine
18 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in January, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Wanaka in February

  • Average temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average high temperature: 16℃ (62℉)
  • Average low temperature: 6℃ (43℉)
  • Average humidity: 77%
  • Average sunny days: 11 days
  • Average rainfall: 69mm (3") over 14 days
11 days
of pure sunshine
14 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in February, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Wanaka in March

  • Average temperature: 10℃ (50℉)
  • Average high temperature: 15℃ (59℉)
  • Average low temperature: 5℃ (42℉)
  • Average humidity: 80%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 52mm (2") over 15 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
15 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in March, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Wanaka in April

  • Average temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
  • Average high temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average low temperature: 4℃ (38℉)
  • Average humidity: 83%
  • Average sunny days: 10 days
  • Average rainfall: 69mm (3") over 16 days
10 days
of pure sunshine
16 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in April, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Wanaka in May

  • Average temperature: 4℃ (39℉)
  • Average high temperature: 8℃ (46℉)
  • Average low temperature: 1℃ (34℉)
  • Average humidity: 87%
  • Average sunny days: 11 days
  • Average rainfall: 71mm (3") over 17 days
  • Average snow days: 2 days
11 days
of pure sunshine
17 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in May, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Wanaka in June

  • Average temperature: 1℃ (34℉)
  • Average high temperature: 5℃ (40℉)
  • Average low temperature: -2℃ (29℉)
  • Average humidity: 89%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 41mm (2") over 13 days
  • Average snow days: 2 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
13 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in June, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Wanaka in July

  • Average temperature: 0℃ (32℉)
  • Average high temperature: 4℃ (39℉)
  • Average low temperature: -3℃ (27℉)
  • Average humidity: 90%
  • Average sunny days: 10 days
  • Average rainfall: 63mm (3") over 17 days
  • Average snow days: 4 days
10 days
of pure sunshine
17 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in July, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Wanaka in August

  • Average temperature: 1℃ (34℉)
  • Average high temperature: 5℃ (41℉)
  • Average low temperature: -3℃ (28℉)
  • Average humidity: 89%
  • Average sunny days: 11 days
  • Average rainfall: 53mm (2") over 17 days
  • Average snow days: 3 days
11 days
of pure sunshine
17 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in August, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Wanaka in September

  • Average temperature: 3℃ (37℉)
  • Average high temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
  • Average low temperature: -1℃ (30℉)
  • Average humidity: 85%
  • Average sunny days: 9 days
  • Average rainfall: 51mm (2") over 18 days
  • Average snow days: 3 days
9 days
of pure sunshine
18 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in September, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.

Wanaka in October

  • Average temperature: 5℃ (41℉)
  • Average high temperature: 9℃ (48℉)
  • Average low temperature: 0℃ (32℉)
  • Average humidity: 83%
  • Average sunny days: 8 days
  • Average rainfall: 79mm (3") over 19 days
  • Average snow days: 2 days
8 days
of pure sunshine
19 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in October, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Wanaka in November

  • Average temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
  • Average high temperature: 12℃ (53℉)
  • Average low temperature: 3℃ (37℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 8 days
  • Average rainfall: 75mm (3") over 19 days
8 days
of pure sunshine
19 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in November, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Wanaka in December

  • Average temperature: 9℃ (49℉)
  • Average high temperature: 14℃ (57℉)
  • Average low temperature: 5℃ (41℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 9 days
  • Average rainfall: 97mm (4") over 19 days
9 days
of pure sunshine
19 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Wanaka in December, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Top FAQs

The hottest month of the year in Wanaka is usually February, where temperatures tend to rise to around 16℃ (62℉) in the middle of the day or early afternoon.
The month with the least amount of rain in Wanaka is generally around June. The dry season often coincides with cooler weather, so you should check the temperatures in June first to make sure it’s still a good time to go.
The rainiest time of year in Wanaka is generally around December, although the wetter season can sometimes extend a few months either side of December too.
If you want to get the most out of your time visiting Wanaka, or if you're just afraid of the dark, the days in December are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset.

Wanaka map