Get info about Lake Wakatipu and see a video of its crystal clear blue water near Queenstown on the South Island of New Zealand.

What and where is Lake Wakatipu?

Lake Wakatipu is New Zealand’s third largest lake covering 289 square km and having a maximum depth of 380 m (1,247 ft).

It is located on the South Island of New Zealand and is one of the well-known glacial lakes in the Southern Lakes District, which includes Wanaka and Queenstown.

Lake Wakatipu is a very clear and deep lake, with the color of its water changing as the weather changes. The color of the water in Lake Wakatipu can shift anywhere from murky gray to crystal clear blue.

There are three towns that are located near the shores of Lake Wakatipu:

1. Glenorchy in the north.
2. Queenstown on the eastern edge near the center of the lake where it bends.
3. Kingston in the south.

How to get to Lake Wakatipu

You can reach Lake Wakatipu by flying to Queenstown and then driving to the lake, or by, for example, driving to Queenstown from Christchurch.

Once you reach Queenstown, you can drive on the road to Glenorchy, which follows the eastern shore of Lake Wakatipu to the north. The lake is viewable all the way to Glenorchy.

You can also go in the opposite direction and drive on the highway to Kingston, which also follows the eastern shore of Lake Wakatipu to the south.

On your way to Kingston, you can partly drive up the road to the Remarkables ski field, which I consider to be one of the must-do scenic lookouts in Queenstown, to see Lake Wakatipu from above.

Why visit Lake Wakatipu?

Lake Wakatipu, despite being a very large lake, has many moods that make it the perfect subject to photograph in any season of the year.

Many people visit Lake Wakatipu for the scenic views it provides, but you can also visit the lake for cruising or other water activities such as kayaking, aqua biking, and stand up paddle boarding.

Walking along the lake is a very relaxing and free activity you can do.

You can easily access the lake from Queenstown city center by foot by, for example, visiting the Queenstown Gardens or by walking along the lakefront.

There are also other lakeside walks a bit further away from Queenstown city center that you can do such as, for example, the Bobs Cove Track.

And if you are looking for something more energetic, you could always walk up Queenstown Hill or Ben Lomond to get a view of Lake Wakatipu from above.

Video of Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown

This 1-minute video was shot from the walking trail that goes around the Kelvin Heights golf course on the Kelvin Heights peninsula.

The weather was stunningly beautiful, which made the water of Lake Wakatipu look crystal clear as viewed from the shore in Queenstown.

If you’re staying in one of the hotels in Queenstown city center and did not rent a car to drive in New Zealand, you’ll have to arrange transportation to get to this location or walk on the Kelvin Peninsula Track from Queenstown.