A Family Holiday at Cardrona

Cardrona is perfect for first timers with easy learner lifts and wide open beginner trails with beautiful views. This package includes rental equipment, a learner's area ski lift pass, and two group lessons with a professional instructor.  Your 2-hour morning lesson teaches the basics, including how to master sliding, stopping, and turning safely and effectively on gentle slopes.  The 2-hour afternoon lesson is to further develop your skills and to support you as you explore more terrain.

Make life simpler and hire your clothing for Cardrona/ Treble Cone ski field up the mountain. It has a huge range of the latest ski and snowboard gear for a great day out. Hire up the mountain and have the option of dropping off in Wanaka or Queenstown at the end of your ski holiday.

Feel like a relaxing night, take yourself to the movies, Cinema Paradiso is not your average cinema. A classic movie theatre with comfy old sofas, an old Morris Minor car, and a cafe & bar serving delicious meals before, during, or after the movie. A great option for days when the weather is not so great up the ski field, especially for families! Paradiso provides a novel experience - they even have a half-time intermission where you can get homemade ice cream, a hot chocolate, or a freshly baked cookie! Tickets can be purchased at your own expense at the cinema prior to the session or up to a few days before the movie you wish to see. The seating is unallocated, so if you arrive early you get the pick of the couches, chairs, and cinema seating.

If you have skied or snowboarded for more than one day, can 'stop and change direction' and enjoy the support of lessons or want to improve as quickly as possible then this is the package is for you. You'll have access to the entire mountain with an all mountain lift pass, rental equipment included and the benefit of 2 x two hour group lessons. This package is coordinated to build a solid foundation so that you can make progress quickly. And rest assured you'll soon remember the movements even if you only ever skied once, many years ago.

Explore what else Wanaka has to offer, including a range of cafes, bars, and restaurants to enjoy, miles of scenic walking and biking tracks, vineyards and distilleries to visit, and if you are looking for something indoors experience Puzzling World, Transport and Toy Museum or the Base Indoor Climbing Wall. If you still want to be skiing and your legs can handle it then book heli-skiing as it's one of the most breathtaking places to do it in the world.

Leaving Wanaka you head over New Zealand's highest sealed road, Crown Range Road before dropping into Queenstown. During winter months the Crown Range Road experiences alpine conditions, so you need to be prepared before driving this road. As it is New Zealand's highest sealed road it can be prone to ice and snow. There are many signs advising the road conditions so take notice of these or ask locally if the road is fine to be driven that day. The alternative route via the Kawarau Gorge (State Highway 6) is just 20 minutes longer. The golden rule is check and drive to the conditions. If you have snow chains with your rental vehicle please make sure you know how to fit them.

Explore more of Queenstown before dropping your rental car at the airport depot and continuing your onward journey.