Minaret Station Alpine Lodge
Exclusive Use - Accessible only by helicopter
Wānaka – South Island
4
12
6
From $12,200 per night (for up to 8 guests)
Welcome to Minaret Station Alpine Lodge
There are few, if any, places quite like this in the world. Accessible only by helicopter and set in a remote glacial valley surrounded by towering peaks are four luxurious, private chalets. Enjoy life’s most precious elements; time, fresh air and open space, whilst creating life-long memories with friends or family.
Guests enjoy privacy and comfort surrounded by tasteful high-country design. Each of the four chalets feature a king-sized bed (or twin), foldout sofa bed in the adjoining dressing room, ensuite bathroom, hot tub, and private deck where guests can relax and unwind beneath the stars. All meals and beverages (excluding a reserve cellar list), as well as a private guide for extensive hiking options directly from the Alpine Lodge are included.
Guests come together at the central mountain kitchen to relax in two separate living areas, with wood-burning fires, a well-stocked library, cellar and first-class dining facilities.
The Alpine Lodge primarily operates using hydroelectricity generated from a nearby waterfall. All water used in the Lodge originates from the station's abundant annual rainfall and snowmelt. The drinking water available in the chalets is sourced directly from the snow and rain-fed waterfall behind the Alpine Lodge, providing guests with 100% pristine New Zealand water.
Surrounded by incredible mountain views, Minaret Station is an experience to inspire. The Alpine Lodge is one of the most secluded and private accommodations in the world, with just four private chalets linked by boardwalk to the central Mountain Kitchen.
Opened by the Wallis family in 2010, this is a truly unique lodging experience situated at an elevation of 3,000 ft (914m) in the upper reaches of the Estuary Burn Valley in the South Island’s Central Otago region. Embracing sustainable principles, the design of the Alpine Lodge draws inspiration from traditional New Zealand high country station homesteads and musterer's huts, with a careful selection of sustainable materials that reflect the surrounding landscape.
Bordered by National Parks, mountains and Lake Wānaka, there are no roads at all leading to Minaret Station, so access is only possible by helicopter.
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Chalet 1
King - or - 2 Single
& sofa bed (adjoining room)
Chalet 2
King - or - 2 Single
& sofa bed (adjoining room)
Chalet 3
King - or - 2 Single
& sofa bed (adjoining room)
Chalet 4
King - or - 2 Single
& sofa bed (adjoining room)
Each chalet can sleep a maximum of 3 guests. The chalets are connected via boardwalk, approx. 50m apart
Each chalet is fully accessible, however please note there are no railings in the bathrooms. Minaret Station’s founder is wheelchair bound so this was very much a consideration in the build.
Private guide for hiking from the lodge
Nightly pre-dinner drinks and canapés
Nightly multi-course gourmet dinner, with paired wine
Daily full breakfast
Daily lunch, either at the Mountain Kitchen or packed picnic lunch
An extensive selection of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, including the chalet minibar. In addition, a selection of Minaret Station Reserve wines and spirits are also available for purchase
WiFi throughout the Mountain Kitchen and individual chalets
New Zealand’s Goods & Services Tax (GST) of 15%
Please note: Return helicopter transfers are additional. Contact us for a quote for your party.
The Alpine Lodge is located on Minaret Station, a 50,000 acre private high country property with no road access, 25km lake frontage and adjoining Mt Aspiring National Park.
Four luxury chalet’s available in either king, or twin bed configuration, each with ensuite.
Each chalet has a private balcony with spa pool.
The centrally located Mountain Kitchen Lodge contains the library, dining room, kitchen and living room with roaring fire for guests to enjoy.
Access to Minaret Station is by helicopter only. Minaret Station operates their own fleet of modern helicopters (Alpine Helicopters) and has done so since 1972.
An onsite hiking guide is included in the tariff.
All food and beverages included in the tariff (with exception of Reserve List).
240v power across the property supplied by hydro generator in adjacent waterfall.
Internet access is available, wireless connectivity in chalets.
Please be aware that there is limited cell phone coverage. A satellite landline is available for urgent calls.
Internal phone paging system between chalets, mountain kitchen, and staff residence.
As part of a pledge to make a positive difference, Minaret Station has signed the Tourism Sustainability Commitment. Developed by TIA (Tourism Industry Aotearoa) this commitment aims to ensure economic, environmental and social sustainability throughout New Zealand’s tourism industry.
Alpine Lodge
The Alpine Lodge, opened by the Wallis family in 2010, is a truly unique lodging experience situated at an elevation of 3,000 ft (914m) in the upper reaches of the Estuary Burn Valley. Every single item used to construct the Lodge was transported by barge across Lake Wānaka to Minaret Station and then lifted by helicopter onsite. Embracing sustainable principles, the design of the Alpine Lodge draws inspiration from traditional high country station homesteads and musterer’s huts, with a careful selection of sustainable materials that reflect the surrounding landscape.
Electricity & Water
Nestled in a stunning glacial valley, the Alpine Lodge primarily operates using hydroelectricity generated from a nearby waterfall. All water used in the Lodge originates from the station's abundant annual rainfall and snowmelt. The drinking water available in the chalets is sourced directly from the snow and rain-fed waterfall behind the Alpine Lodge, providing guests with 100% pristine New Zealand water.
Waste
Preserving the beauty and delicate balance of the station's wild surroundings is of utmost importance. All waste is meticulously removed from the property and where possible, fully recycled. Supplies are transported onto the property via helicopter, and laundry is done off-site, ensuring a minimal footprint at the location itself.
Cuisine
Food plays a central role in the Minaret Station experience. The talented chefs use the freshest local ingredients, including lamb, beef, and venison from Minaret’s own 50,000-acre working farm. Minaret Station sources all produce from the Wanaka region, working closely with local growers and farmers we know and trust. The team takes pride in offering full transparency and traceability in how the ingredients are sourced and nurtured.
Love Wānaka Community Fund
Minaret Station Alpine Lodge are proud to support the Love Wānaka Community Fund. Love Wānaka raises funds to support climate, conservation, and biodiversity action in the Wānaka region. The fund was established so that visitors to our rohe (region), and the businesses connecting them, can play an active role in the protection and regeneration of this place.
Tiaki Promise
Tiaki means to care for people and place. And, the Tiaki promise is a commitment to care for New Zealand, for now and for future generations.
Minaret Station and The Alpine Lodge cherish New Zealand’s precious treasures in which the Lodge is based its tours are centred around. Guests are reminded that anyone who travels with us has a responsibility to look after our home.
Signature Experience
Minaret’s Fiordland Heli Traverse
Consistently referred to by guests as their best day in New Zealand…perhaps anywhere.
Explore this famously remote and untouched part of New Zealand by helicopter. Pass through majestic fiords, get up close to huge waterfalls and see the region’s unique wildlife in its otherwise inaccessible natural habitat. Hover over glaciers of ancient blue ice and land in the snow at the beautiful, isolated mountain lakes for photographs and memories you will treasure forever. Featuring a gourmet BBQ picnic lunch with a spectacular mountain backdrop, this is a magnificent experience and unquestionably a highlight of any trip to this region of New Zealand.
Location
Wānaka – South Island
Getting there
Minaret Station, Estuary Burn, Wānaka
Minaret Station Alpine Lodge is accessible only by helicopter. Helicopter transfers are additional to the nightly tariff.
By Air:
International arrivals: Queenstown International Airport
Closest Domestic airport: Queenstown (ZQN) or Wānaka (WKA)
Helicopter Transfer:
Minaret Station has heliports at both Wānaka and Queenstown airports, where private aircraft can also land.
Queenstown Airport to Minaret Station Alpine Lodge is approx. 30 minutes helicopter flight Wānaka Airport to Minaret Station Alpine Lodge is approx. 20 minutes helicopter flight.
Please contact us for a quote for your party.
By Road:
There is no road access to Minaret Station Alpine Lodge.