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Ski Resort Cardrona in Central Otago: Position on map

Cardrona Ski Resort

Trail Map Cardrona

The Ski Resort

Ready for some nice wide carving on Highway '89?
Ready for some nice wide carving on Highway '89?

Nestled in the heart of the Southern Alps in New Zealand's South Island, between Wanaka and Queenstown, Cardrona Alpine Resort is filled with 852 skiable acres - a favorite for ski bums from all over the world. Its accessibility, park features and family-friendly atmosphere make for a great stay, attracting all kinds of snow enthusiasts. Eight cafés and restaurants will satisfy your taste bud and keep you warm and comfy - we highly recommend a visit to the mountain-top champagne bar. 

Terrain & Lifts

Boasting three wide, open basins with excellent progressive terrain, Cardrona attracts both first-timers and expert skiers and boarders. The ski resort's altitude makes for great snow conditions, so every now and then the resort opens early for a weekend preview to celebrate. Plus, beginners will love Cardrona: A dedicated beginners' area with conveyor lifts, a see-through gallery tunnel, private and group lessons for all ages (and levels), and wide, open green trails provide plenty of room to learn how to speed down the slopes.

Featuring 345 ha of skiable terrain with 25% suited to beginner skiers, another 25% for intermediates, 30% dedicated to advanced skiers and boarders, and 20% suitable for experts, Cardrona has an abundance of varied terrain for every level of skier and snowboarder and a vertical drop of over 600m. A gondola and another five chairlifts plus the herein before mentioned conveyor lifts, three in number, will help you get the most out of your time at Cardrona. Its parks and pipes represent the most extensive terrain park and pipe facilities with options for all levels. 

Activities

First of all: There is a childcare centre called Cardrona Ski Kindy catering for kids aged 3 months up until 5 years, so you will not have to worry about your kids having a great time - they will have the time of their lives! Moreover. you may want to make use of the season pass benefits; whether it is a tandem flight, heliskiing, tubing, or plain sightseeing - there is plenty of stuff to do here. McDougall's Express Chondola (the gondola) is where to see the mountain by foot. If this is too far away from all the snow and winter sports' feeling, tubing is your thing to do without having to be a skier or snowboarder to give it a go. 

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Interesting facts

  • Offering 400 ha of slopes and terrain, Cardrona is among the 10 largest Ski Resorts in New Zealand.
  • Cardrona is among the 5 best rated Ski Resorts in New Zealand.
  • The vertical drop from summit to base is 190 m. The average difference in altitude between base and summit of Ski Resorts in New Zealand is 471 m. Runs and slopes are therefore relatively short. The highest point of the track is 1,860 m above sea level.
  • Snow coverage is usually best during September, offering an average snow depth of 129 cm at summit elevation and 58 cm at the base.
  • Cardrona features 22 sunny days on average per season. The average for all ski Resorts in New Zealand is 24 sunny days. September is the sunniest month with an average of 10 sunny days.

Snow Safety & Snowmaking

Snowphone+64 3 443 7007
Average snow depth of the last years (Summit)
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Mai
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
(in cm)

Videos

01:40
Cardrona + Treble Cone = have it all!
00:30
Skiing & Riding at Cardrona! From Piste to the Park.
02:07
Cardrona Alpine Resort - Winter 2020
00:33
Powder Day - September 13, 2019
00:48
40 Years of Cardrona - The Trailer

Getting here

The drive from Wanaka to Cardrona ski resort is very easy via the meandering Cardrona Valley Road. As the ski resort is located at the top of a 14 m long access road from Cardrona Valley, make sure to take care, carry snow chains at all times, and keep to the left to maintain 2-way traffic all the way up. 

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About the author
last update on 6 Jun 2023
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Contact

Cadrona Ski Resort - Wanaka office
PO Box 117 - 20 Helwick Street
Wanaka, New Zealand
E-Mail
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Phone+64 3 443 8880

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Mountain Stats

Elevation1,670 m - 1,860 m
Opening Day17 Jun 2023
Closing Day15 Oct 2023
Capacity 11450 Persons/Hr.
Hours08:30 - 16:00

Lifts

9
1
4
1
3
Total 9

Skiable Terrain

400 ha
Easy
Green Circle
Moderate
Blue Squared
Advanced
Black Diamond
Extreme
Double Diamond
Overall Slope Area 400 ha

Weather (1,894 m)

Open Lifts & Trails

Rates

NZD160
1 day adult NZD160
1 day youth NZD83
1 day child NZD83
All rates & fees