Central Otago, South Island

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Cardrona ~ NZ’s favourite family mountain where everyone’s a VIP!

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Chilling with Pengi at Cardrona Alpine Resort!

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Cardrona Alpine Resort

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Smiles for miles at Cardrona!

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Family fun at Cardrona Alpine Resort

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Cardrona - the best jump and terrain parks

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NZ’s favourite family mountain where everyone’s a VIP!

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Lessons for littlies at Cardrona Alpine Resort

Cardrona Alpine Resort - South Island

Winter 2023    June 17th-October 15th (estimated)

Cardrona is the largest ski area close to both Queenstown and Wanaka, and is NZ’s favourite family mountain where everyone’s a VIP!
With a fun-filled atmosphere, wide, open runs and an abundance of intermediate terrain, Cardrona is welcoming and enjoyable to ski or ride. It’s the perfect place for beginners and intermediates; with easy-to use surface lifts, beginner packages and plenty of wide, open trails spread over 3 basins.

Kids 5 years & under receive FREE day passes.  Ages taken as of date of travel for in-season products.

McDougall’s Express Chondola

A combined lift of 8-person gondola cabins & 6-seater chairs – NZ’s first cabin-style lift on a ski area!

Cardrona’s Ski Kindy and Snow Sports School have options on and off the snow for kids from 3 months to 14 years, offering care, lessons, food & FUN in flexible packages.
Shorter lesson and care options are available for families who’d like to spend more time skiing together.

FIRST TIMER SKI OR SNOWBOARD PACKAGES

Never been skiing before? The Cardrona Alpine Resort first timer ski package is the perfect choice for those who have never set foot on a ski field. The beginner package includes all necessary rental equipment, a learner’s lift pass with access to the learner’s area slope and 4 hours of beginner group lessons. The introductory package is a great way to learn the basics of skiing or snowboarding with a tutor on hand to give you the confidence to hit the ski slopes and be on your merry way after a full day of learning.

After your ski lesson, learners can even ride the McDougall's Chondola to the top of the mountain for some spectacular views, take an obligatory selfie then use your brand new skiing or snowboarding skills down the beginner run or return to base in comfort and warmth in the gondola.

SKI PASS AND RENTAL PACKAGE
Combine and save this ski season with a Ski Pass and Rental Package at New Zealand’s Cardrona Alpine Resort. The convenient package is ideal for visitors with a huge range of ski and snowboard gear available at three locations in Queenstown, Wanaka or up on the mountain.

FULL DAY LIFT PASS AT CARDRONA
Purchase your Cardrona lift pass here to access some of the most varied terrain and best facilities skiing the southern hemisphere has to offer. Cardrona lift passes are available in single day or multi-day pass options to cater for all ski holiday lengths.

 
SNOW SPORTS HQ

One, central location for all kids' facilities with Ski Kindy for littlies and The Den for older kids.

Ski Kindy (3 months-5 years)

Half day care is available for walk-up bookings only and will be based on availability on the day.  Book in advance to secure your space; waitlist available.

Kids' Snow Sports School (5 years and over)
Kids' Ski and Snowboard Group Lessons

Great for kids who want to improve, have fun and make friends!  Group lessons run for the full day from 10.30am - 3.45pm, with a 45 minute lunch break at 1pm.
For Ages: 5 years+ for skiers and 7 years+ for snowboarders.

 

North Island

South Island

Map of New Zealand
  • Central Otago
  • Auckland
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Christchurch
  • Dunedin
  • Coromandel
  • Gisborne
  • Fiordland
  • Hawkes Bay
  • Marlborough Sounds
  • Manawatu
  • Nelson & Golden Bay
  • Northland
  • North Canterbury
  • Queenstown
  • Rotorua
  • South Canterbury
  • Taranaki
  • Southland
  • Taupo
  • Wanaka
  • Waikato
  • Wellington
  • West Coast
  • Whangarei
  • Bay of Islands
  • Tauranga
  • Gisborne
  • Hamilton
  • Napier
  • Kapiti
  • Palmerston North
  • Whanganui
  • New Plymouth
  • Arrowtown
  • Te Anau
  • Akaroa
  • Ashburton
  • Hanmer
  • Kaikoura
  • Methven
  • Mt Cook
  • Oamaru
  • Tekapo
  • Timaru
  • Abel Tasman
  • Motueka
  • Nelson Lakes
  • Blenheim
  • Picton
  • Catlins
  • Gore
  • Stewart Island
  • Central Plateau
  • Invercargill
  • Cromwell
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Westport
  • Glenorchy

Our favourite destinations…

Auckland

New Zealand’s economic heart and biggest city is also an exciting family visitor destination, situated on a sunny harbour with city beaches just minutes away from the CBD. Orientate yourself by heading down to Viaduct Harbour, wandering the waterfront, checking out the super yachts or enjoying the waterfront restaurants. Nearby is the must-visit Sky Tower along with excellent and kid-friendly museums and tons of exciting activities!

Wellington

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital. Here you will find New Zealand's parliament buildings, including the 'Executive Wing', more well-known as 'The Beehive' due to its distinctive shape. Another icon to look out for is the Wellington Tram, which was the main means of public transport between 1878 and 1964.

Christchurch

With a population of around 400,000 Christchurch, in Canterbury, is the South Island ’s largest city, yet much of it has the feel of a small town. Perhaps that’s why it’s known as the Garden City but with the expansive Hagley Park, Botanic Gardens, Port Hills, River Avon and numerous beaches the city certainly has an open, relaxed feel that’s hard to beat.

Queenstown

With its well-deserved reputation as New Zealand’s activity adventure capital you’ll never run out of activities and things to do in Queenstown, but you may run out of time! With breathtaking scenery, activities and festivals, cafes and restaurants, skiing and snowboarding, shopping and wineries, this lakeside alpine resort rates as one of the world’s top vacation destinations for all ages and seasons.

Rotorua

Rotorua sits on the shore of Lake Rotorua, one of sixteen lakes in the area formed by hundreds of thousands of years of eruptions from the Taupo Volcanic Zone. The area is renowned for its geothermal activity and top of any activity list is to see the bubbling mud pools that are around the region for yourself. The Waimangu Volcanic Valley offers a first hand insight into the devastation caused by the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera and is a great place to discover steaming volcanic craters and bubbling, spitting  pools of mud!

Nelson and Golden Bay

The Nelson and Golden Bay regions, at the top of the South Island, boast enviable sunshine hours, glorious sandy beaches, safe swimming spots, lots of wildlife to look out for, and Abel Tasman National Park - an absolute must to explore, on foot, by kayak, your own craft or watertaxi.  Nelson is home to a vibrant arts and crafts community with a fabulous Saturday market, and is close to award-winning wineries and family-friendly bike tracks to take you around the coast.

Hawkes Bay

Napier was rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and is now known as NZ's Art Deco City.  The Art Deco influence has created a unique city – nowhere else can you see such a varied concentration of art deco style. With over 2,200 sunshine hours a year, Napier is a year-round holiday destination with countless activities to entertain the kids – there's days of entertainment on Marine Parade alone, plus numerous other family-friendly trips and activities.  Add to that the beaches, walks and flat cycle paths, outdoor cafes and entertainment, and you have a perfect holiday destination!

Northland

Beautiful, unspoiled beaches, fishing, historic gum fields, kauri forests – the Far North has it all. With subtropical temperatures, it's often known as ‘the Winterless north', with warm, humid summers and mild winters.
Gateway to the Bay of Islands, Paihia is a pretty, lively beachside town and a perfect base for your family holiday. It’s your start point for Bay of Island adventures including day cruises, sailing, kayaking, swimming with dolphins and reef or wreck diving.