Two private, serviced huts sitting on the edge of the Pisa Conservation Area.

Location:

Snow Farm, Cardrona Valley. From either Wanaka or Queenstown, head for Cardrona village and then follow signs to Snow Farm. Close any gates behind you. There is a road toll but if you are paying for Snow Farm facilities this is included in the cost.

The Tramp: About 7km on cross country ski tracks. So pretty boring walking to be honest. Took us less than 2hrs with 5 + 7 year olds. We walked in ‘direct’ then out via Meadow Hut which is a shorter and more attractive walk (feels less like a ski field), 2km to Meadow Hut then about 3.5km to carpark. You can also bike these tracks, and in winter cross country ski or snow shoe 🙂

The Hut: We stayed in Bob Lee – really cool hut (7 bunks). Water, firewood, gas, cooking equipment provided. Solar lighting as well. Beautiful views of the Wānaka area, including Tititea (Mt Aspiring). Haven’t stayed in Daisy Lee (6 bunks) but some friends reported the fire to work well but the rest of the hut to be cold (in late April).

Good to know: The huts can be booked exclusively or per bunk. See website link below. The area is about 1500m above sea level (think ski field) so be prepared for proper cold and no protection from conditions getting to/from huts. Conversely, in summer – hot and dry with no shelter.

https://snowfarm.nz/backcountry-huts/

Visited by: Clark family Nov 2020