Like many tourism businesses in Wanaka, Eco Wanaka Adventures (EWA) has learned to adapt to the new pandemic world to survive.

Pre-COVID, 95 per cent of its clients were international visitors attracted not only by their lake cruising, nature walks, heli-hikes and guided high country walks but also by the opportunity to participate in the company’s signature ecological efforts, planting trees and helping with pest eradication programmes.

Now EWA relies entirely upon domestic Kiwi visitors.

“We, like many other tourism businesses, have had to lay off staff but we supported many during the lockdown and beyond under the wage subsidy,” EWA co-owner Lee Eadie said. “We are functioning now on reduced staffing numbers but keeping the business open for any trips that do come along.

Tree planting on Mou Waho.

“We feel this is important so that visitors to Wanaka have a good range of options for activities to do when they get here and to support the local accommodation providers with activities for their clients.”

Even though EWA’s most popular tours, such as the cruise and nature walk to Mou Waho and the Rob Roy Glacier guided walk, haven’t had to be substantially changed to cater for the domestic Kiwi market, the company has adapted its approach to the more budget conscious Kiwi traveller, who also tend to have a different perspective regarding their natural environment, she said.

MAC students and teacher with the weta motels they constructed for Mou Waho Island. 

“Kiwis appear more knowledgeable about the natural history of New Zealand, as we would hope they would be, so learning about this does not appear to interest some Kiwis as much but they are interested in the local history, i.e. the settlement of the region and pre-European history of the local area,” she said.

From the start of their business in 2006, Lee and co-owner Chris Riley have enthusiastically promoted the concept that nature based tourism businesses, such as theirs, should have an ecological and educational focus.

Eco Wanaka Adventures co-owner and guide Chris Riley at the top of Mou Waho.

Since early 2007 EWA has been planting native trees on Mou Waho Island to restore the island’s original forest diversity.

“We have planted well over 8,000 native trees on the island since then,” Lee said. 

EWA has also worked in conjunction with the Department of Conservation and Mount Aspiring College (MAC) to install 44 “weta motels” to protect the rare, cryogenic weta and gecko from predation on Mou Waho. 

Utilising its boat, the company is currently working with Wanaka’s native plants nursery Te Kākano helping provide access for planting programmes along Lake Wānaka’s edge.  

High country Heli-Hikes provide breathtaking views.

High altitude pest trapping is another conservation effort the company blends in with its Alpine Heli Hikes and guided high country walks. It’s assisting the Matukituki Charitable Trust to establish a new trap line on the edge of Lake Wanaka as well as actively participating in the Trust’s high country stoat trapping programmes.

“Chris and I are very keen to continue with these plant restoration and trapping projects... as they are part of the future of sustainable tourism in this beautiful Wanaka environment we are both interested [in] and passionate about,” Lee said.

“By helping to restore and protect our wonderful backyard, we, like many Wanaka people, want to make sure we are kaitiaki - the nurturing and caring guardians of this beautiful region for future generations.” 

“We also find that many of our clients, both domestic and overseas, like to contribute actively to these projects, so the tree planting and trap checking on our tours allows them to do this, in a "hands on" style, in this unique opportunity to "give back" to New Zealand nature.

“A win-win situation for all concerned,” she said.

Right now Eco Wanaka Adventures is offering a limited time 20 per cent discount (until December 31 this year) off direct bookings for its Mou Waho Island guided tour. Bookings must be made by phone or email and children go free with a paying adult.

Lee says this popular half-day adventure which combines a lake cruise, nature walk and wildlife encounter, is an ideal opportunity to “meet the real locals” – Mou Waho’s rare buff weka. The birds’ naturally inquisitive character adds to the pleasure of the walk to the top of the island to visit Arethusa’s pool and enjoy the vast 360 degree views across Lake Wānaka. 

“We recently had a photographer that took a trip to Mou Waho and enjoyed the island so much he brought his whole family with him on the next trip about one month later,” she said.

For further information about the many and varied tours EWA offers click here.

PHOTOS: Eco Wanaka Adventures