Mahu Whenua features in Kia Ora Magazine

Air New Zealand’s inflight magazine, Kia Ora Magazine, is currently running a fantastic article in their October 2022 edition titled “A Weekend in Wanaka” and we are delighted to have Mahu Whenua feature in the article. Diving into how to spend an idyllic weekend exploring the local area, there are some great tips for experiencing Wanaka and an overview of Mahu Whenua lodge accommodation.

“Take the gravel road that winds through the Motatapu Valley and you’ll come to Mahu Whenua. The house that Canadian singer-songwriter Shania Twain and producer Mutt Lange built became a five-room luxury lodge in 2017, and there’s perhaps no better way to experience luxe Wānaka than by spending time there. 

Mahu Whenua – which translates as “healing the land” – was completed in 2008, but the huge wooden beams (sourced from an old wharf in Perth) and the impressive stonework (sourced from the farm over two years) make it feel as though it has been there for much longer. In keeping with Wānaka’s focus on regeneration, countless native trees have been planted on the 155,000ha station, and planting continues. A good range of activities are available, from farm tours to fly fishing, yoga classes to wine tours and helicopter adventures. The huge open-air stables are a sight to behold, and many guests enjoy horse treks around the property.

At the end of the day, with a gin and tonic in hand (from The Cardrona Distillery’s The Source range, of course), and a remarkable view down the valley towards Glendhu Bay, don’t be surprised if there’s another deep sigh or two of satisfaction around sunset. 

Come dinner time, the in-house private chef changes the seasonal menu regularly, while Mahu Whenua senior host Anna Ward is a winemaker, so there are options from near and far on the extensive wine list. There’s real warmth here – in the surroundings and staff. Like much of New Zealand’s high-end lodge accommodation, it successfully straddles the line between sophistication and ruggedness; luxury and leisure; nature and nurture. The same could be said of Wānaka itself.”

You can read the Kia Ora Magazine Oct 2022 edition here, with the article featuring Mahu Whenua starting on page 7.