Our Story
Minaret Station is New Zealand’s first and finest luxurious alpine lodge. The lodge is set at the head of a picturesque glacial valley within the untouched landscapes and beauty of the Southern Alps, near Wanaka.
In addition to the Alpine Lodge, Minaret Station also provides authentic experiences throughout New Zealand's South Island including an extensive range of helicopter touring, hiking, backcountry fly fishing, guided hunting and heli skiing.
Minaret Station is part of The Alpine Group, which is owned and operated by the Wallis family. The Alpine Group origins date back to the early 1960’s, when Sir Tim Wallis ('Hurricane Tim’), first began introducing international guests to New Zealand’s pristine wilderness. It has come a long way since the early beginnings but it remains a humble operation with a commitment to quality and service. More often than not, guests return year after year.
Tim had an affinity with Minaret Station since the early 1960’s when he first began working on and around the property carrying out helicopter venison recovery operations. An opportunity arose in 1995, at which point The Alpine Group purchased Minaret Station. The Alpine Lodge was opened in 2010 and has been welcoming guests ever since.
Alongside the Alpine Lodge, Minaret Station is also a working high country farm.
Home to some 14,000 deer, 1,000 sheep and 1,000 cattle raised for supply to premium export and domestic markets. Nestled on the western shores of Lake Wanaka and accessible only by boat or by helicopter, the 50,000 acre property acts as the heart and staging point of the family business.
Helicopters have always been in the blood for the Wallis family. The company first began using helicopters in 1963 when they pioneered their use for backcountry access and heli skiing. Since then, our sister company Alpine Helicopters has grown to incorporate a modern fleet with highly trained pilots.
Operated by the Wallis family to this day, they lead a friendly and experienced team, passionate about delivering memorable experiences time and time again for guests from all corners of the world.
Through a combination of Tim’s vision, coupled with the determination, passion and skill of his four sons, Minaret Station is now a property known throughout the world, synonymous with delivering genuine experiences with warm high country service.
