Picture a skiing experience with kilometres of snow in front of you, far-reaching views across Lake Wanaka to Mt Aspiring National Park, and no sound other than the swish of your skis.
Lake Wanaka is the location of New Zealand's only dedicated cross-country skiing area, with over 50 kilometres of tracks way up in the Pisa Range.
The ultimate conditioning for body and mind, cross-country skiing uses and tones every major muscle group in your body — an excellent way to work out.
This style of long-distance skiing originated in Scandinavia thousands of years ago as the sole method of transportation for ice-bound Northerners. It's the great-great-grandfather of all ski sports, as both alpine skiing and snowboarding were derived from this free-heeled mode of transport.
Even experienced skiers will take a little while adjusting to this sport, and things may be a bit wobbly to start off with as only the toe is attached to the ski.
Once you have mastered the technique, however, kilometres of tracks lie before you. Make sure you take a packed lunch with you, and stop to take in the alpine views with their jagged mountain peaks.
On a clear day, the majestic outline of Aoraki Mt Cook can be seen hundreds of kilometres away.