About Us
About the experience
The Sauna Wānaka is a mobile 15-person sauna that gets people warm and toasty out in nature. The sauna features a traditional wood-burning Finnish fireplace, all-natural build materials, upper and lower-level seating, and a large panoramic window to enjoy the mountainous views. Choose from one of the bookable group sessions from our weekly schedule, or opt for the private sessions and have the sauna to yourself. There is also availability for ‘At your place’ bookings.
We are here to facilitate the appreciation of nature while reflecting inward, relaxing, connecting with others, and caring for ourselves. Wellness and kaitiaki/guardianship from within.
About Us & How We Started
Hi there! We are Shay and Shiv, two sisters who love to sauna and thought the Wānaka community needed one for those long and chilly winter months. We are both into health and wellness, love being active, and are happiest outdoors surfing or snowboarding.
The sauna seed was planted when we experienced the Redwood Sauna in Raglan. After simmering on the idea for a few months and getting into cold water immersion the previous winter, we decided to go all in. Sam from the Redwood Sauna/Sustainable Saunas then became the builder for The Sauna Wānaka.
We will be starting classes and available for private bookings for winter 2023 and beyond. You can find us lakefront at the beautiful Outlet Wānaka, thanks to the great folks at the Outlet Campsite. We are also looking for suitable locations in Lake Hāwea and Cromwell, so get in touch if you know someone who knows someone!
Shiv’s professional background is being an amazing surgical Nurse. She is excited to be in the business owner realm and is the Operations Manager/Co-Founder. Shay runs the sauna alongside her bCorp-certified reusable product business, CaliWoods. The Sauna Wānaka is her community-level passion project, and her main role is Brand Manager/Co-Founder.
Need More?
Visit the Experiences page to figure out which session you want to book, get all those burning questions answered in the FAQs, and make sure you nail your first visit by going over the ‘What To Expect’ page.