Although it encompasses 19 peaks over 3000 metres high, The Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park is very accessible. Mount Cook Village beside Lake Pukaki provides a base for alpine activities. Easy mountain walks lead to alpine tarns, herb fields and spectacular glacier views. Encounters with cheeky kea (mountain parrots) are part of the fun.

The Tasman Glacier (27 kilometres in length) slowly carves the valley sides, and provides a landing place for small ski planes and helicopters. Surreal, milky lakes are a feature of the park - suspended, glacier-ground rock sediment makes the water opaque.

Aoraki means "Cloud Piercer". The first European known to see Aoraki/Mount Cook was Abel Tasman, in 1642 during his first Pacific voyage. The English name of Mount Cook was to honour Captain James Cook who first surveyed and circumnavigated the islands of New Zealand in 1770. The name was officially changed to Aoraki/Mount Cook in 1998.

Aoraki/Mt Cook's Record Breaking

• Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain at 3,754 metres.
• Mt Cook helped Sir Edmund Hillary develop his climbing skills in preparation for the conquest of Everest (the tallest mountain in the world).
• Mountaineers regard the area to be the best climbing in Australasia.
• As the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates collided, Aoraki/Mount Cook rises an average of 7 millimetres (0.28 in) each year.
• 
  The Mount Cook "lily" is the largest buttercup flower in the world.
• More than one-third of the park has a blanket of permanent snow and glacial ice.

Local Knowledge

Local advice and guidance should be sought on any proposed activities. Tramping and Climbing parties should be prepared to stay overnight in the open in an emergency. Intention plans should be lodged with the Park Rangers. Be aware that weather conditions may delay Search and Rescue efforts, so parties should be self sufficient and competent in all aspects of mountaineering.

Motorists should keep to the paved roads and not venture onto unsealed roads or 4 wheel drive tracks unless they are sure of their driving abilities and the suitability of their vehicle for the terrain and road surface. Some (notional) roads in this area are so dangerous they are excluded from vehicle insurance policies. In winter, chains should be carried and used when the roads become snow covered.

Getting Around

Walking is a popular way to get around the park. There are a number of formed tracks and recognised walking routes. For those who want to see or ski the mountains, there are light aircraft and helicopters that can get you to places in minutes that would otherwise take hours or days of walking.

Regional Attractions Accessible From Mt Cook

Mount Cook village is an easy five-hour drive from Christchurch. Take the route from Christchurch to Fairlie, gateway to the Mackenzie Country. From here the road passes through a land of lakes, vast open spaces and golden, tussock-covered hills rolling towards the towering Southern Alps. On the way you will pass turquoise glacial lakes such as Lake Tekapo, on whose shores is the stone Church of the Good Shepherd, which has a spectacular view of the Southern Alps framed by its altar window.

Best Views

The standard tourist view of Aoraki/Mount Cook is from The Hermitage Hotel, Mount Cook Village.

Best Months

Autumn is probably the best time for walking the mountain trails. Early snow falls could permit a snowball fight at the top of the Red Tarns Track. Climbers should be prepared for blizzards, as winter sets in. Winter is when the ice is hard and avalanches less likely. Glacier skiers make the most of the ample snow. The weather is often fine, but can change suddenly. Summer can get very hot and walk to see the mountain tarns, can finish with a swim in Lake Pukaki. In spring look for the Mount Cook Lily, a large, white buttercup. If you're picnicking near keas (mountain parrots), the Department of Conservation would prefer that you don't feed them.

The average annual rainfall in the surrounding lowlands is around 7.6 metres (300 in). This very high rainfall leads to temperate rain forests in the coastal lowlands and a reliable source of snow in the mountains to keep the glaciers flowing.

Clothing

The high rainfall means some wet weather gear is in order. Quality raincoats can be purchased from the Mt Cook Village. Even in summer, day-walkers should carry warm clothing and some high-energy food, as the weather in this area can change rapidly.

Shopping

The village of Mount Cook serves as a tourist centre and base camp for mountaineers, and lies within the borders of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. The Hermitage, (the name of which dates back to the original hotel built in 1884), is a prominent and popular location in the village, and is sometimes used as an alternative name for the settlement.

Activities

Day Tours in Mt Cook

Mt Cook's activities centre around the mountaineering. It can offer the visitor some great holiday experiences as outlined below:

Tasman Glacier New Zealand’s largest glacier, the Tasman Glacier, can be viewed from a stable MAC Boat. Watch and listen to the ice melting before your eyes and stop, to touch and taste 500 year old ice and, on occasion, a walk on an iceberg provides a new and exciting experience for all. You won’t revel in serenity for long though as your senses are jolted back to reality as a rockfall crashes down the iceface above.

Glacier Kayaking A once-in-a-life-time experience! Go kayaking on Mueller Lake with stunning views of Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Mueller Glacier.

Things to do in Mt Cook

This list will assist you in accessing attractions and activities that Mt Cook has to offer.

Mountain walks There are 10 short walks beginning near the village. All tracks are formed and well marked. The Red Tarns Track, Kea Point and the Hooker Valley Track each take around two hours return. For more experienced alpine hikers, there are three mountain pass routes - over the Mueller, Copland and Ball passes.

Activities Outside Mt Cook

These activities are available around Mt Cook.

	Helicopter Glacier Viewing and Skiing Helicopters and ski-planes provide access to the park's fabulous glaciers. The Tasman Glacier is an excellent choice for intermediate skiers, while the Murchison, Darwin and Bonney glaciers promise excitement for advanced skiers. Landing among spectacular ice formations and caverns is the start of an unforgettable experience. From October until May, you can explore the Tasman Glacier's terminal lake by boat.
	Mountaineering Climbing Aoraki/Mount Cook remains the ultimate challenge, but there are many other peaks to tempt experienced climbers. Tasman, Malte Brun, Elie de Beaumont, Sefton and La Perouse are local favourites.
	Mount Dobson Ski Area With regular snowfalls Mt Dobson Ski Area offers a fun skiing and snowboarding experience for everyone. Mount Dobson is especially well suited to families, beginners and intermediates, but high above the groomed slopes there's amazing soft smooth powder to challenge the best skiers and boarders.
	Ohau Ski Area Ohau Snow Fields offer high country skiing and snow boarding at its best. Powder snow, sunshine, friendly people and uncrowded slopes is the combination that sets Ohau Snow Fields apart from the others. Ohau, as part of the Ohau Range in the Main Divide, is endowed with reliable snowfall and fine weather.

Diary of Events in the Mt Cook Region

Coach Tours Which Include Mt Cook

The following fully escorted coach tours are our top 3 which include Mt Cook.

New Zealand Splendour 14 days from North to South New Zealand on this organised coach tour will take in special sightseeing like glow-worm caves, Rotorua's geysers & hot mud, NZ's capital, Island Channel crossing, fur seals and whales (with an optional whale watch flight), alpine scenery past NZ's highest mountain, English like Christchurch, tour of an historic castle, fantastic Fiordland coastal formations from a Milford Sound cruise, tour of ski capital Queenstown, a gold mining town, and dramatic glaciers that nearly touch the sea.

Panorama Spectacular scenery abounds with this 18 day fully escorted coach tour running from Auckland to Christchurch. Special inclusions are guided tours of Waitangi & Maori Treaty Grounds, Auckland, Christchurch & Wellington city tours, Rotorua & Napier Art Deco tour. Special events include a Scottish Haggis, a Maori Hangi, a winery visit and dinner after a cruise on the TSS Earnslaw. Highlights include the Bay of Islands cruise, Rotorua Thermal Reserve, Interislander Cruise, Good Shepherd church, Milford Sound cruise, glow-worm caves, Olveston House, Fox Glacier, alpine lakes and mountains.

TranzAlpine Tour The South Island's splendid scenery might be the best part of this 9 day fully escorted coach tour, or perhaps it's the inclusions like the TranzAlpine Train journey, the Milford Sound Cruise, the dinner at Queenstown's Skyline Restaurant, the stay at the West Coast Glaciers, the traditional Scottish Haggis Ceremony in historic Dunedin or the Jade Factory visit. Not to mention the visits to remote National Parks of Fiordland and Westland, this tour is a delight to the senses.

Films Made in the Mt Cook Region

Films made in the Mt Cook region include The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 2003, Stolen Good 2002, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 2001, Vertical Limit 2000, The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey 1988, The Leading Edge 1987 and Solo 1978.

Eating & Sleeping

Regional Specialties & Cuisine

Dining opportunities in the Mount Cook Mackenzie region include cafes, restaurants and takeaways (NZ fast food) offering a wide variety of meals for a wide variety of tastes. From casual to upmarket dining, fast foods to organic health foods, many of the Mackenzie's cafes and restaurants are licensed or BYO (bring your own beverage) for those that enjoy a wine or beer with dinner.

Accommodation

Relaxing Journeys stay at nearby Omarama at the Heritage Gateway Hotel and MacKenzie Country Inn at Twizel. Otherwise national park accommodation is detailed below:

The Department of Conservation provides 17 huts in the park. Most are positioned to provide accommodation for mountaineers, and you need climbing skills to reach them. Non-climbing visitors can enjoy the attractions of Aoraki/Mount Cook Village, which offers everything from backpacker lodges and camp sites to luxurious Hermitage Hotel. The Hermitage Hotel is famous for its barstool views of Aoraki/Mount Cook.