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Natural Phenomena

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

For big alpine views, nothing beats a stroll in Mount Cook National Park.

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This national park is home to the highest mountains and the largest glaciers in New Zealand. It has 19 peaks more than 3000 metres high, including Aoraki/Mount Cook which is a sky-scraping 3754 metres tall. The road to the park runs along the Tasman Valley beside Lake Pukaki, which is fabulously blue due to the glacier-ground rock particles that are suspended in its waters. At the end of the valley you'll find Mount Cook village and the most amazing alpine scenery you can imagine.

While there are 17 Department of Conservation huts in this national park, most are positioned beyond the reach of the average traveller - you'd need mountaineering skills to reach them. For non-climbing visitors, there's a great variety of alpine day walks beginning near Mount Cook village. Two of the most popular are the Kea Point Walk and Hooker Valley Track.

The Kea Point Walk begins near the Hermitage Hotel. The trail gently winds its way through sub-alpine grasslands and scrub to the Mueller Glacier moraine wall. The walk ends at a viewing deck that gives stunning views of Mount Sefton and the Footstool, the Hooker Valley, Mueller Glacier Lake and Aoraki/Mount Cook.

The Hooker Valley Track begins at the visitor centre and leads up the Hooker Valley towards Aoraki/Mount Cook. The track passes close to the Alpine Memorial, which is a great viewpoint.The route crosses the Hooker River twice (on swingbridges) before eventually reaching the Hooker Glacier terminal lake.

Local operators can help you to explore the park in other ways - scenic flights, guided hikes, ski touring, glacier adventures and instructional climbing expeditions.

CHRISTCHURCH - CANTERBURY Region

Contact Details

Contact:	DOC Aoraki/Mt Cook Visitor Centre
Phone:	+64 3 4351 186
Postal:	PO Box 5, Aoraki/Mt Cook 8770
Website:	www.doc.govt.nz/templates/PlaceProf ile.aspx?id=38406
Contact:	Methven i-SITE Visitor Centre
Phone:	+64 3 3028 955
Fax:	+64 3 3028 954
Postal:	121 Main Street Methven
Email:
Website:	www.methveninfo.co.nz

Mt Cook Village is the closest town to this highlight.

In Mt Cook Village:

Other towns near Mt Cook Village by road:

Twizel (56 minutes)
Omarama (82 minutes)
Lake Tekapo (89 minutes)

Other towns near Mt Cook Village by rail:

Mt Cook Village does not have any rail stations.

Other towns near Mt Cook Village by air:

Mt Cook Village does not have scheduled passenger air services.

Disclaimer
All information available on this web site concerning products and services is provided by the suppliers of those goods and services. Because information is liable to change from time to time you should not rely on the information on this web site but should check the accuracy of the information with the relevant supplier. Tourism New Zealand is not responsible or liable for any claims arising in relation to information supplied to it.

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