Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu)
- Address:Highway 80, Mount Cook
- Hours:Open daily 8:30am - 6pm (until 5pm May - Sept)
- Admission:Free
UNESCO Heritage Site, Walking/Hiking, Mountain, National Park
A fabulous UNESCO World Heritage area measuring 700 square kilometers (434 square miles), Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park stretches from Westland to Fiordland in the South Island.
There are 22 of New Zealand’s highest mountains soaring over this park, including mighty 3,755-meter (12,316-foot) Mount Cook itself, the tallest peak in the country. Perhaps the best way to take in the mountains’ grandeur is from the air on a helicopter tour of the park.
A mecca for climbers, hikers, skiers and lovers of natural beauty, the park’s attractions include the Tasman Glacier and the warm and welcoming Heritage, New Zealand’s most famous hotel.
Quite amazing and definitely a must for anybody visiting New Zealand. Unexplainable, you have to experience the trip to really "get it"
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The scenery was stunning, but made all the more so, by the comfort and height of vision from the coach, and the amusing anecdotes, interesting commentary, and singing yes singing of the coach driver. The best way to do the journey with plenty of opportunity to take photos, stretch legs at the best possible places en route, and even a drop off at my hotel door in Christchurch. Continue Reading »
This trip was truly amazing. We saw all there is to see and the landing on the snow was fantastic. We were booked to fly the following day but when we phoned earlier to confirm our booking etc we were offered this flight a day earlier as the weather was good - we just had to 'race' up from Queenstown to do it - and it was well worth it as the sky was almost cloudless - perfect! Thanks to all at the helicopter base for accommodating us. Just one downside. The helicopter seats 2 people in the front seat and 4 people in the rear seat and we were advised before the flight that although we were in the rear seats for the first part of the flight, seating is rotated after the snow landing to allow some of those in the rear seats to sit up front but the others on the same trip as us ignored this and took the front seats both times. We didn't want to cause a scene, but you need to make this much clearer to everyone going on the flight to make it fair to everyone. Continue Reading »
Practical Info
Mount Cook Village is the park’s main base, 12 km (7.5 mi) from Mount Cook’s snowy summit.
Buses run here from all over the South Island, including Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin.
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