Mt Cook
Mount Cook New Zealand
Aoraki / Mount Cook is the Big Kahuna of New Zealand. Aoraki means “cloud piercer” and it’s easy to see how the Maoris came up with that name considering that Aoraki / Mount Cook reaches an elevation of 3,754 metres (12,316 ft).
Mt Cook is popular amongst avid mountain climbers, and Edmund Hillary, the NZ god of mountain climbing, made a first ascent of Aoraki as a warm-up to climbing Everest.
Mount Cook is also a popular tourist destination considering the majestic beauty of the mountains and glaciers, and the various alpine activities on offer.
Where is Mt Cook?
Mount Cook lies within the Southern Alps on the South Island of New Zealand. The mountain is situated within the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
Mt Cook Village is a small settlement that acts as base camp for the mountain. The alpine village at an elevation of 760 metres is located 12km south of the summit of Mount Cook, and it’s 7km from the end of the Tasman Glacier.
Mount Cook Village is a 55km drive from the Lake Pukaki turn-off between Queenstown and Christchurch. The village is approximately 3 hours drive north of
Queenstown, and 3.5 hours south of Christchurch. From the Lake Tekapo township, the Mount Cook village is a 105km drive that takes just over an hour.
Mt Cook Skiing and Snowboarding
Considering that Mt Cook is permanently snow-covered, it’s not surprising that the area is a bit of a skiing mecca. Heli skiing companies that operate out of the Mt Cook area include
Harris Mountains,
Alpine Heliski, and
Wilderness Heliski that is guided by Alpine Guides.
Alpine Guides also offer the infamous “
Ski the Tasman” tour which is plane accessed skiing on the majestic Tasman Glacier. The ski runs are leg-burningly long, but the skiing experience pales into insignificance in comparison to the spectacular scenery.
A couple of companies also offer guided ski touring trips in the Mt Cook area.
Accommodation Mount Cook
The Mt Cook village has a small range of accommodation options including the upscale Hermitage Hotel, the YHA Mount Cook hostel, and the Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Lodge. Nearby is the Glentanner holiday park. The other option is to stay in one of the
Lake Tekapo hotels, about an hour away from Mt Cook.
See our
accommodation Mount Cook page for more information.
Mt Cook Activities
The Mount Cook area offers some unique activities. Apart from heli skiing and ski touring, other ways to explore the mountains is with a scenic flight in either a helicopter or plane. Some tours even include a glacier snow landing. Glacier exploration is also possible from a boat or a kayak on the glacial lakes.
Other Mount Cook activities include star-gazing or a visit to the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre that showcases the region and its history.
See our
Lake Tekapo activities page for more information on activities in the area.
Why Visit Aoraki Mount Cook?
The views of Aoraki Mount Cook are spectacular and the area offers unique skiing and other activities. A few days at Mount Cook will make you very snap happy and undoubtedly you’ll use up the entire memory card in your digital camera.