Adventure in Mountain Cook National Park in New Zealand || Splendid Nature || Harmonious Scenery

Adventure in Mountain Cook National Park in New Zealand || Splendid Nature || Harmonious Scenery

Today, travel to Aoraki/Mount Cook—the highest peak of the country at 12,316 feet high—where Sir Edmund Hillary made many expeditions.

There are plenty of tracks to explore onsite. Consider the below Mt. Cook National Park walks when scheduling your day.

Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier View: Take in the blue lakes and Tasman Glacier view. Take a stroll from the Blue Lakes Shelter, past the lakes to view beyond the Moraine Wall. You can also make a pitstop to swim in the summertime. Duration: 40 minutes
Tasman Glacier Lake: This walk branches off the Tasman Glacier View track, just past the Blue Lakes Shelter, and leads to a viewpoint of the glacier terminal lake and the source of the Tasman River. Icebergs can be seen floating in the lake in the summer, and in winter the lake freezes over. Duration: 1 hour
Hooker Valley: The most popular walk in the area is the Hooker Valley walk. Starting at The Hermitage, the walk takes in the camping ground, the site of the original Hermitage, an alpine memorial, and two swing bridges until the final destination of the Terminal Lake at the bottom of the Hooker Glacier is reached. The trip will vary in length, based on your starting point. Duration: 2.5-4 hours
Kea Point: The Kea Point track also begins at The Hermitage. The walk is relatively flat and provides great views of Aoraki/Mt. Cook, the Mueller Glacier, and the hanging glaciers and icefalls of Mount Sefton. There is seating at the Kea Point lookout at the end of the track, so you can take in the views. Duration: 1.5-2 hours
Governor's Bush: Named after the 1873 governor of New Zealand, Sir George Bowen, the Governors Bush track begins in the lower part of the Mount Cook Village. Walk through the only remaining native forest in the national park with beautiful silver beech and totara trees. This walk includes a light climb. Duration: 1 hour
Glencoe Stream: Starting from behind the Hermitage, the walk zigzags through totara trees and emerges at a lookout near the water tanks above The Hermitage. Walkers are rewarded with a bird’s-eye view of the village and beyond to the white ice of the Hooker Glacier and Aoraki/Mt. Cook. Sunrise and sunset are good times to catch the light on the mountains. Duration: 30 minutes
Red Tarns Track: This track begins in the lower part of the Mount Cook Village. Cross the bridge over Black Birch stream, which is a 5-minute walk from the DOC Visitors Centre and near the public shelter. Climb the steep steps to reach the red tarns (colored because of the red pondweed in the water). More experienced trampers can continue past the tarns to summit the lowest mountain in the national park, Sebastopol, for a stunning view of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Lake Pukaki. Duration: 1.5-2 hours
Sealy Tarns Track: For those who don’t mind a steep stair climb, take the Kea Point track and turn off at the signpost. The walk to the tarns (small glacial-formed mountain lakes) takes between 2-4 hours and provides beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. During the summer months, many of the region’s native alpine flowers can be seen alongside the track. From Sealy Tarns, more experienced trampers can follow the alpine route to Mueller Hut. Duration: 2-4 or 6-8 hours