CK Travels

Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand

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Possibly the most remote village in New Zealand, the rugged and isolated nature of Mount Cook and Aoraki Village makes it so unique and a real New Zealand must do. There are many things to do here and we have often said that this is our favourite place to explore in the whole of New Zealand. Surrounded by alpine allure – it is so peaceful with no jet boats or bungee screams, just unadulterated bliss.

The landscapes here are simply stunning – from the snow-capped mountains by day to the twinkling stars at night (no light pollution), this is heaven on earth and pure ‘Lord of the Rings’ scenery. Here is our guide to getting the most out of your Mount Cook / Aoraki Village stay:

Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Hooker Valley Track

How to get to Mount Cook National Park

It is best to visit Mount Cook using your own transport – this is so you can easily access the starting points of many walks in the area which are too far to walk to from Mount Cook village. To reach the village you will need to leave Highway 8 at Lake Pukaki and drive down Route 80 (which is one of the most scenic drives in the country). Mount Cook is around a 4 hour drive from Christchurch and 3 hours from Queenstown.

Alternatively you can reach Mount Cook Village as part of a day trip/one way coach transfer from Queenstown or Christchurch with Great Sights, AwesomeNZ or GetYourGuide. Hop-on hop-off backpacker buses such as Stray New Zealand and Kiwi Experience offer Mount Cook as a stop on some of their routes, as do group tour companies such as MoaTrek.

Viewing point on the way to Mount Cook Village – Peter’s Lookout

Remember those stunning blue lake shots you keep seeing on Instagram or in New Zealand travel brochures? Chances are they will be Lake Pukaki, taken from Peters Lookout on Route 80 on the way to Mount Cook. The pristine blue and turquoise colours of this lake with its awesome alpine setting make this one of the most photographed spots in New Zealand.

It is the largest lake in the region and the brilliant blue colour is caused by ‘glacial flour’, made from course rock particles that have come from the surrounding glaciers. Pukaki Lake is fed by the Tasman River, which has its source in the Hooker and Tasman Glaciers.

Peter’s Lookout can get very busy, particularly in peak season, as the car-park is quite small and campervans take up a large part of it. If you can get a parking space, definitely make the effort to go further than just the viewing platform in the car park – walk down the hill to Lake Pukaki itself and you’ll be rewarded with unobscured views.

Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Lake Pukaki / Peter’s Lookout
Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Lake Pukaki / Peter’s Lookout

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Mount Cook Village

To explore the national park you will need to base yourself in Mount Cook village – located a 40 minute drive from Highway 8. There are only a handful of hotels here (and a campsite) so you will need to book your accommodation months in advance during peak season (December to April).

Skip to the accommodation section >

Make sure you stock up on groceries before you arrive as there are no supermarkets or convenience stores in the village (there are Four Square supermarkets in nearby Lake Tekapo and Twizel).

If you are looking for trail information and maps, there is an excellent tourist information centre open everyday from 8.30am – 4.30pm.

The Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre is also located in the village (he is one of the world’s greatest explorers), and the centre features a 3D theatre and planetarium!

Mount Cook Village

Things to do in Mount Cook:

Hooker Valley Track

The Hooker Valley Track is the most popular walking track in the area, due to its easy access along the Hooker River, incredible views, plus one of the best pay-offs you’ll ever see at the end of a walk.

The walk is approximately 5 kilometres long and takes three hours to complete the round trip, it only gains 100 metres in elevation which makes it suitable for all levels of fitness. You begin and end your walk at the White Horse Hill Campground which is a short 5 minute drive or 30 minute walk from the village.

Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Hooker Valley Track

The track has majestic views of the mountains and takes you over three swing bridges and past picturesque streams and lakes.

Your reward at the end is the Hooker Valley glacier lake, with several floating icebergs having broken away from the nearby glacier. The water is ice-cold, so do as we say and take a beer along to chill and enjoy at the end (but remember to take all your rubbish back with you). Beer chilled in glacier water and sipped in mountain air always tastes better – fact!

Note the weather can change quickly so you are best to take layers of clothing and change / derobe accordingly – our most recent hike on the Hooker Valley Track started in cold, foggy conditions where we could only see a few metres ahead, but after 30 mins, the fog lifted and it was warm and sunny so pack for all eventualities.

Read more in our ultimate guide to the Hooker Valley Track >

Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Hooker Valley Track
Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Hooker Valley Track

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Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier View Track

After completing the Hooker Valley Track, we decided to then do the shorter hike to the Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier. Starting from the Blue Lakes car park (a 10 minute drive from the village), this is a 40 minute return walking track (it is a gradual incline with steps) to an amazing viewpoint of the lower Tasman Glacier and lake, icebergs and the mountains at the head of the valley.

Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier Lake Walk
Walking up to the viewing platform
Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier Lake Walk
Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier Lake Walk

Tasman Lake Track

If you have time after visiting the Glacier viewpoint, then take a walk along this easy flat track (the first right hand turning when leaving the Blue Lakes car park). The walk is one hour return and takes you to the Tasman Glacier lake. It was really quiet when we walked there and we had the whole of Tasman Lake to ourselves! Where else in the world can you have solitude and total peace and quiet at a lake full of icebergs, just a short walk from a carpark?! God, we love New Zealand!

Read more in our Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier View walks guide >

Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier Lake Walk
Take the right hand side track and walk for 30 minutes to the lake
Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier Lake Walk
Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier Lake Walk

Other walks in Mount Cook

There were two other ‘easy’ walks we didn’t have time to do during our two night stay in Mount Cook Village – the Kea Point Track and the Sealy Tarns Track. Head to the Department of Conservation website for more information on these routes.

Tasman Glacier lake boat trip

If you want to get up close and personal to some large icebergs in the Tasman lake then a boat trip with Glacier Explorers is for you! Prices are a little on the expensive side at $170 per adult for a 1 hour MAC boat trip, but it was super fun to ride through all these shiny icebergs on a very speedy boat!

Tip – Make sure to not book your trip first thing in the morning as half the lake is covered in darkness with the sun still yet to rise above the mountains. Plus take lots of warm clothes too such as hat and gloves as it is freezing on the boat even in summer. Tours run from early September to late May.

Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Tasman Glacier boat
Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Tasman Glacier boat
Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Tasman Glacier boat

Heli Hike on Tasman Glacier

If you have some cash to splash we also recommend booking a heli-hike guided tour. You get to take a scenic flight by helicopter to a remote part of Mount Cook mountain, and walk on the ice terrain to explore the fantastic glacial ice formations (glacier boots and crampons are provided).

We didn’t actually do the glacier Heli Hike tour in Mount Cook (we did one in nearby Franz Josef Glacier), but if you get the chance to do one (and the weather is nice), then we would highly recommend it. It really is an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Book your Mount Cook Heli Hike on Get Your Guide >

Food and Drink in Mount Cook Aoraki Village

Being so remote, food and drink / dining options are a little scarce in Aoraki Village – there are no convenience stores or supermarkets so if you are planning to cook, definitely stock up on groceries beforehand (we did however find a small selection of food in the Hermitage Hotel gift shop).

Snacks at the Hermitage Hotel gift shop

We cooked most of the time in our accommodation – the YHA Mount Cook (the reception sells various canned goods liked baked beans) but also ventured out a couple of evenings.

We’d recommend the Sir Edmund Hillary cafeteria at the Hermitage Hotel – whilst not cheap, the views of Mount Cook from the outdoor terrace is stunning and some of their hot food /snack dishes are incredible (we still dream about their hefty salmon pies). It was a nice place to enjoy coffees on the balcony, staring up at the snow-capped mountains – a minor grumble is that they charge for WIFI, even if you’ve spent a fortune on your food.

Sir Edmund Hillary cafeteria outdoor terrace
Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Sir Edmund Hillary

We also visited the Chamois Bar and Grill one night, to indulge in their nightly happy hour (very cheap beer and much deserved after our Hooker Valley hike). We were lucky enough to get a table right next to the huge bay windows that framed the mountains perfectly. The bar feels a little like a school cafeteria with huge tables for various tour groups and backpacker buses, but the food portions look huge (especially the fish and chips) and were reasonably priced.

Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | Chamois Bar and Grill
Chamois Bar and Grill

Mount Cook Alpine Salmon / Lake Pukaki Visitor Centre

And finally, before you arrive or after you leave Mount Cook Village we recommend a side-trip to the Mount Cook Alpine Salmon store, on State Highway 8 between Tekapo and Twizel. There are few things better in life than eating fresh sashimi, alfresco in the alpine air on a picnic table overlooking the lake – it is also waaaayyyy cheaper than most other sushi places. 

Very popular with Japanese tourists, they offer a variety of salmon related products (wraps, sushi etc) as well as take home packs or shipping back to your home country.

Immediately next door to the Mount Cook Alpine Salmon shop is the Lake Pukaki Visitor Centre, which has a glorious indoor viewing area, perfect for all weather photo poses and well as information panels about the history and geography of the region.

Mount Cook Accommodation

If we had the money, we’d be staying at the Hermitage Hotel as it is clearly the nicest hotel in Aoraki Village. Alas, we are poor backpackers (hint – please help by clicking our links to help support our future travels), so we stayed in the YHA Mount Cook.

We’ve driven to Mount Cook twice now in the last few years and we would recommend booking your hotel/hostel way in advance (especially in summer) as there is limited accommodation in the village. We prefer a bit of privacy so we managed to secure one of the few private rooms in the YHA Mount Cook this as we booked months in advance. The staff here are wonderful and the views are epic from their small outdoor garden, don’t forget to look up towards the night skies as well – the YHA is at the very edge of the village and light pollution is minimal.

Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | YHA Mount Cook
YHA Mount Cook

As we mentioned before, you’ll need to book your accommodation months in advance during peak season. If you do miss out, check lodgings in nearby Tekapo (1 hour 15 minute drive away) or Twizel (50 minutes away).

Here are some recommended places to stay in Mount Cook:

BUDGET – YHA Aoraki Mt Cook 
Highly rated alpine lodge with private rooms/dorms, large shared kitchen and picnic area.

BUDGET – Glentanner Park Centre
Holiday park and activity centre set on the shores of Lake Pukaki with panoramic views of Mount Cook. Accommodation options range from self-contained cabins to dormitory rooms, plus powered sites for campervans.

BUDGET – MID RANGE – Mt Cook Lodge and Motel
A range of accommodation including motel rooms, lodge rooms and shared rooms with onsite bar and restaurant.

MID RANGE – Aoraki Court Aoraki
Modern units featuring great views of mountains with kitchenette and patio. 

LUXURY – The Hermitage Hotel
Hotel featuring a range of on-site dining and bars and rooms /suites all offering mountain views.

Camping in Mount Cook

If you have a campervan or want to pitch a tent then there is a campsite called then White Horse Hill Campground with really stunning views! The site has 60 non-powered sites for tents and campervans and is first-come first-serve (the site does not take reservations). Facilities include toilets, a large public shelter with tables, sinks, and counters where food can be prepared and stoves can be used. There is a fee of $13 per adult person per night to camp here (children aged 17 and under are $6.50 per night, and under 5’s are free).

Glentanner Park Centre also offer 60 spacious powered sites starting from $25 per night (children are $12.50) with full use of the holiday park facilities including kitchen, TV room, showers, laundry and BBQ area.

Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | White Horse Hill Campground
White Horse Hill Campground
Things to do in Mount Cook, New Zealand blog post | travel guide | White Horse Hill Campground
White Horse Hill Campground

Hopefully you can see why we love Mount Cook and Aoraki Village so much – this will definitely be top of the list for a return visit next time we return to New Zealand’s sublime south island. And if we missed anything, please let us know what else we can do on our next adventure here.


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Words and photography by Neil Hassall and Caroline Keyzor.

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2 Comments

  • Reply
    Olly
    February 17, 2020 at 1:19 am

    You captured some really great shots here! I’m heading to Mt Cook next week and I will definitely be checking out Blue Lakes and the Hooker Valley Track. Cheers for this info and safe travels.

    • Reply
      CK Travels
      February 19, 2020 at 9:35 pm

      Thanks, Mount Cook is one of our favourite spots in New Zealand – have a great trip!

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