The Budget & Backpacking Guide to Mt Cook

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About Aoraki Mt Cook

The Aoraki Mt Cook National Park is named after the highest mountain, which is recorded at 3,724 m (12,218 ft) tall.

The European name, Mt Cook, was given to honour Captain James Cook, who first surveyed New Zealand, despite Captain Cook never seeing the mountain. In 1998, the mountain was officially named Aoraki Mt Cook to incorporate the historic Māori name for the mountain.

The Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre

Since then, the mountain is famous for being generally large and is one of the mountains where Sir Edmund Hillary perfected his mountaineering skills to be the first to climb to the summit of Mt Everest, the highest mountain in the world.

There is a museum to commemorate his achievements in the national park, The Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, which has a small admission fee but is well worth visiting on a rainy day (along with the 5 Things to Do in Mt Cook on a Rainy Day).

You can also see the mountaineer’s face on the NZ$5 note.

© Unsplash

Short Walking Tracks in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park

Want a quick stroll from Aoraki Mt Cook village? These walks range from 10 minutes to 1 hour.

Bowen Bush Walk (10-Minute Loop)

The Bowen Bush Walk is situated near the self-service petrol station.

This is a loop walk through the forest to the sound of birds (admittedly, some sounds are artificial) and can be joined with the Governors Bush Walk.

Glencoe Walk (30 Minutes Return)

This 30-minute return walk takes you through forest and up to a lookout.

Get an amazing view at sunrise and sunset of the Hooker Glacier and Aoraki Mt Cook.

Start behind the Hermitage Hotel.

Governors Bush Walk (1-Hour Loop)

The highlight of this one-hour return walk is the stunning lookout point of Wakefield Ridge and Aoraki Mt Cook, making this a popular walk.

It is a sheltered forest walk, so it can be done in drizzly weather.

Check out updates on these walks on the Department of Conservation (DOC) website.

© Fraser Gunn - Tourism New Zealand

Day Walks in Aoraki Mt Cook

Although the above walks are good, you’ll get a better backpacking experience in Mt Cook if you make a day of it. Again, you can access these from the Aoraki Mt Cook village. For more awesome walks, be sure to check out the 10 Must-Do Hikes Around Mt Cook.

Kea Point Track (2 Hours from the Village; 1 Hour from the Campground)

Go to the Department of Conservation (DoC) Visitor Centre then start the 2-hour walk across the road towards the Hooker Valley.

The walk goes through grasslands to the Mueller Glacier moraine wall, a wall deposited by the glacier. You then take a walk through land formed by a river only in 1913. The grand finale is a wide view encompassing Mt Sefton, The Footstool, Hooker Valley, Mueller Glacier lake and Aoraki Mt Cook!

Find out more on the DOC website.

Sealy Tarns Track (3-4 Hours Return)

An alternative and challenging track, Sealy Tarns Track branches off the Kea Point Track. Just follow the signs.

It is best to do this 3-4 hour return tramp in the summer to see alpine flowers in bloom.

The view will also give you a different perspective of the Hooker Valley.

Hooker Valley Track (3-4 Hours Return)

Starting from the same point as the Kea Point Track, this is an extremely popular walk in the national park. As the name suggests, you walk up the Hooker Valley towards Aoraki Mt Cook.

Keep hiking to multiple swingbridges and viewpoints. The vegetation changes throughout the walk until you are faced with Hooker Glacier, glacier lake and Aoraki Mt Cook.

The Hooker Valley Track is a 4-hour return if starting from the village.

Red Tarns Track (2 Hours Return)

Start from the public shelter and walk across the bridge to the Black Birch Stream. Prepare yourself for the steep climb ahead.

Like any steep climb in New Zealand, the Red Tarns Track rewards you with captivating views.

First, you’ll see the red pondweed, which gives the name Red Tarns. Then take in the views of Aoraki Mt Cook and the village below.

This walk is a 2-hour return.

© Miles Holden - Tourism New Zealand

Tasman Valley Walking Tracks

Now you need to drive to a new area in the national park, Tasman Valley. As you can imagine, the drive is splendidly scenic. Start these walks from the Blue Lake car park.

Ball Hut Route (3-4 Hours One Way)

Get awesome views of the Tasman Glacier by taking the 3-4 hour one-way hike to Ball Hut. Follow the Ball Hut Road along the Tasman Glacier.

You can stay in the hut overnight for a small fee. Be sure to pay at the visitor centre before you take the track.

[Update: Due to accessibility issues on the track, this track is only recommended to hikers who have a high level of tramping skills.]

Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier View (40 Minutes Return)

Just a 40-minute return, the Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier View Tracks take you to the top of a moraine wall.

Not only do you get views of glaciers, but you can take a dip in the Blue Lakes by taking a detour off the main track towards them.

Of course, it’s best to swim in the lakes in the height of summer.

Tasman Glacier Lake (1-Hour Return)

It takes 30 minutes to reach the lake. Branch off the Tasman Glacier View Track just after the Blue Lake Shelter.

You’ll reach the lookout over the glacier lake, which is the source of the Tasman River.

The lake changes over seasons, being dotted with icebergs in summer and completely frozen in winter.

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Flights Around Aoraki Mt Cook National Park

While on a backpacking trip to Mt Cook, get a mind-blowing perspective of Aoraki Mt Cook National Park from the skies. There are plenty of providers offering trips over the Southern Alps via helicopter and even via skiplane.

The Cheapest Scenic Flight in Mt Cook

None come at a more competitive price than the Aerial Explorer by INFLITE Experiences.

Take to the skies for 30 minutes and soak up the views of New Zealand’s highest mountains, longest glacier, the glacial lakes and every alpine valley in between.

If you missed seeing the famous Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers on the West Coast, then don’t worry, because once you cross the mountains known as “The Divide”, you will see where these glaciers actually start!

Skydiving in Mt Cook

Another way to hit the skies over the scenery of Aoraki Mt Cook is from the shores of Lake Pukaki. Combine stunning landscapes and adrenaline on a thrilling freefall with Skydive Mt. Cook!

Jump from either 10,000, 13,000 or 16,500 ft with your expert tandem master.

Experience incredible speeds during a 30-45-second freefall, then soak up the views as you head back down to earth under the parachute.

Book your experience with Skydive Mt. Cook!

© Unsplash

Glacier Kayaking and Boating

Dodge icebergs like a boss in the Aoraki Mt Cook kayaking and boating trips.

Kayaking on a Glacier Lake

The kayaking season in the national park is between early October and late April. You have the option to kayak in the impressive Tasman Glacier Lake, where you are more likely to see icebergs.

Start your kayaking adventure with Southern Alps Guiding, located at the Old Mountaineers Cafe Bar in Mt Cook Village.

Glacier Lake Boat Tours

Get up-close to these ice giants on a boating tour on the lake! Tours with Glacier Explorers involve a drive and short walk to the lake, where you’ll then board a small boat for a trip on the vibrant turquoise glacial lake that is ever-changing. In fact, the lake only formed in 1989 and has been expanding ever since.

Be aware that this activity is also seasonal, available between early September and late May.

© Pexels

Ski Down the Tasman Glacier

Yes, you can ski down New Zealand’s longest glacier, the Tasman Glacier! There are several heli-skiing sites in the Aoraki Mt Cook National Park, including New Zealand’s first heli-skiing site, Ben Ohau.

Unlike the skiing experience you get in the ski fields of New Zealand, heli-skiing allows you to do super long vertical skiing and snowboarding in untouched snow! Heli-skiing tends to be beyond the budget of backpackers, but dedicated snow sports enthusiasts have to try this at some point in their lives!

There are activity providers for heli-skiing in Queenstown, Wanaka and Mt Cook Village. That latter is available with Alpine Guides, along with INFLITE Experiences‘ ski plane or The Helicopter Line‘s helicopter.

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Heli-Hike Inside the Tasman Glacier

See what it’s like to walk in a world of ice. Mt Cook Glacier Guides and The Helicopter Line take you to the Tasman Glacier so you can walk on and inside the glacier!

This is much like the activities found in the renowned Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. You’ll be getting the experience of exploring the longest glacier in New Zealand, which is far less crowded and has better weather days (so less likely to be cancelled).

However, it is more expensive than what is found in the Glacier Country on the West Coast.

Learn more about New Zealand’s glacier activities in the 10 Ways to Take on New Zealand’s Glaciers.

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Stargazing in Mt Cook

As Aoraki Mt Cook National Park is part of the largest International Dark Sky Reserve, there is no better place to see the night sky with clarity. Out here in the mountainous wilderness, it is almost completely free of light pollution.

Free Stargazing

Stargazing can be enjoyed on a backpacker budget by simply driving or walking out of town, away from any light pollution, and looking up at the stars.

See what to look for using our guide, What to Look for When Watching the Stars in New Zealand.

Plus, get stargazing tips from The Best Time to See the Milky Way in New Zealand.

Stargazing Tours

For those who want to learn more about what they can see in the sky at night, astronomy guides can put the stars of the southern sky in perspective for you using telescopes and astronomy binoculars.

Join a stargazing tour from the Hermitage Hotel/Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, starting with an orientation in the dome planetarium. You’ll then be taken to a stargazing facility away from the artificial lights of the village where you’ll get the chance to look at the night sky through powerful telescopes.

If You Have More Time in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park…

• If you cannot be bothered walking or don’t have fully functional legs, you can still see the serene national park from different viewpoints by taking a four-wheel drive (4WD) tour.
• Start the Alps 2 Ocean cycle trail starting beneath the peaks of Mt Sealy and Aoraki Mt Cook.

All of these experiences and more are outlined in the 20 Best Things to Do in Aoraki Mt Cook.

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Cheap Eats in Mt Cook

As an isolated tourist village, you’ll struggle to find cheap eats in Mt Cook Village. We recommend staying in self-catering accommodation and bringing your own food supplies, as there is no supermarket in the village.

Nevertheless, you can try the Tasman Delta Cafe at Glentanner Park on your way to or from Mt Cook, which offers the usual cafe breakfasts and lunches, as well as fish and chips, at a cheaper price than what you’ll find in Mt Cook Village.

For more advice on budgeting for food, see the 10 Tips to Save Money on Food in New Zealand.