The Guide To Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

We recently visited the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park for a couple days during the summer months and it was a highlight of our New Zealand trip. Glaciers, mountains, blue lakes, and tons of hiking trails is what you can expect to find here.

Where Is It?

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is located in the Caterbury region on the South Island of New Zealand.

Distance from Queenstown: 3.5 hours

Distance from Christchurch: 4.5 hours

What To Do There?

You could spend quite a bit of time in this region if you are not looking to move too much as there is so much to do in the area. As we had a limited time here we only did some day hikes, but below you will find a wide range of activities that can be done in the park area!

1. Day Hikes

Theres SO many day hikes that can be done in the area that if you only have a few days here, you may be wondering which ones are worth the effort? We did two during our stay here, the Hooker Valley Track and the Sealy Tarns Track.

Hooker Valley Track

This hike is a favourite amongst all levels of experience, age, fitness, etc as the views are incredible and the hike is rated as an easy trail. We actually ran this as a workout and we are not trail runners (and I hate running on hills), which should tell you the elevation isnt too bad. You will come across rivers, mountain views, boardwalks, swing bridges, and end your journey at the Hooker Lake.

Distance: 10km (out and back), 124m elevation

Time: 1-3 hours

Sealy Tarns Track

At 5kms this may sound like an easy morning stroll, but at 2,200 steps it could not be further from that! This was a great workout as I kid you not the entire duration of the hike is a stairway. Whilst easy to follow and boasting some next-level views (including the tarn reflections at the viewpoint), this is no easy feat but definitely a worthwhile hike.

Distance: 5km (out and back), 600m elevation

Estimated Time: 3-4 hours

2. Overnight Hikes / Multiday Hikes

Alongside the famous Mueller Hut route, there are multiple routes that can lead to huts and be done as overnight hikes. I would suggest booking your hut as far in advance as possible as huts in these locations tend to book up quickly – especially the Mueller Hut!

3. Mountaineering

With all the high peaks around this is a great place for the experienced climbers to reach the summits.

4. Skiing and Ski Touring

If you have the experience necessary, you can take some guided tours down Glaciers or travel via helicopter to hit the slopes.

5. Helicopter Tours

There are a bunch of tours in the area that offer to opportunity to take a helicopter through the mountain ranges and touch down in the snow if you have the budget for it!

6. Stargazing

In the Aoraki/Mount Cook area there is an international dark sky reserve limiting the light pollution at night, which means with a little luck and clear skies, you could see some amazing views of the stars. There are some tours in the area that can take you to the best stargazing spots but (like most activities in New Zealand) this is a weather dependant activity.

7. Grab Some Food With Exceptional Views

There are a bunch of restaurants in the Mount Cook Village that have views over the mountain ranges whilst you grab a bite to eat. Or even opt for the homemade camping meals and admire the views from the comfort of your own tent!

8. Make A Roadtrip Out Of It!

Its likely you are already visiting Mount Cook on your south island road trip, and you may already have the bucketlist locations super close by on your list. Right outside the park there is Lake Pukaki (40 minutes), the town of Twizel (45 minutes), and Lake Tekapo (1 hr 10 minutes) that are great stops to make in / out of the park.

How To Get There?

I would definitely recommend having your own vehicle to get in and out of the park. We drove a campervan to get here and its such a stunning drive with the bright blue water and mountains in the distance!

However if youre not a fan of driving there seems to be some tour options from the most popular areas on the South Island (christchurch and queenstown) that offer day trips to the area with some potential short hiking opportunities.

Where To Stay?

There are a few options around the area of where to stay in proximity to the mountains.

1. Whitehorse Hill Campsite

We stayed at the Whitehorse Hill campsite and loved it. Whilst it is a touristy area and a large campsite, after the busy hours of day hiking are done with you barely notice you are sharing a campsite with all the other people.

They have non-powered sites that can accomodate vehicles, campervans, caravans, tents of most sizes.

The best part of this campsite is definitely how close you are to the action – you are really nestled in the base of the mountains and are so close to some of the best and most popular hikes.

This campsite is a DOC campsite, and you can reserve the campsite here

2. Stay in a Hut

New Zealand huts are very popular and we can see why – you get to stay in some of the most beautiful locations overnight and experience the sunrise and sunsets in the mountains. This park has a ton of huts to stay in overnight if you are willing to hike in and out of the locations, including the famous Mueller Hut.

3. Stay in a hotel right next to the park

Right beside the action is the Mount Cook village which is a great place to stay if youre looking for some extra comfort! There are a selection of hotels in the area that are close to a bunch of hiking trails – you can hike from the village itself if you are willing to add on a few extra kilometres.

4. Stay in a town close to the park

There are a few places right outside of the park that you could stay at if you find yourself looking to stay just outside of the area. There are some high end locations near Lake Pukaki (about 40 minutes from the mountains you will pass this automatically on your drive in to the park – another must see!), and some really cute options in the town of Twizel (about 45 minutes from the park). We actually stopped in Twizel after our hikes for a bite to eat (who doesnt crave a big meal after hiking over 2,000 stairs?) and thought it was the cutest town! The town square has a bunch of cute restaurants, ice cream shops, and boutiques to make for a quick and fun stop on your way into or out of the park.

What To Know?

• If you are looking to book a hut in the park (especially the Mueller Hut), book in advance. This area is very popular.
• Parking: For the Sealy Tarns / Mueller Hut / Hooker Valley track, there is parking areas right beside the White Horse Hill campsite that you can park at whilst you hike.
• Link: Find all the hikes, huts, and information on the DOC website for Aoraki/Mount Cook National park here