Hiking in Aoraki / Mt. Cook National Park
Di marvels at the view from the Tasman Glacier View Track in Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park on the South Island of New Zealand
A Day of Hiking at Aoraki / Mt. Cook
The alarm went off at 7 am at Ruataniwha Holiday Park near Twizel. We slept okay in our cube, and breakfast was prepared in the campground kitchen.
We caught up on travel planning and booked a hotel for the next leg of our tour of the South Island, which would take us to Fox Glacier on the West Coast.
The pleasant drive from Twizel to Mt. Cook takes about 45 minutes, 65 kilometers, 40 miles, and much of it is on the westside shores of Lake Pukaki.
The Mueller Glacier at Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park viewed from Hwy 80.
The scenery is amazing, and at the same time, anticipation builds as your views get better and better the closer you get to Aoraki / Mt. Cook National Park.
We had expected Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park to have a similar feel to Banff in Alberta, Canada, but the area is more remote and less commercial. We even missed the cut-off to the visitor center, where we parked to gather information.
As you arrive at Aoraki / Mt. Cook, you are surrounded by glaciers, mountains, and beautiful scenery as far as the eye can see. It feels peaceful, serene, and unspoiled.
Tasman Lake by the Tasman Glacier in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
Tasman Glacier View Track
The Tasman Glacier is the longest in New Zealand at 29 kilometers, 18 miles, and the Tasman Glacier View Track is a 2.6K, 1.6 miles, trail located a short 10-minute drive from the visitor center. It is a one-hour return hike, rated easy, and we figured it would be a good way to warm up our legs.
The stairs, cut into the hillside, take you to an amazing viewpoint. We were more in awe of the view looking south into the valley than of the view towards the glacier.
On this February day, there was a haze in the morning air. Looking in the sun's direction towards the Tasman Glacier, you could see it in the distance, covered in rock and sediment, but it was hard to fully define it.
Distances are deceptive in the mountains, and it is hard to believe the glacier is that long.
Di takes in the view to the south from the Tasman Glacier View Track at Aoraki / Mt. Cook National Park on the South Island of New Zealand
Hooker Valley Track
We returned to the visitor center and had lunch and a nap outside in the sun. We appreciated the information at the Department of Conservation, Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park Visitor Centre.
After a coffee break, we drove to the trailhead for the Hooker Valley Track, a short 5-minute drive away.
Our late afternoon departure for this trek was deliberate, as we were in pursuit of golden hour photos. We set out with two small backpacks containing snacks and water, and I carried all four lenses in anticipation of a landscape photography treat.
Di is getting close to Hooker Lake, the turnaround point for the Hooker Valley Track at Aoraki / Mt. Cook National Park
The Hooker Valley Track is a 10-kilometer, 6.2 miles, return hike, mostly flat, crossing swingbridges, and the reward at the turnaround point is Hooker Lake, a glacier lake with small icebergs drifting and amazing and spellbinding views toward Aoraki / Mt. Cook.
You walk along the Hooker River and in sections, wooden walkways have been constructed to make the hike more enjoyable.
The hike is rated easy and is estimated to take 3 hours. It took us approximately 4 hours in total, including a break at the top.
Morten posing at the Hooker Valley Track at Aoraki / Mt. Cook National Park
At Hooker Lake, we stopped and enjoyed our snacks and stuck our feet in the ice-cold water.
A few other hikers used the opportunity for a quick swim and posed for photos standing on the small icebergs drifting on the lake. We were not quite as adventurous but enjoyed watching younger spirits at play.
The weather for our mid-February hike at the Hooker Valley Track was sublime, clear skies, windy, but very pleasant. Toward the end of the hike, we dug out our sweaters when the sun dipped down behind the mountains.
Make sure to watch the video/slideshow below from our day in Aoraki / Mt. Cook National Park.
The Hooker Valley Track was one of the most rewarding and memorable hikes during our 5050 travel project. As mentioned above it took us 4 hours and admittedly we were knackered by the time we returned to the car.
We were filled with a sense of accomplishment and could not have wished for a better experience than this.
We did not want the day to end and had lots to talk about during our car ride back to Ruataniwha Holiday Park in Twizel where we had booked another night. Exhausted after an adventurous day sleep came easy.
Read the next post from our South Island road trip to:
Selfie at Hooker Lake at the foot of Aoraki Mount Cook
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The photos in this article are made using a Fujifilm X-Pro2. Lenses: XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 23mm f/1.4 R - XF 35mm f/1.4 R - XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Capture One Express. I have made use of Fujifilm film simulations for some of the photos.
