Top 5 Mount Cook Full-Day Tours: Which One Is for You?
Thinking about a trip to New Zealand? Well, seeing Mount Cook is like, absolutely high up there on many folks’ lists! And, you know, with those snow-capped peaks and the super clear blue lakes, it’s not hard to, I think, get why. Picking the best tour for a full day can be tricky, more or less, with quite a bit available. That’s why, really, I wanted to, you know, share with you these top picks, like your own, that is to say, curated guide, making planning a visit, obviously, a lot less stressful! Each one has some unique views and adventures, too it’s almost, I want to really help make it much easier to figure out what is absolutely the right one, more or less, for you and yours, by giving some insights and recs. Start planning for what’s ahead!
1. The Classic Mount Cook Explorer Tour
Okay, first off, there’s this one they call the “Classic Mount Cook Explorer Tour.” It is that thing most folks picture that, like your best mate, suggests first when he’s daydreaming. This option tends to be very ideal for first-timers and for those who want just that experience everyone else seems to have. It’s a comfortable way, sort of, to get up close to the stunning sights. Expect, too it’s almost, guided drives past Lake Pukaki, known for having the most unreal blue waters, a bit surreal. So, for those who prefer less hiking, a lot of times, the bus does stops at scenic overlooks, making it much easier to soak in those fantastic panoramas without having to put on those hiking boots.
And as well as this, there’s almost always the option to, like your Aunt Karen always wanted to, check out the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre at Mount Cook Village. That tells the stories, so, of his hikes and other tales around those areas and mountain history that just are pretty compelling. The highlight for many is often, clearly, that stop at the Hooker Valley Track carpark, which can, I guess, give those who like that, a, a bit, of an option to walk just part of the Hooker Valley Track that features crossing over swing bridges. It might be the best way to experience an Aoraki must see!
Don’t neglect, though, to make sure you, similar to you packing enough snacks, pack your camera. With stunning shots all round! Hooker Valley provides such wonderful views.
2. Mount Cook Helicopter and Glacier Hike
Want to ramp up the excitement? Like, your favourite action movie? Look at booking a tour that brings together a helicopter ride plus a glacier hike. If you want something slightly thrilling this is your option. I remember seeing Mount Cook, so, up from the sky in that whirlybird and the scale, it often can hit people, just is just mind-blowing! The scenic views really were outstanding and hard to believe and after landing up somewhere above the Tasman Glacier that is to say on a bit of an isolated and almost other-worldly zone, where everyone geared up with crampons for a walk upon, more or less, blue ice.
Make sure, just a little, that it will involve, maybe, being moderately fit because those, so, guides made walking on the ice, pretty, quite fun, anyway it’s a workout. Listening for facts on all of this glacial stuff going on and learning more about crevasses definitely made me have a greater degree of awareness when thinking about the forces involving this kind of natural scene all, seemingly, happening down below. A tour that combines a ride and a hike is the perfect selection if you want more out there adventure! You know what? Consider crampons to, in some respects, take on the frozen giants, and think, maybe, about snapping some amazing photos. What could be much more stunning? Book early!
3. Mount Cook Scenic Flight and Tasman Valley Walk
Alright then, next one. Thinking about seeing, just, so much and doing something not intense? Very often, tour companies present scenic plane trips around Mount Cook, then going and traipsing along around down by Tasman Valley below; like your friend always would say a pretty decent match-up activity pairing there. Taking these flights means seeing the Southern Alps just spread right beneath like, that carpet with everything stretching almost endlessly everywhere!
From the skies everyone usually is offered photo possibilities from upon high over and inside toward hidden places only viewable up that way like those blue glacial ponds and those peaks soaring high! Grounding there along, yet, flat parts within the Tasman Valley involves walks alongside glacier lakes plus experiencing views around at tall Mount Cook looking ahead beyond its moraine boundaries there outside too and near! That combo serves really, as really good equilibrium that mixes easy to, more or less, fairly exerting activity with landscapes existing all close close everywhere for views almost just up any random place all up around.Breathtaking scenery truly is the draw.
4. Mount Cook Stargazing Experience
When night comes, and stuff like that? Mount Cook gets something extra! As I was saying, seeing stars! This makes those skies so remarkably without lights meaning seeing heavens after dark just shines, really well, everywhere that much extra awesome especially that’s not seen, maybe, often. Tours for stars sometimes involve things such seeing by professional telescopes or local peoples giving explanation upon stars or planets. These explanations there from guides adds deeper levels of comprehension upon cosmic items everywhere round outside over here! I usually tell that stargazing trips give different feel; such beauty combined into serenity as shown just overhead. Plus it feels good being far aside faraway faraway stuff which I’d claim just something worthwhile right?Look up.
Because, the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is just at this level. This, too it’s almost, may be the best thing you can, sort of, check out during clear evenings!
5. Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo Day Tour
You wanna sort of mix two wonders down where Kiwi’s dwell into your day long outings away? A bit similar how you might plan the weekend or plan several errands to do while coming back around so then what does your tour have too in a day with Mount Cook matched just rightly combined together along by visiting down beside gorgeous Lake Tekapo so brightly right right around too? Almost everyone admires so so dearly its amazing azure or teal waters so clearly.Lake Tekapo and this trip, like yours is very worthwhile!
At here at this stop beside it often everyone there likes to walk to the small famous iconic stone church. It feels good there also checking down deep into those lakes seeing its blues shine. I can advise these guided trip for anyone who want those day with amazing places without needing to do crazy much hard hiking.
All in all, arranging any holiday needs choosing and trying get all best for all interests.
* Classic trip : Excellent, really, introductory, comfortable look at landscape!
* Those taking planes/ice walking, good if you are so wanting extra strong memories involving doing actions upon above!