Explore New Zealand’s South Island: Ultimate Hiking Guide to Mount Cook Trails 🏔️

Mount Cook, at an elevation of 3764 meters, is the highest peak in New Zealand and is known as the “Alps of the Southern Hemisphere.”

Mount Cook has three main trails:
1️⃣ Hooker Valley Track: This is the most famous hiking route in Mount Cook, crossing three suspension bridges and winding along a wooden walkway through the Hooker Valley towards the snow-capped peaks of Mount Cook.

2️⃣ Kea Valley Track, which takes only 2 hours round trip. We haven’t walked it, but we’ve heard the scenery is just average.

3️⃣ Sealy Tarns Track, which takes 4 hours round trip, with a significant elevation gain. Those with limited time or poor physical condition should choose carefully.

⛰️ The Hooker Valley Track is 10km long and takes about 3 hours round trip. The hike can be divided into four sections:

✅ First section: Start – Suspension Bridge 1
From the start to the first suspension bridge, the path is very gentle, mostly on a dirt road. Glacier meltwater flows from Mueller Lake through the Hooker River and eventually into Lake Pukaki.

✅ Second section: Suspension Bridge 1 – Suspension Bridge 2
This section follows the Hooker River, where you can see the glacial meltwater mixed with gray minerals. At the second suspension bridge, you can see Mueller Lake, marking the official entry into the Hooker Valley.

✅ Third section: Suspension Bridge 2 – Suspension Bridge 3
The distance between the second and third bridges is the longest, and I think it’s the most beautiful part. The wooden walkway leads straight into the heart of the snowy mountains, placing you in a secluded valley. The snow-capped mountains are within reach, and the sound of the glacial streams is soothing. As you head towards the mountains, the experience is truly awe-inspiring! Mount Cook seems almost within reach.

✅ Fourth section: Suspension Bridge 3 – End (Hooker Lake):
After crossing the third bridge, the end is not far away. You can take a downhill path to reach the lakeshore. The endpoint, Hooker Lake, is also called Terminal Lake. Here, you can see floating ice on the blue glacial lake.

🏠 Accommodation (Figures 9, 10)
I recommend staying in the Cook Village, as it is close to the starting point of the Mount Cook hikes. We stayed at the famous Hermitage, with a view of the snowy mountains right outside our window, and Mount Cook was within reach! If you don’t book early, keep checking frequently in the weeks leading up to your trip, as there may be last-minute cancellations. I managed to find an available room this way.

🍽️ Dining
We chose to have a buffet dinner at the Hermitage on New Year’s Eve, with floor-to-ceiling windows that made it feel like dining in a painting.

🚗 How to get there (Figures 11, 12)
State Highway 80 is spectacular! Driving from Pukaki all the way to Mount Cook, the road is flanked by rolling mountains, leading to the majestic and towering Mount Cook.

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