NZ Hiking Guide: Explore Mount Cook’s 3 Best Trails in One Comprehensive Article

🔴 Preface
🌟 If a friend asked me to recommend a place in New Zealand’s South Island, I would definitely choose Mount Cook in the South Island of New Zealand.
🌟 Not only is Mount Cook the highest peak in New Zealand, but the area around Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, which is centered on Mount Cook, also combines glaciers, ice lakes, snow-capped mountains, and a series of unique scenic features of the Southern Alps.

🌟 Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is 4 hours from Christchurch, 3 hours from Queenstown, and 1 hour from Lake Tekapo, passing by the pure blue Lake Pukaki.
🌟 Currently, there are three very popular hiking trails in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. These include the Tasman Glacier Trail, which takes 20 minutes to see the lake and glacier; the Hooker Valley Track, which takes 3 hours round trip to reach the ice lake at the foot of Mount Cook; and the Muller Hut Route, which takes 7 hours round trip and allows you to stay overnight in a red house on the mountain top with the glacier as company.

🌟 I have hiked these three trails in three different seasons, and this article will serve as a compilation and summary. I hope it can be helpful, and your likes and follows are my motivation to keep writing.

🟢 Hiking Guide for Three Trails in Aoraki/Mount Cook (from easiest to hardest)
➡️ Tasman Glacier Trail
🧗‍♀️ Highlights: Short route, ice lake, ice walls in the lake, suitable for all ages
🧗‍♀️ Route: Navigate to the Tasman Glacier car park, follow the sign “Tasman River,” turn right at the first intersection, then turn right again at the second intersection, and go down to Tasman Lake, where the glacier is.

I wrote a separate article about the specific route before.
🧗‍♀️ Tips: It takes 40 minutes round trip, if you’re short on time or don’t have much hiking experience, this route is very worthwhile.

➡️ Hooker Valley Track
🏔️ Highlights: Ice lake, panoramic view of Mount Cook, snow-capped mountains, low difficulty, suitable for all ages
🏔️ Route: Navigate to the Hooker Valley Track car park, the starting point is consistent; the 10 km round trip passes through 3 suspension bridges to reach Hooker Lake at the foot of Mount Cook.

If time is limited, you can turn back after the first suspension bridge.
🏔️ Tips: Remember to bring water and food for the 3-hour round trip. The trail is not difficult, but if there is rain or snow, it may be hard to see Mount Cook.

➡️ Muller Hut Route
🗻 Highlights: View from the mountain top, overnight stay on the mountain, snow-capped mountains, glaciers, Milky Way
🗻 Route: Navigate to White Horse Hill Campground, then climb up to the small red wooden house on the mountain top🏠. Bunks in the hut can be reserved on the DOC website.

It takes 7-8 hours round trip, and there are toilets.
🗻 Tips: This is a high-difficulty trail, not suitable for beginners, with a significant elevation gain. There may be snow on the summit, so bring a sleeping bag and stay warm if you plan to spend the night.

🟠 Postscript
🌟 Crafting this piece has been quite the journey, and I think it’s time to wrap things up. A huge thank you to @Max for the incredible support with transportation and all the valuable insights on camping and hiking. Your help was invaluable!
🌟 As you venture out, remember to prioritize safety and keep warm. Wishing you all the best in your adventures.
@Outdoor Potato @Tourism New Zealand @Xiaohongshu Growth Notes