What to do and see in Mt. Cook Village, South Island: The Best Free Things to do

September 10, 2021 Major Galusha

Discover the best top things to do in Mt. Cook Village, New Zealand including Aoraki/Mt. Cook, Mueller Hut Route, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park Visitor Centre, Red Tarns Track, Governors Bush Walk.
Restaurants in Mt. Cook Village

1. Aoraki/Mt. Cook

Mt. Cook Road, Mt. Cook Village, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu) New Zealand +64 3-435 1186 http://www.doc.govt.nz
Excellent
86%
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5.0 based on 532 reviews

Aoraki/Mt. Cook

Reviewed By BradJill - Hong Kong, China

Mount Cook also referred locally by its Maori name of Aoraki is the highest mountain in New Zealand and the darling of the Southern Alps range on South Island. It dominates the peaks of the Mount Cook National Park and can be viewed well from both sides of the mountain range. We recently spent some time around Mount Cook National Park enjoying views of Aoraki from numerous hiking areas and trails. Most enjoyable was probably at Lake Hooker, a beautiful reflection lake made up of melt water from Hooker Glacier located a short distance from the Mount Cook Village. A similar impressive view of Mount Cook can be found at Lake Matheson, another famous reflection lake near the Fox Glacier Village on the west side of the range. There is a very good Visitor Centre in the Mount Cook Village with quality displays and historic accounts of mountaineering and general exploration of Mount Cook and fellow peaks in the area. You can also learn quite a bit about hiking and other activities related to visits to Mount Cook on the DOC National Park website. This is well worth spending some time researching before making trips to the area.

2. Mueller Hut Route

Terrace Road Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, Mt. Cook Village, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu) New Zealand +64 3-435 1186 [email protected] http://www.doc.govt.nz/link/7d8f8b98f8a9468ebf9b871859ce8828.aspx
Excellent
89%
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5.0 based on 56 reviews

Mueller Hut Route

Always check the website for changes that might affect your trip. See website for the price of accommodation on this track.

Reviewed By Roadtrip_Fan_UK - Hong Kong, China

It's the scenery that will keep everyone going. The ascent is super steep but the views are truly breathtaking. I continued on to Mount Ollivier and got rewarded with a 360° panorama that was well worth the extra effort.

3. Aoraki Mount Cook National Park Visitor Centre

1 Larch Grove, Mt. Cook Village, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu) 7999 New Zealand +64 3-435 1186 [email protected] https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/canterbury/places/aoraki-mount-cook-national-park/aoraki-mount-cook-national-park-visitor-centre/
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4.5 based on 684 reviews

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park Visitor Centre

4. Red Tarns Track

Mt. Cook Village, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu) New Zealand +64 3-435 1186 [email protected] http://www.doc.govt.nz/link/f107483dc2b246bb8355ec7726357798.aspx
Excellent
55%
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4.5 based on 44 reviews

Red Tarns Track

Always check the website for changes that might affect your trip.

Reviewed By joee957 - Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

I worked in Mt Cook National Park for 4 months and there are lots of hiking trails but this is one which many people including myself did once a week to keep fit. The track starts in the National Park village taking a bridge over a river and then is non stop stairs to the top passing bushes and trees and then rocky terrain as you get close to the top. It takes around 20-30minutes. On a clear day it’s perfect for sunrise and sunset with a clear view of Mt Cook along with other mountains in the southern alps like Mt Sefton and Mt Wakefield. If you’re up for a further challenge when you’re at the red tarns, you can see a big rock a couple of hundred feet above you and you can follow the small stream and bushes up to it which will give you an even better view. After work I would sometimes go to the big rock and watch sunset.

5. Governors Bush Walk

Bowen Drive, Mt. Cook Village, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu) New Zealand +64 3-435 1186 [email protected] http://www.doc.govt.nz/link/f107483dc2b246bb8355ec7726357798.aspx
Excellent
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Good
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Satisfactory
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4.0 based on 65 reviews

Governors Bush Walk

Always check the website for changes that might affect your trip.

Reviewed By tematabay

The walk is quite easy for anyone. A bit of uphill at the start. Sound of the river and birds was awesome. Particularly like that the bush was very different from our North Island experience. We went in snowy winter, but the track was mostly free of snow due to the bush cover.

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