Christchurch Attractions
View of Mt Cook across Lake Pukaki
Mt Cook National Park
Mt Cook National Park is known for its exquisite alpine beauty
and is home to the highest mountain in New Zealand, Mt Cook. Its
Maori name, 'Aoraki' means 'cloud piercer' and at 12,016ft (3,755m)
it towers above the surrounding snow-covered peaks in the park. A
third of the park is covered in permanent ice and snow and the
mighty Tasman Glacier is the longest glacier outside of the polar
regions. Glacial melt gives the lakes their beautiful milky,
turquoise colour and there are many walks in the area to take in
the dramatic beauty. Mt Cook has always been the focus of climbing
and mountaineering, most notably the expeditions of Sir Edmund
Hillary, who went on to be the first man to reach the summit of the
world's highest mountain, Mt Everest.
E-mail: mtcookvc@doc.govt.nz;
Website: www.mtcook.org.nz;
Telephone: Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park Visitor Centre: (0)3 435 1186;
Transport: The Cook Connection offers daily return options to Mt Cook from a variety of different locations. There are other tour operators working within the park and its surrounds
