Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is one of the most well-known in New Zealand, home to the iconic view of the glacier-covered Mount Cook rising high in the backdrop. Full of hiking trails, this national park is popular with outdoor enthusiasts and for good reason - it's one of the prettiest places I've visited in New Zealand!
There are two main roads in Mount Cook National Park that lead to the various hikes; the Hooker Valley Road and the Tasman Valley Road. At the end of the Tasman Valley Road lies a car park that leads to the trailhead for the Tasman Glacier Viewpoint. The hike itself is a brief climb up wooden steps to the most incredible viewpoint of the Haupapa/Tasman Glacier - New Zealand's longest - feeding into the lake below!
TASMAN GLACIER VIEW HIKE DETAILS
When: year-round and be prepared for changing weather conditions
Where: hike starts at the Tasman Valley car park, 8km from Mount Cook Village; you can walk, bike, drive or hitch-hike here
Difficulty: easy track with steps steadily climbing up
Length: 30 minutes for 2.6km return trip
Directions: from the Tasman Valley car park, follow the signs for Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier View up the wooden steps to the rocky viewpoint
Bathrooms: yes, at the carpark
Public Transit: no; you can either walk, bike or drive to the car park from Mount Cook Village
