Aoraki Mt Cook MacKenzie Itinerary

The Mt Cook Mackenzie Region - New Zealand’s Treasure Highland. With incredibly clear starry nights, brilliant sunny days, remarkable turquoise blue lakes, valleys of emerald green, snow-capped mountains and glaciers, not to mention New Zealand’s tallest and most spectacular mountain – Aoraki Mount Cook, as well as wild flowering lupins in summer.

The Journey

Depart Christchurch via Main South Road and State Highway 1. This journey will take 5 hours with minimal stops.

From the city, use the airport as your starting point and drive down Yaldhurst Road to the wine district of West Melton, where you can sample and purchase some of the local product. Carry on across the Canterbury Plains, turning on to Route 72 towards Hororata and Mt Hutt.

On Route 72 you’ll drive through the magnificent Rakaia Gorge, where the sudden change from rural farmland to alpine valley will take your breath away.

The Gorge area is a wonderful location for jet boating, salmon fishing, walking and camping.

On the other side of the gorge, carry along Route 72 towards Mt Hutt, where the best skiing in the Southern Hemisphere is available. Continuing south along Route 72 you will pass some of New Zealand’s best walkways in the Mt Hutt Forest area and also along the Mt Somers Sub Alpine Walkway.

Next on your journey (still heading south along Route 72) you will pass the picturesque town of Geraldine, which acts as the visitor gateway to the Aoraki/Mount Cook Mackenzie region. Here is probably a good time to stop to have something to eat. Details are listed below.

A favourite stop for many travellers is Berry Barn, location of the Berry Barn Bakery, Barker’s Shop (where you can sample some wonderful fruit preserves & juices) and a newly opened boutique cheese factory.

As you travel south from Geraldine through green rolling countryside, you are now on Highway 79.

Wind your way over Mt Michael (with a stop at the top to enjoy the view) and down into the farming town of Fairlie.

Take State Highway 8 and look out for the historic woolshed as you head to Burke’s Pass - named after the first settler to drive a bullock wagon over the pass. Stop at the historic St Patricks Church to see some local artworks.

As you travel through the Pass, be prepared for a change in the weather – usually opening into magnificent sunshine on the road towards Lake Tekapo. In season, the view from the car is framed by striking displays of flowering lupins.

Tekapo is a spectacular lake, surrounded by mountains and always its own very special shade of intense blue. Lake Tekapo is particularly popular for fishing, boating and water skiing, or simply soaking up the sun and wandering through the much photographed Church of Good Shepherd.

Just 40km past Tekapo are the icy green glacial waters of Lake Pukaki and the best lookout to Aoraki/Mount Cook (NZ’s highest mountain). On a clear day you can park off the road and take your first shots of Aoraki/Mount Cook (in Maori, Aoraki means “cloud in the sky"), rising above the other peaks at the far end of Lake Pukaki. Excellent photo opportunity.

Continuing south along State Highway 8, just beyond Pukaki, on the right at the signpost is State Highway 80, which is the road to Mount Cook village. This is where you can explore the Tasman Glacier and the Mount Cook National Park. This road is a “no exit” and is approximately forty minutes one way.

The Activities

• Lake Tekapo has rightfully earned itself a reputation for being a fabulous Star gazing venue. Take a guided tour (weather dependent) to view the Southern Cross and other constellations.
• Air Safaris situated just south of Lake Tekapo Township have scenic flights over 12 major glaciers, including the Main Divide and the Murchison, Tasman, Franz Josef and Fox glaciers. Duration of flight is 50 minutes.
• Enjoy a tour, explaining the aspects of salmon farming and have a go at catching dinner at the High Altitude Salmon Farm at Mount Cook. Located between Tekapo and Mount Cook turnoff, on the hydro canals.
• See the ‘best from above’ at Mount Cook with The Helicopter Line. Experience snow-landing flights and enjoy a bird’s eye view of Mount Cook and the glaciers.
• Glacier Explorers. After a refreshing half hour walk to the terminal of Tasman Glacier, an experienced guide will whisk you away to explore the melting ice face of the Tasman Glacier and icebergs which have carved into the murky waters of the lake.
• Mount Cook Ski Planes were the first aircraft to land on the mighty Tasman Glacier using a retractable ski. The ultimate experience. Alternatively experience the Grand Traverse with Air Safaris from Tekapo to Glentanner viewing all the majestic best of the Southern Alps.
• Enjoy a scenic flight to your heli-hiking site high in the Lieberg Range on the edge of the Mt Cook National Park. A highly experienced guide will then accompany you as you explore the remarkable mountain formations.
• Wilderness Heli-Skiing - Unsurpassed combination of superb skiing, alpine scenery and professional guiding. Ski the Lieburg or Malte Brun Ranges or ski the Tasman Glacier.
• View the rarest wading bird in the world, the Kaki Black Stilt with your guide from the Department of Conservation, Twizel. Get up close to these endangered birds, now found only in the Mackenzie Basin.
• Helicopter up – mountain bike down with Heli-Biking. The thrill of downhill mountain biking combines beautifully with the scenic helicopter flight – bikes supplied.

Option

Keep following State Highway 8 south to Queenstown. En route, you’ll travel past the town of Twizel and through Omarama. The land and water through this region, known as Mackenzie Country, has been shaped by the massive hydro electric power projects which provide electricity for much of the country.

Operation/Time to allow/Distance from Christchurch

• Langdale Wines/1 - 1½ hours/30 minutes
• Rakaia Gorge Alpine Jet/1 hour/1 hour
• Mt Hutt forest area/30 minutes/2 hours - 1 hour & 10 minutes
• Mt Somers Sub Alpine Walkway/2 – 3 hours/1 hour & 15 minutes
• Geraldine/30 minutes/1 hour 1 hour & 40 minutes
• Berry Barn/30 minutes – 45 minutes/1 hour & 40 minutes
• Fairlie/10 - 30 minutes/2½ hours
• Burkes Pass/10 – 30 minutes/2 hours & 45 minutes
• St Patricks Church/10 – 30 minutes/2 hours & 45 minutes
• Lake Tekapo/1 - 1½ hours/3 hours
• Church of Good Shepherd/30 minutes/3 hours
• Star Gazing/3 hours/3 hours
• Air Safaris/1 hour/3 hours
• Mount Cook Salmon Farm/20 – 45 minutes/3 hours & 40 minutes
• Lake Pukaki/20 – 30 minutes/4 hours
• Helicopter Line/1 hour/4 hours & 40 minutes
• Glacier Explorers/2 – 3 hours/5 hours
• Mount Cook Ski Planes/1 hour/5 hours
• Heli-Hiking/2 –3 hours/5 hours
• Wilderness Heli-Skiing/1 – 3 days/5 hours
• Department of Conservation/1 - 1½ hours/5 hours
• Heli Mountain Biking (Twizel)/2 – 3 hours/4 hours & 10 minutes