Laurence Ourac Travel Blog: Lost Your Worries at Mt. Cook National Park

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Witness the snow-hugged terrain of Tasman glaciers on the slopes of the greenery-covered Mt. Cook.

Up in the heights of the park’s peak, let your worries float away with the winds or let your bad memories buried and forgotten while hiking or simply just taking a walk through the winding terrain of the park.

LOCATION

Mt. Cook National Park is located near the town of Twizel in the South Island of New Zealand.The 700 square kilometers span of Mt. Cook National Park cradles the around New Zealand’s 20 peaks including the country’s highest mountain Mt. Cook or also known as Aoraki, which stands at the glorious height of 3753 meters.

Covered by an estimated 40 percent of glacier, the area boasts the Tasman Glacier. The rugged terrain of landscape uplifts at about five to ten millimeters per year, which are easily countered by the erosion occurring in the park.

CLIMATE

Climate in the Mt. Cook National Park changes constantly; however, here’s the statistics to keep you guided for the park’s climate. The maximum average temperature peaks in mid-February ranging from 14 to 16 degrees Celsius while the minimum average temperature falls at July in which the temperature drops for as low as 2 degrees Celsius.

The park also enjoys the beautiful passing of seasons in which the summer months that fall during November to February are long, hot, and dry while winter is a wonderful contrast of crisp, and snowy white landscape during the months of June to September. You will also get treated to autumn’s myriad of colors and to spring’s blessings that blooms throughout the region.

TRANSPORTATION

Queenstown and Christchurch are nearest to the park’s region. Since there are several international airports in New Zealand, it is better if you opt for those two nearest places. It will take about two and half hour drive to reach the region if you’re from Christchurch that is in the South, and also the same number of driving hours if you’re from Queenstown that is located in the North of the region.

However, you need to get acquainted to the travel rules of New Zealand since they have uncommon ones due to the right of way. You can visit their Land Transport Safety Authority’s Overseas Driver’s Section to get some advice.

On the other hand, if you’re travelling during the months of September and May, Cook Connection offers shuttle service which also includes commentaries between Lake Tekapo, Twizel, And Mount Cook, and Twizel.

ATTRACTIONS

Tasman Glacier

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The 27×3 kilometer Tasman Glacier is New Zealand’s largest glacier that is melting fast!

This crisp, snow-capped landmark is one of the must-sees before the glaciers melted down and you lost the chance of glacier sea-kayaking in this area forever.

Mount Cook Helicopter Flight

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When visiting Mount Cook National Park, helicopter flights are the things you don’t want to pass up. The flight will take you through vast snowfields atop the mountains and experience the thrill in standing at the top of the mountains where the winds blew strong and the climate definitely colder.

Fly over also through the Tasman Glaciers and slopes of the park’s peak. The scenic views are never-ending in this ride as you fly across the native rainforests of the rugged West Coast.

Hike and Trek at Mount Cooks’s Famous Tracks

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Hike and trek though the famous tracks at Mount Cook’s National Park. The Tasman Glacier View Track is the best choice for sightseeing where the Tasman Glacier is the main attraction.

Hooker Valley Track is another popular hiking and trekking site at the park. It is one of the best walks in the park where you’ll get across three swing bridges which will grant you another sight to behold of the Mount Cook National Park landscape.

Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre

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Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre is another place the park has to boast. Located in the middle of towering peaks and blooming flora, the centre is a multimedia museum named after the regarded greatest New Zealander of all time.

The museum is the home for Sir Ed’s memorabilia especially the 75-minute film of his conquest of Mount Everest. The centre also showcases domed planetarium and a cinema.

Hooker Valley Aorki