With towering snow-capped peaks (including New Zealand’s highest), milky blue glacial lakes and views that will leave you utterly spellbound, it’s no wonder Aoraki Mount Cook National Park offers some of the best walking tracks in New Zealand.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an avid hiker or pretty much never set foot on a trail, Mount Cook has a hike for you. Whilst the harder walks have major pay offs, even the easy tracks are absolutely jaw-dropping.
It’s our favourite part of New Zealand and we’ve visited many times, hiking almost every trail to bring you this guide based on our first hand experience.
Here are the best hikes in Mt Cook.
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These are the 9 best walks in Mount Cook:
1: Sealy Tarns
2: Red Tarns
3: Hooker Valley
4: Tasman Lake
5: Tasman Glacier
6: Hooker Hut
7: Kea Point
8: Governors Bush Walk
9: Mueller Hut
9 Stunning Aoraki Mount Cook Walks
1. Sealy Tarns Track
Distance: 7.1km return
Elevation: 565m
Difficulty: Moderate because of the excellent path, but steep
It’s so hard to choose, but if you were to twist my arm I’d tell you that the view from Sealy Tarns is the best of any of Mount Cook’s day walks.
It is utterly majestic and genuinely hard to take your eyes off. A worthy reward for the 2200 stairs you had to climb to reach it!
Whilst the track is steep, it’s exceptionally well maintained and therefore suitable for anyone who can keep persevering up the hill.
Once you reach the top there’s a ridge where you can see the tarns for which the trail is named and then Aoraki Mount Cook with Hooker and Mueller Lakes in the foreground.
There’s even a picnic bench from which to admire the view, if there’s a bench in a better location anywhere in the world I’ve yet to see it!
The walk down is easy because of the great track condition but also even more beautiful than the way up as you are facing the view the whole way.
You can read more details on the whole walk in our Sealy Tarns Track guide.
2. Red Tarns Track
Distance: 4.6km return
Elevation: 370m
Difficulty: Moderate
The trail to Red Tarns is less well known than Sealy Tarns, and it took us four trips to Mount Cook to finally try out this walk. We’re here to tell you not to wait that long!
The view from the top is a panoramic mountain wonderland and you’ll probably get it all to yourself!
As well as the sensational view of Aoraki you’ll also find a mountain tarn with a reflection to rival even that of the famous Lake Matheson.
You might be wondering if that’s the case then why haven’t you already heard of it?
And that’s the exact question we asked ourselves too when we came upon the huge red tarn with a mirror image of Mount Cook, it was magical. We saw it semi frozen and can only imagine how it would look when fully exposed.
If you’re up for an adventure head up to Red Tarns for sunset and walk back down in the twilight, I promise you won’t regret it!
As for the track itself, it’s another well maintained path and climbs steadily uphill for most of the way before you reach a short boardwalk loop track around the tarns at the top.
You can find more details on the walk in our Red Tarns Track guide.
3. Hooker Valley Track
Distance: 10.2km return
Elevation: 200m
Difficulty: Easy
The walk that needs no introduction. The Hooker Valley Track is regularly touted as the best day walk in New Zealand, and just a few steps in, you’ll quickly understand why.
The views are fabulous and keep changing as you make your way along the flat easy trail.
You’ll cross three epic swing bridges, each taking you safely over the raging blue river beneath as you continue through the valley, surrounded by the magnificent Southern Alps.
The track ends at one of Aoraki Mount Cook National Park’s must do’s, Hooker Lake. The incredible glacial lake is often strewn with icebergs and on calm days will produce a mirror image of Aoraki in the water.
The gravel track is almost entirely flat although there is the odd staircase, but it’s the kind of walk that even those that would never normally hike will find very doable. A walk so good we did it twice on one trip.
You can read our full Hooker Valley Track guide for details on what it’s like to go at sunset and hike back under the stars.
4. Tasman Lake Circuit
Distance: 3.1km circuit
Elevation: 60m
Difficulty: Easy
This is another easy walk with a big pay off. We loved the view of the lake so much it’s the one we use for the cover photo of our website!
The milky blue Tasman Lake is another one where you’ll often find icebergs, although the number will depend on the season you’re visiting in.
The walk is all on well graded gravel path and mainly flat unless you want to do as we advise and make it a circuit.
In this case between the Tasman River and Tasman Lake Jetty section you’ll traverse a ridge for 500m which is quite narrow, but offers stupendous views, and is well worth it unless you suffer from vertigo.
We love this hike at sunrise when the first rays of the sun turn the mountain tops pink, but for the true glacial blue colour to show in the lake you want to visit a little later in the day.
All of that and more, including the best photography spots for the lake can be found in this guide.
5. Tasman Glacier Viewpoint and Blue Lakes Circuit
Distance: 2.3km circuit
Elevation: 60m
Difficulty: Easy
The walk up to the Tasman Glacier Viewpoint offers spectacular lofty views over Tasman Lake and allows you to also see Tasman Glacier, albeit from quite a distance.
It is very beautiful, although if we had to choose we prefer the Tasman Lake Walk mentioned above as you can get right up to the water’s edge.
However, since both walks are short and begin from the same car park it’s easy to do both in just a couple of hours.
The walk up to the viewpoint is all uphill, mainly on well made staircases, and then there’s a large viewing area at the top. Along the way you’ll also see one of the Blue Lakes (which are in fact green) from above.
On the way back down it’s worth taking the short detour to see the Blue Lakes close up. Not many people realise you can actually turn this little section into a circuit, which we detail in this guide.
6. Hooker Hut Track
Distance: 9km return
Elevation: 210m
Difficulty: Easy
This is Mount Cook’s newest walk and an absolute delight. If you’ve dreamed of taking on Mueller Hut, but aren’t sure about the difficulty of the hike, then this one is for you.
Beginning on the Hooker Valley Track you’ll then diverge and begin traversing the tussocks, which feels like a bit of an adventure, even if it’s still nice and easy!
The views along the way are breathtaking and the lack of maintained path has that into the wilds feel, even if you’re still very close to the heavily trafficked Hooker Valley.
The route is mainly flat, with just the smallest amount of uphill before you arrive at the charming historic mountain hut. The $15 hut with the million dollar view. Honestly I can’t even begin to tell you how phenomenal the view from the hut is and how amazing it is that it’s so accessible.
If you’re not planning to make it into an overnight adventure, just remember not to go inside the hut and disturb the people staying there.
You can read all the details, including how to get there as it’s not yet signposted in this post.
7. Kea Point Track
Distance: 3km return
Elevation: 90m
Difficulty: Easy
The viewing platform at Kea Point offers a close up look at the Mueller Glacier moraine wall, backed by Aoraki Mount Cook and the surrounding snow-capped mountains.
It’s a great vista and requires very little effort to get there. The well graded gravel path starts off flat and then gradually ascends towards the lookout.
You’ll have mountain views throughout and it seemed to be a favourite place for the New Zealand falcons who were abundant along the track.
It doesn’t however seem to be a better spot than anywhere else in the area to see the elusive Kea, the world’s only alpine parrot. We’ve never seen them at Kea Point but have seen them soaring over Sealy Tarns so it’s always worth keeping an ear out for their unique call.
8. Governors Bush Walk
Distance: 1.7km loop
Elevation: 100m
Difficulty: Easy
This pretty little bush walk is one for the bird lovers. And on that note you really do need to watch your step on this track because the fantails seem to delight in dancing around your feet as they crisscross the path.
There were so many of them, that along with the dripping moss, it gave the forest an almost enchanted feel.
Although there are a few pretty good mountain views along the way, you are spending most of your time immersed in the bush.
This walk is not going to be for you if you’re looking for spectacular mountain views because although the view along the open part of the walk is nice, it’s not on parr with any other on this list.
In saying that, in any other part of the world I would be describing this as being a stupendous mountain view, but in Mount Cook you really are spoilt!
The path is well maintained and is either sloped gravel or stairs. There is some steady uphill to do at the beginning of the walk but it only lasts around 10 minutes before it flattens and then begins descending.
9. Mueller Hut Track
Although the Mueller Hut Track can be done as a day walk, most people opt to spend the night in the hut. The walk starts by following the Sealy Tarns Track, with the tarns marking the halfway point. From there you leave the maintained path behind and follow orange markers up a rocky gravel slope. You’ll then traverse a section of boulders and scree before you get to the hut. It has a significant amount more climbing, and tricker terrain than Sealy Tarns does.
Sadly we’ve only completed around 2/3 of this hike as a blizzard rolled in on us and visibility was too poor to continue. We’re already planning our return and we’ll update this guide when we do.
In the meantime, here’s more on the track from DOC.
Please note than in winter this route crosses several avalanche paths. Please check in with DOC for current conditions before hiking and you may need to carry an ice axe and crampons.
That’s it for the hikes, but if you’re looking for other things to do in Aoraki Mount Cook, we have you covered in this post.
Mountain weather
Conditions can change very quickly in the mountains. If there is low cloud and no mountain views don’t panic because it can lift. We’ve seen it go from full white out to clear in 10 minutes! If the Hooker Valley looks awful, head to the Tasman Valley and check out conditions there before heading back to the Hooker Valley. You often find that the two valleys, although a short drive apart, can have very different conditions!
Make sure you always have layers with you when hiking, even in summer, as the weather can turn so quickly.
Hiking at Aoraki Mount Cook in winter
In winter track conditions will vary but if there has been a lot of snow and ice around (you can check with the visitor centre ahead of time) then we’d recommend bringing Yaktrax or similar. We’ve walked in winter twice and once there was almost no snow or ice anywhere and once there was a lot of ice around. It’s worth coming prepared.
If walking to Sealy Tarns or Mueller Hut there can be avalanche risk in winter so please check in with DOC ahead of time for the latest conditions. For Mueller Hut in winter it’s likely you’ll need an ice axe and crampons with you, which can be rented nearby if necessary.
Where to stay in Aoraki Mount Cook
When picking somewhere to stay, be very careful with some booking site’s selections for what counts as near Mount Cook! Some will look at hotels within a 30-50km radius of the mountain, and serve options on the West Coast such as Franz Josef (which is a 6 hour drive away by road but just over the mountain as the crow flies).
When searching, look at either Mount Cook Village, Twizel or anywhere on State Highway 8. If you possibly can, splurge and stay in Mount Cook Village. It’s significantly more expensive than Twizel (a 45 minute drive away) but allows you to track weather more accurately.
On two of our visits we did not see the mountains for two days, and then had crystal clear weather on the third. This is another reason staying in Mount Cook itself is so helpful as the weather changes so quickly, you can see the cloud lift and rush out to enjoy it, whereas the weather forecast can easily still be saying it’s poor.
Now onto where to stay, based on our personal experience (and not sponsored).
Aoraki Court Motel
In terms of value for money and quality, this is our top choice for hotels in Mount Cook. You don’t get the heritage, but you get huge rooms with amazingly comfy beds and small kitchenettes (including 2 ring hobs) which allow you to really keep the food costs down.
The view is not of Mount Cook itself, but it is of incredible mountain vistas. I really loved the motel, so much so that we stayed with them in the sister motel in Franz Josef and loved that one also.
In case you are also weighing up the Mount Cook Lodge we can tell you Aoraki Court is much nicer in every way. We stayed at the lodge on our fourth visit and though there’s nothing wrong with it, we both regretted not going for Aoraki Court. NB, if you’re planning a winter visit, the Mount Cook Lodge was freezing with a woeful heating system.
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