Things to do — Aoraki/Mt Cook

Aoraki/Mt Cook overflows with activities for 1-3 days.

Hikes:

Hooker Valley Track (10 km round trip, 3 h, almost flat easy trail) — absolute must, family-accessible, 3 suspension bridges, progressive view of Aoraki.

Sealy Tarns Track (5.8 km round trip, 3-4 h, 550 m elevation gain, 'Stairway to Heaven' 2,200 steps) — demanding but exceptional panorama.

Mueller Hut Route (10 km round trip, 6-8 h, 1,060 m elevation, technical alpine trail) — experienced only.

Kea Point Track (2 h round trip) — panoramic view of Aoraki and Mueller Glacier, easy.

Tasman Glacier View Track (1 h round trip) — belvedere on Tasman Glacier and terminal lake.

Glacier excursions:

Tasman Glacier boat with Glacier Explorers (NZD 175, 2h30, Sept-May) — navigation among floating icebergs.

Heli-hike Tasman or Mueller Glacier with Helicopter Line or Mount Cook Ski Planes (NZD 450-650, 3 h with 1 h on ice).

Scenic Aoraki flight (NZD 240-450, 25-50 min) — no landing.

Ski plane landing with Mount Cook Ski Planes (NZD 425-525, 1 h, historic operator since 1953) — Cessna 185 ski plane flight with landing on Tasman Glacier. The most emblematic experience.

Astronomy:

Big Sky Stargazing Aoraki Mt Cook (NZD 90-130, 1 h, Celestron telescopes).

Earth & Sky Stargazing Tour Mt John Observatory from Tekapo (NZD 130-180, 2 h).

Dark Sky Project Tekapo (NZD 180-220).

Mackenzie region excursions:

Lake Tekapo (1 h from Aoraki) — Church of the Good Shepherd (1935), Mt John Observatory (gondola access NZD 30), Tekapo Springs hot springs (NZD 35-45).

Lake Pukaki — extraordinary milky turquoise waters, multiple viewpoints along State Highway 80, Pukaki Visitor Centre.

At Aoraki, don't miss the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre (museum at the Hermitage Hotel, NZD 30, tribute to Sir Edmund Hillary — NZ mountaineer who trained here before becoming the first man to reach Everest's summit in 1953 with Tenzing Norgay).