Aoraki Mt Cook on a sunny, clear day

This was my third visit to Aoraki Mt Cook National Park, and the weather was absolutely incredible -- sunny and clear and reasonably warm! It was such a lucky opportunity that we were there on that day, and it really made a good final day of our roadtrip. I took lots of photos of Aoraki, since it is the first time I have seen it so clearly and for so long. Doing the Hooker Valley Track walk offered us incredible views the whole way in and out. And there were still a few icebergs on the glacial lakes to check out.

view from Mt Cook Village

our first 'peak' at Aoraki/Mt Cook :)

view looking back at Lake Pukaki with its gorgeous turquoise water

this kind of reminded me of the shape of NZ

Hooker Glacier

South Island Itinerary: Mount Cook and Hooker Glacier

On our second day in Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park, we hiked the longer Hooker Valley Track, which took us through a beautiful, almost enchanted glacial valley with mountain peaks towering over us on either side and lots of snow and fog. The peak of Aoraki stayed stubbornly shrouded in cloud, but it was still majestic in its mystery. The end point was a lake full of bits of ice, and people were dumbly trying to stand on it to see if it would hold their weight (yes, I might have tried it a bit too - the thrill and sound of cracking ice are too cool!). We had to cross several swing bridges there and back, and the rain started up just as we made it back to the parking lot - we were quite lucky in the weather while here! This walk and photos will definitely be a long time in memory.

You can just make out the glaciers

weta bug near the restrooms

Gorgeous mirror effect in the lake