Top 5 Mount Cook Helicopter Tours: Find Your Best Flight

Dreaming of seeing Mount Cook up close? A helicopter trip can be just the ticket! Mount Cook, also called Aoraki in Māori, is New Zealand’s tallest mountain and sits pretty inside a national park. very Taking a helicopter tour isn’t just a flight; it’s a chance to see amazing ice formations and alpine lakes in the Southern Alps. very This guide points out some top-rated tours to consider for memories that could last forever.

1. The Grand Circle: A Comprehensive Mount Cook Experience

The Grand Circle trip, really, aims to present a little taste of everything the region has to offer. still It takes you zooming all ’round Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. for example, that means you’re seeing ice cliffs, valleys carved by glaciers, and bright blue alpine lakes, naturally. first On clear days, you might even spot the Tasman Glacier’s bright turquoise pools, basically. still What makes this tour special is its inclusion of several landings. still Each touchdown gifts you time to actually feel the scale of the place, alright. very You can set foot on snowfields, walk a little bit next to a mountain tarn, and simply breathe in the crisp alpine air, alright. As I was saying, many tour operators also give detailed commentary, which points out geological stuff plus some bits of Māori history and folklore.

Why This Tour Stands Out: The mix of flight plus landings seems to be just fantastic, alright. it’s almost You don’t just glimpse cool things; you could actually get to experience them on foot, naturally. basically, if you want the ‘complete’ experience, consider that, right?

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2. Glacier Landing Adventure: Touchdown on Ice

Thinking about getting on a glacier? This choice highlights that, so too it’s almost all about seeing and touching ice, right. really Many Mount Cook trips add a glacier landing, but this option puts it front and center, naturally. naturally, That typically translates to more time on the ice, and it’s not just any patch of ice either. it’s almost Many trips target the Tasman Glacier, being that it’s the nation’s longest. alright. As I was saying, your helicopter typically swoops you down onto the glacier’s neves, or maybe up near a set of seracs or icefalls.

What Makes This Special: It’s all in actually placing a foot down on a glacier, and the whole concept’s just, actually, so great. You feel like you’ve just walked onto some isolated other planet, as a matter of fact. Then, operators sometimes even toss in some bubbly or maybe a treat to toast to stuff in that location, literally.

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3. Aoraki High Peak Flight: For the Ultimate Views

This adventure seeks to take you really high. still it’s almost The Aoraki High Peak choice hones in upon that promise of panoramic views, and this will potentially go well with photography fans. literally Tours usually angle close-ish to Aoraki/Mount Cook’s peak, that gifts people photo ops that look just excellent.

Why it is Top Notch: The focal point could very well be pure altitude, alright. that Tours typically ascend higher compared with other area helicopter choices. too it’s almost Being closer means more details, still, but seeing wide surroundings should give better awareness regarding geological makeup too, that . As I was saying, this option generally gets booked in calm-air seasons in consideration that stability will probably rise too, by the way.

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4. Mount Cook and West Coast Combination Tour: From Alps to Sea

Feel like expanding the visual range a bit? In some respects, this tour type blends Aoraki scenery with a peep down onto New Zealand’s wild West Coast, literally. so After so close above Mount Cook, you’re ferried westwards over forest towards coastal areas, arguably. first Most include sights of either the Fox Glacier or the Franz Josef Glacier, that are ice masses that tumble from snowfields towards almost subtropical forests. basically This tour variety also incorporates some interesting points. very I mean, it helps emphasize just how varied terrain might look from moment to moment there, right?

The Cool Thing? A blend should give the perspective required for appreciation of landscape variety throughout. basically As I was saying, you will probably be standing amidst an alpine landscape, only to get helicoptered above thick temperate greenery down lower in just so little duration, that

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5. Private Charter: Your Exclusive Alpine Experience

Consider that no preset path meets specific ideals. usually Booking a private charter enables ultimate control. that Basically, if money makes little impact upon planning. typically You generally set schedules along a precise location, that In this manner, travelers control scheduling, flight duration, route specifics, so that

Why Choose It? Control provides advantages relating photographic goals/experiences. first An aspiring photograph specialist, or someone else proposing there, now may dictate places plus durations in some conditions, literally. Basically, operators welcome special requests. generally Just explain that. very Chartering offers supreme freedom.

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