Aoraki Mount Cook Transport & Tour Options: Top 5 Reviews

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, it’s a place of astounding raw natural beauty, right? We’re talking seriously huge peaks, glaciers that look like they are from another universe, and landscapes that frankly, are postcard-perfect. Getting there, and seeing what this amazing place has to provide? It can be just a little bit tricky. Public transport is fairly limited. A car rental is awesome, that is until you start looking at the actual driving distances or consider not wanting to watch the road the entire time. That’s where knowing your travel and tour options become essential. Here’s a look at the five top options to enhance that visit. Ready to start?

1. Air Safaris: Scenic Flights Above the Southern Alps

Air Safaris, they operate from the nearby town of Lake Tekapo, providing really amazing scenic flights over Aoraki Mount Cook and the Southern Alps. Now, if you’re looking for truly stunning views, that is an experience you absolutely will remember, a scenic flight has to be on your radar. It gives one a totally different vantage point than you’ll ever get on land. Like, flying close to the mountain peaks and hovering over glaciers is really, almost a ‘pinch-me’ kind of moment. These tours, in a way, tend to be really popular. Tours are often selling out weeks beforehand during peak seasons. So, too it’s almost, booking way in advance? That’s a clever move, very clever.

Air Safaris tends to use smaller planes. That’s so everyone gets a window seat, too it’s almost, very important. The pilots are really great. Their knowledge of the region, almost its geological stuff and some of the Maori legends? The whole time, that keeps you really entertained, for sure. They have a range of different flight options that reach different spots and for different amounts. So, too it’s almost, it will probably suit various budgets. That’s what is really awesome.

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2. Mount Cook Adventure Centre: Guiding on Land and Ice

Want to actually get out there, well onto a glacier or reach the mountain tops, so to speak? Mount Cook Adventure Centre should probably be your go-to. These guys, they are specialists at providing just properly guided climbing trips, glacier hikes, and even some ski touring adventures. They’ve something for everybody. It fits anyone’s level of expertise, really.

Their guides are incredibly skilled and they’ve safety at top of mind, so, right? You’re going to feel like you are very safe the entire time. What is kind of really great relating to this centre, almost, is they’ve got options that get you up near the Tasman Glacier, what tends to be New Zealand’s biggest. To trek on it, or go kayaking in the glacier lake, is truly magical. The centre, in some respects, also provides courses on mountaineering, too it’s almost, these teach crucial mountain skills to people. I mean, this really is just seriously perfect for anyone wanting to just move past easy day hikes.

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3. The Hermitage Hotel: Luxury and Convenience

Staying at The Hermitage is that kind of key travel service itself. Found slap-bang right in Aoraki Mount Cook Village. The hotel is more than just somewhere comfy for your head to lie. The spot actually is perfect, I’m talking unparalleled views of the mountain. They tend to provide a variety of different tours, in some respects. Everything gets planned right from the front desk, actually. Want to go stargazing, visit the Hillary museum or grab a scenic helicopter ride? It can just all be set up without any need for extra effort. It’s awesome when that kind of ease is available.

The hotel tends to be rather upscale. A stay may set people back some bucks. Think about all the saved transport costs of staying directly in the park though, I mean that is a great saver right? The restaurants provide pretty stunning views, too it’s almost, those might just really become memories on their own. Their buffet, they serve it at breakfast. So, too it’s almost, it’s basically epic for loading up on what can keep you set on long days of exploring.

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4. Cook Connect: Shuttle Services

Do you really want a no fuss transport to Aoraki Mount Cook without all of that driving? Cook Connect is absolutely your ticket. This shuttle tends to provide transfers to various popular places. The places they transport you to tends to be spots like Christchurch, Queenstown and Tekapo. This option becomes very, very amazing for backpackers. And just for independent travelers who might just actually rely on public transport.

The bus services can be pretty basic. They’re comfortable enough for you to have long rides. Their schedules are made to match with important arrival and departure times, usually, almost. Meaning, like that planning your trips to other New Zealand locations can easily be achieved. With usually one of their transfers, almost. The prices, really? Pretty affordable actually. Particularly in contrast to hiring a car or doing privately booked transfers. Oh, and you probably should reserve your seats in advance. During their summer time periods, that will become the more popular period actually.

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5. Heli Services Mount Cook: Ultimate Alpine Views

Okay, for really just ultimate views with truly just minimum hiking needed, a helicopter trip is something that has to be there, right? Heli Services Mount Cook really specializes in getting people awesome, private flying experiences. Almost flying you out to that distant mountain spot that no one usually ever will see, almost. Or how about experiencing a scenic landing, usually? A snowy peak and you can see that kind of beauty! That’s a unique way for exploring, definitely that really is.

These guys tend to provide a collection of trips that last differing lengths of time. Often, just landing at completely various awesome spots. That includes the Ball Glacier or even Hochstetter Icefall! You can get tailor-made charters made by them. Tailor-made means they go over people’s wishes. As such that, almost everyone, basically, will actually be ticking off what exactly they would wanna go over to. Basically seeing a lot.

These experiences actually cost some proper dollar. As you probably will just be suspecting when you think about actually owning a helicopter trip that often includes a bit of exclusivity, you might just really love what you go do.

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