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Mount Cook National Park Travel Blogs

Background: The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.

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By cleanpairofeyes
August 5th 2009

Rock N Rolling In Mt Cook Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook National Park

Mount Cook National Park

I have been in Tekapo for around six weeks now. I have been outside of Tekapo for a total of about six hours during this six week period. Cabin fever, or just plain restlessness, has taken its grasp over the last week. I decided on this weeks days off I would skip town. I checked the weather forecast for Mt Cook and Monday was supposed to be sunny and pleasant. Seemed like a good idea, go to Mt Cook, do some hikes and get some nice pictures. Picked up my bus tickets on Sunday for a Monday morning departure. Sunday night [View Full Entry]

By elal
July 29th 2009

Mount Cook/Aokora Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook National Park

Mount Cook in all its glory

2nd June 2009 This was most definitely a walking section of our trip. First up was a walk up the Hooker Valley to the terminal lake of the Hooker Glacier. The beginning of the walk took us to an Alpine Memorial for those that lost their life climbing the peaks around Mount Cook. It put us off trying to scale the mountain. The walk took over swing bridges and offered amazing views of the the peak of Mount Cook. To be honest writing about it doesn't really do it justice, just take a look at the pictures and imagine being in [View Full Entry]

Our view as we walked up the Hooker Valley

By mojojojotang
July 22nd 2009

christchurch to queenstown Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook National Park

helicopter
on the way up

joined a tour that took us from christchurch to queenstown via mt cook. highlight was definitely the helicopter tour. we had a lot of opportunities to ride in a helicopter during our trip in new zealand. i knew i wanted to do it, but choosing when to do it was kind of difficult. i was going back and forth between helihike at franz josef or mt cook. choosing to do the latter was definitely worth it. we really felt like we were on the top of the world. it was quiet and the view was just spectacular. it lasted only a [View Full Entry]

By mrandmrsbb
July 20th 2009

Having a look at Mt Cook Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook National Park

20 July 029

From Geraldine we drove on towards Fairlie and then to Lake Tekapo. Lake Tekapo is beautiful, again a very blue colour and surrounded by snow-capped mountains. We then headed to Mt Cook around Lake Pukaki (where we stopped to have lunch with a nice view of the mountain across the lake). The sun was shining and it was perfectly warm despite it being the middle of winter in the region of the highest mountain in Australisa (3754m folks). The road to Mt Cook was open and the sun was shining so we carried on the drive around Lake Pukaki and on [View Full Entry]

By Bec and Geen
June 25th 2009

Magnificent Mount Cook Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook National Park

Magnificent Mount Cook

We (or should I say Geen) booked into the Glentanner Camp park. What amazing views we were greeted with, simply wonderful to wake up to those snow capped mountains all around you. Having to stock up on fuel and provisions, it took us a while to get started on our intended walk, the Hooker Valley trail. With an estimated walking time of 3-4 hours we thought "piece of cake", but we should have known better considering our vanity and the apparent need for us to take a photo of ourselves with the ever approaching Mt Cook behind us at every turn! [View Full Entry]

By Bencat
April 1st 2009

Can you see the man in the Mountain? Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook National Park

Lake Tekapo

So onto our last trip of what has turned out to be one great experience and one hell of a place to visit. New Zealand has been a joy to see and with the aid of a fantastic group of people to experiance it with, has been a highlight of my jorney so far. We left Queenstown for a 5 hour road trip towards the Sothern Alps of New Zealand. Again passing rolling hills and finally in the distance the summit of Mt Cook was before us, but still another hours drive before we arrive. The lake that looked like it [View Full Entry]

By PUGWASHE
March 30th 2009

MOUNT COOK NATIONAL PARK Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook National Park

Mount Cook and Lake

MOUNT COOK NATIONAL PARK: Sir Edmund Hilary Country. [View Full Entry]

By NatF
March 26th 2009

Returning to Omahau Downs Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook National Park

Along we go

26/3/09 = Day 8: An easier ride back to Twisel Still aching when woke up today. In fact, if anything, aching only got worse. Hobbled off to breakfast unable to bend legs and not at all exited for porridge after horrible porridge experience up mountain. Added lots of cinnamon and ginger just to make it taste different; was o.k. Got changed then, packed up and set off at 9:20. Lord knows how I was going to bike when I couldn’t even walk properly! Dreading ride anyway because found it so tough on way here. Another really sunny and blue day. Find [View Full Entry]

By NatF
March 25th 2009

A slippery climb down a mountain. Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook National Park

Beginning of sunrise.
So, yep, there's going to be a lot of photos now!

25/3/09 = Descent down Mt Cook A v.strange nights sleep. Cold when got into bed and feet freezing. Huddled under 2 borrowed blankets, my pashmina and a wire-wool blanket and even though did get warmer, definitely didn’t get warm. Woke every hour with pain of bones digging through wafer thin, plastic mattress and into wood below. Had to rotate at regular intervals, a lot like camping without an air-bed. Every time did wake up, took another look at stars before did go back to sleep = probably why I didn’t find it so bad. Followed that routine until 7am, when everyone [View Full Entry]

By Dora The Explorer
March 25th 2009

Mountain Treking, Stargazing & Mueller Hut!! Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook National Park

The Beginning......bags on...ready to go!!!

24th March 2009 - TREK UP TO MUELLER HUT - TOUGH BUT WORTH IT!!! I woke up at around 6.30am and was not impressed to find that I was still in bed. I had just had a dream that had got up, showered and prepared myself for the day and now I had to do it all again! Not fair! It was pitch black outside and so I was pleased that I had organised myself the night before and laid all my clothes out. Very Monica Gellar like! I warmed up in a hot shower before going for breakfast where Nat [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook National Park