Blogs from Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 16

Mount Cook - After spending the night in Twizel (not much to do there, but nice hostel with television), we drove to Mount Cook NP the next morning to do some tracking (because willem is such a huge fan of tracking). Normally when the NZ guide books or DOC offices tell you that parts are very steep, then it turns out to be not that steep. But this time I can't think of another word than STEEP climbing on the first hour of the Mueller hut track. From the top (Sealy tarns) there were great views on the glaciar and on mount cook (3750 mtrs). On the way to Geraldine we stopped at Tekapo lake. Mount Cook. Na overnacht te hebben in Twizel (waar niet veel te doen is maar Mt Cook village is helemaal ... read more

This is the kind of scenery that belongs on those one word office posters that say "inspiration" or "perseverance". It's that good! Joking aside our jaws were dragging the entire time we were here. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Everest, first began exploring his passion for mountain climbing here at Mt. Cook. There is a commerative statue of this most famous Kiwi (he's on the five dollar bill) in front the of the Hermitage Hotel. We arrived in the Mt. Cook village in the afternoon around 2:30pm and immediately decided to hike the Hooker Valley Track. This just barely gave us enough time to get back by sunset but the weather looked "OK"... (Little disclaimer here - the summit of Mt. Cook is pretty elusive and many people spend a few days ... read more

Will update this entry later as it is only 10:30am! Just wanted to say thank you for everyones comments and messages! Good to hear from you Vicky Sponge and Howick! The computer at this YHA does not want to play so can't upload my photos now so will do it when we get to Queenstown this evening. To be continued later.................. Part deux: So now its 7.30pm, so i can complete todays entry. After going on the internet this morning, we thought about doing a second walk around Mt Cook. When i say thought about it, we thought about it for a couple of seconds and then thought, no - lets sit in the cafe, read Heat and NOW magazine, drink tea and look out at the view of Mt Cook! Got our bus at ... read more

Was an early start for us this morning, 5.30am. We packed up and left to catch our 7.15 bus to mount cook. Mount cook (Aoraki) is the highest mountain in the whole of Australasia. It is south of Christchurch and more inland. Our bus journey was comfortable and civilised - unlike steve and jens kiwi experience which sounds like one big orgey! However, our bus driver did like the sound of his own voice and did a full commentary the whole journey on the history of NZ - ok up to a point but it was 7.30 in the morning for christs sake! We stopped along the way several times as the scenery in New Zealand is absolutly breath taking. The first stop was at Lake Tekapoo which was amazing. A huge lake with mountains ... read more

Mount Cook and the lakes Australasia » New Zealand » South Island » Mount Cook By justwanderingMarch 16th 2007This was an incredible drive along the lake, then a spectacular walk to Hooker Lake, near Mount Cook... read more