Aoraki/Mount Cook Village sits inside its own national park, at the end of the road, surrounded on all sides by mountains, glaciers and braided rivers. It's small on purpose — a handful of places to stay and eat, built around one of the most photographed views in New Zealand.
What to do here
Hooker Valley Track
A flat, well-formed 3-hour return walk across swing bridges to a glacier lake beneath Aoraki — the region's best-known day walk.
The Hermitage Hotel
The village's historic hotel and visitor hub, with the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre next door.
Scenic flights & glacier landings
Ski-plane and helicopter operators fly from the village onto the Tasman and Murchison glaciers.
Glacier Explorers boat trip
A guided small-boat trip through the icebergs of Tasman Glacier terminal lake.