Hooker Valley Track, Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park NZ

One of New Zealand’s classic walks, the Hooker Valley Track takes you over the Hooker River and some of its tributaries on swingbridges as far as the glacial Hooker Lake. There’s dramatic alpine scenery all the way, and particularly good views of Aoraki/Mt Cook framed by mountains along the Hooker Valley, and then across Hooker Lake, which will be frozen in winter, and might have icebergs floating in it in spring/summer. And you can fit it easily into a half day.

Track Notes

Aoraki Mt Cook Day Walks 2015: Route Map — The Hooker Valley and Sealy Tarns Tracks start at either the White Horse Hill Campsite (shorter) or Mt Cook Village (longer). The Tasman Glacier Walk starts at the end of the Tasman Valley Road. All are on obvious tracks except above Sealy Tarns it’s a poled route.

You can do a longer version from the Visitor Centre (taking the Kea Point Track at first), or start from White Horse Hill Campground (see the map below). The track is constructed and well graded, so it’s at the easy end of moderate. Info on the DOC website.