Mt Cook Village 库克山村

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is a rugged land of ice and rock, with 19 peaks over 3,000 metres

库克山在新西兰很有名，是全国最高峰，也是大洋洲第二高峰，不仅因为它山高，而且因为它那特殊的地质历史。

Blur view of the New Zealand's highest mountain, Aoraki/Mount Cook in the early morning.

毛利人的神话故事: 天父和地母的孩子，在造访人间时，变成了石头，这些石头就是后来的库克山以及南阿尔卑斯山脉中一些突起的山峰, 形成了库克山的美丽奇景...

This photo I took when on my driving route to Mt Cook Village in the early morning. So excited to get closer to the Mt Cook Village...


The YHA is always fully book and very crowded all the time. During meal time, the kitchen is very crowded until you need to queue for the cooking utensil or the gas to cook because YHA is the only hostel in Mt Cook Village. Therefore, advance booking is really needed ya.

The Best Scenery...

The Mueller Hut Track (Sealy Tarn Track). You can see the Mt Cook just in front of you!

The Most Challenging/Difficult track...

The Mueller Hut Track. bcz quite steep & quite danger along the track. So better write down your journey before any track in DOC in case of anything happen.... choi~~ 大吉利事~~ :P

The story about me...

sorry, no time to upload now...

There are many short/day walks that I enjoyed in Mt Cook Village. Actually most of the tracking trails in NZ are in well maintain. It is very safe and easier to walk if compare to other country's track, especially the friendly DOC staffs. That's why I like NZ so much...

Before the tracks...

Of course have to get a brochure from DOC to plan and remember to check the latest info/weather ya! And, don't forget about your enough food & drinks k?

To save my time (to save budget actually :P), I did all the short walks non-stop in one day...

Day 1
YHA -> Governors Bush Walk -> Bowen Bush Walk -> Glencoe Walk -> Red Tarns Track -> Tasman Valley Walking Track -> YHA



1. Governors Bush Walk (1 hr return, 1.5 km)
This popular walk offers birdlife, a good viewpoint of the mountains and shelter in poor weather.

2. Bowen Bush Walk ( 10 min return)

The loop track wanders through totara and celery pine forest and has an alternative exit or entry towards Glencoe Lodge.

3. Glencoe Walk (30 min return)

Walkers are rewarded with a birds-eye view of the village and beyond to the white ice of the Hooker Glacier and Aoraki/Mount Cook.

4. Red Tarns Track (2 hr return)
Begin at the Public Shelter and follow the path to Black Birch Stream. Cross the bridge then climb steeply to the Red Tarns. A viewpoint offers a spectacular panorama of the valley and Aoraki/Mount Cook. The tarns were named from the red pond weed that grows in them.

Aoraki/Mount Cook Village as view from Red Tarn track

5. Tasman Valley Walking Track (29 km)
Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier View (40 min return)
My walk is just start from the Blue Lakes Shelter and meander up past the lakes to a viewpoint on the moraine wall. There are good views of the lower Tasman Glacier and the mountains at the head of the valley.

I was in the real "wallpaper" ...


The Blue Lakes, originally named because of their intense blue colour, could now be more accurately described as green ponds.

Tasman Glacier Lake (1 hr)
This trip branches off the Tasman Glacier View Track just past the Blue Lakes Shelter and leads to a viewpoint of the glacier terminal lake and the source of the Tasman River.

Icebergs can be seen floating in the lake in summer, and in winter the lake freezes over.

Day 2 of my short walks...
YHA -> Hooker Valley -> Kea Point Track -> Sealy Tarns Track -> Mueller Hut -> YHA



6. Hooker Valley Track

Hooker Lake: 4 hr return
The track passes close to the Alpine Memorial, which is a great viewpoint. Continue on to Hooker River and cross twice on swingbridges before reaching Stocking Stream Shelter. Continue beside the river to its source to reach the Hooker Glacier terminal lake.

Hooker Valley Track

7. Kea Point Walk (2 hr return, 2.8 km)

This walk gently winds its way through sub-alpine grasslands and scrub to the Mueller Glacier moraine wall. The walk ends at a viewing deck that gives stunning views of Mt Sefton and Footstool, the Hooker Valley, Mueller Glacier Lake and Aoraki/Mount Cook.

8. Sealy Tarns Track (3 - 4 hr return)
Begin as for Kea Point then branch off at the signpost to climb steeply up to the tarns. This energetic walk gives spectacular views of the Hooker Valley and the peaks of the area including Aoraki/ Mount Cook.

The Sealy Tarn. An abundance of alpine flowers in summer and the view from the tarns makes the effort worthwhile. Wow.. amazing right?

Have you try to sit on a chair with the amazing view before? Yes, I did. There is a chair just beside the Sealy Tarn. I just throw away my bag and laid on the chair and had my best rest time for 5 mins before I continue to the Mueller Hut. I enjoyed the amazing view wih the wind blowing to me...

The Mueller Hut (3 hr return from the tarn)