The Aoraki/Mount Cook Alpine Village is nestled amongst the stunning mountain scenery of the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park which lies deep in the heart of the Southern Alps, and is part of the South West New Zealand U.N.E.S.C.O. World Heritage Area. The village is located on the south-western slopes of, and overlooks, the Hooker Valley that leads to Aoraki, which is the Maroi name for Mount Cook and means Cloud Piercer. Standing approximately 12 kilometres from the summit of Aoraki/Mount Cook, the village is an ideal centre from which to explore the rock and ice terrain of this high alpine park which consists of 19 peaks over 3,000 metres. These include Aoraki/Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain at 3,754 metres, Mt Tasman, Mount Sefton and Mount Hicks and five major glaciers including the Tasman, Godley, Murchison, Hooker and the Mueller Glaciers. The meltwater from the Tasman Glacier, which is New Zealand’s largest and longest glacier, flows via the braided Tasman River into Lake Pukaki. The Hooker River, which flows past the village, is a tributary of the Tasman River.
This small village of approximately 260 residents is often referred to as the Hermitage, which is the area’s largest and oldest hotel. This hotel complex offers a full range of facilities which consist of different levels of accommodation, bars and restaurants, and includes the very interesting, Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre. This alpine centre is comprised of a small 3D theatre, planetarium and a museum which documents the local Aoraki/Mount Cook area and includes the Hillary Gallery. The remainder of the village is comprised of more accommodation which ranges from comfortable lodges, YHA and B&B’s to camping facilities, bars and restaurants. The immediate area can be explored in many ways from day walks, longer overnight hikes, glacial skiing, glacier lake kayaking, scenic flights and helicopter rides.
Within the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is a Department of Conservation Visitors Centre which provides information on activities within the park including 10 short day walks around the village and into the main valleys, and 3 alpine walks over the Mueller, Copland and Ball Passes. This area also offers opportunities for mountain biking, glacier skiing and mountain climbing. Adjacent to the visitors centre can be found the ‘Old Mountaineers Cafe, Bar and Restaurant’ which contains an interesting collection of historic photographs.
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