Mt Cook & Hooker Valley Combo Tour from Queenstown

Embark on an unforgettable small group, fully-guided day trip to Mt Cook, featuring the Tasman Glacier View walk. Your adventure begins in Queenstown, where your guide will set the scene and highlight key landmarks as you leave the city.

Departing Queenstown, you'll travel through the scenic Kawarau Gorge, admiring views of the Kawarau Suspension Bridge and Roaring Meg Lookout, with chances for memorable photos. Continue to Cromwell, a region known for its fruit and wine, crossing Lake Dunstan and heading towards the stunning Lindis Pass.

At Lindis Pass, one of the few alpine roads through the Southern Alps, stop at a famous lookout for breathtaking valley views. Next, journey through the Mackenzie district’s plains to Omarama, where you can spot Merino sheep and enjoy a break, possibly sampling New Zealand’s acclaimed creamy chicken pie.

As you enter Aoraki National Park, be enchanted by Lake Pukaki’s brilliant blue hues, framed by Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Southern Alps. Arrive at Mt Cook Village for views of New Zealand’s highest peak and enjoy three hours of free time. Take in the incredible views of Haupapa / Tasman Glacier, Aotearoa New Zealand's longest glacier.

On the return trip, visit High Country Salmon to feed the fish and taste fresh salmon. In summer, stop at Jacksons Orchard for local fruit or ice cream before concluding your tour back in Queenstown, enriched by the day’s incredible experiences.

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Inclusions

• Guided Small Group Tour from Queenstown
• Bottled Water & Snacks

Exclusions

• Track Guide - hikes are self guided
• Lunch

Itinerary

• Queenstown - Your tour starts in the stunning city of Queenstown. As we drive out of the city your guide will not only set the scene for your adventurous day but also point out and guide you past some of the areas top highlights.

• Kawarau Suspension Bridge – Departing Queenstown we then make our way through the stunning Kawarau Gorge passing stunning views, the Kawarau Suspension Bridge and the famous Roaring Meg Lookout. Time and light permitting we will stop for that first great shot of the tour.

• Cromwell – Exiting the Kawarau Gorge we enter the fruit and wine growing region of Cromwell. Passing huge fields of vines, we cross Lake Dunstan and follow this beautiful lake towards Lindis Pass.

• Lindis Pass – Climbing in altitude, Lindis Pass has amazing views down through the valleys. Being one of only three alpine roads through the otherwise impassable Southern Alps, we stop at the famous lookout at the top of the pass for an essential photo.

• Omarama – While driving through the endless plains of the Mackenzie district we will spot several of the famous Merino breed of sheep before stopping at the quaint township of Omarama. While in Omarama we have time for a break or even to try the best creamy chicken pie in NZ (in our opinion)!

• Lake Pukaki – Turning west we begin to enter the Aoraki National Park and Lake Pukaki begins to emerge in front of us. Lake Pukaki is one of the bluest lakes you will ever see and is stunningly framed by the backdrop of Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Southern Alps. We stop for some amazing photos and to just marvel at the sight that we are beholding. It’s not hard to see why many Lord of the Rings scene were filmed nearby and we will point them out for you.

• Mt Cook Information Centre – Arriving at Mt Cook Village, weather depending, we should get some amazing shots of the mountain itself. At 3724m, Aoraki/Mt Cook is New Zealand’s highest peak, however, the mountain can be viewed without any acclimatisation whatsoever from the village which is just 750m above sea level.

• Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park – While in the national park you have 3 hours free time to enjoy free walks/hikes or one of the extra optional activities. Whatever you decide to do we will pick you up and drop you off where you need to go and make sure you are well looked after.

• High Country Salmon - Farewelling Aoraki/Mt Cook Village and making our way back to Queenstown we stop in at High Country Salmon, a local salmon farm, where you can feed the fish and taste some of the freshest salmon in New Zealand.

• Jacksons Orchard – During summer months when the sun is still up as we get close to Queenstown we often stop at Jacksons Orchard to try or buy some delicious local fruit or real fruit ice cream.

• Queenstown – Sadly the tour must come to an end as we re-enter Queenstown and say our goodbyes.

Duration

• This experience will take approximately 12 hours.

Departure Location

• This tour departs from The Station - Home of Adventure, Central Queenstown.

Hotel Pickup

• We pickup from the below locations only. If your hotel is not listed we do not pickup from there so please select your closest alternative.

• Kamana Lakehouse

• Mercure Queenstown

• Heritage Hotel

• Rydges Lakeland

• Hotel St Moritz

• Crowne Plaza

• Novotel Lakeside

• Nomads Hostel

• Flaming Kiwi Backpackers

• Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel

• Pinewood Lodge

• The Station - Home of Adventure

• LyLo Queenstown

• Sofitel Hotel & Spa

• Aspen Lodge

• Ramada Queenstown Central

• Heartland Hotel

• Scenic Suites

• Holiday Inn Express & Suites

• Millennium Hotel

• Copthorne Hotel & Resort Lakefront

• Copthorne Hotel & Apartments Lakeview

• Swiss Belsuites Pounamu

• Oaks Shores Resort

• The Rees Hotel

• Holiday Inn Frankton Road

• Sherwood Hotel

• Frankton Bus Interchange

• Wyndham Garden

• Hilton Resort & Spa

• Jacks Point/Hanley's Farm

What To Bring

• Reliable Footwear
• Rain Jacket
• Sun Protection /Hat
• Camera
• Bagpack

Additional Information

• You can bring your own lunch, or you can purchase this when you stop in Omarama.
• Children under the age of 8 are legally required to travel in a safety/booster seat in our vehicles. You can either bring your own or you can rent one for NZ $20 per seat.
• Please note: the Hooker Valley Track is currently CLOSED while the Department of Conservation works on replacing one of the swing bridges. This is expected to be complete in Autumn 2026 so the track will be inaccessible to the public until then

Terms And Conditions

Cancellation Policy

• Change your booking up to 24 hours before the start time of your experience​
• Changes are not permitted within 24 hours of your experience​
• Late arrivals or no shows may result in you forfeiting your experience

Booking Information

• Confirmation in the form of a tour voucher will be received at time of booking
• Upon completion of purchase, please print the voucher and present on day of the experience
• Mobile Vouchers are accepted! Vouchers can also be presented on your mobile device for this attraction
• For your information, complete Tour Operator Information including contact details is included on your tour voucher
• Availability was accurate at the time of booking however, is subject to change due to circumstances out of our control
• We strongly suggest reconfirming your booking with the tour operator within 24 hours of making your booking and prior to making other travel arrangements