Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo Day Tour from Christchurch

Across the Canterbury Plains to Geraldine

The day starts early with pickup from central Christchurch, and the minibus heads south-west across the Canterbury Plains, a wide patchwork of farmland, braided rivers and shelter belts stretching towards the mountains. Your guide explains the geography of the South Island and the farming life of the region as the Southern Alps slowly appear on the horizon.

After about one hour and 45 minutes you stop in Geraldine, a pretty country town at the foot of the hills, known for its craft shops, local produce and tree-lined main street. The short break gives time to stretch your legs and buy a coffee before the road climbs over Burkes Pass into the high, open basin of the Mackenzie Country.

Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd

Lake Tekapo is one of the most photographed places in New Zealand. Its milky turquoise colour comes from rock flour, fine particles ground by glaciers and suspended in the meltwater. On its shore stands the Church of the Good Shepherd, a small stone church built in 1935 by local people with stones from the area, whose window frames the lake and mountains behind the altar.

A short walk away is the bronze sheepdog statue, raised in 1968 to honour the dogs without which farming in the Mackenzie Country would have been impossible. You have about 30 minutes here. The best time to visit Lake Tekapo is from mid-November to December, when wild lupins colour the shores pink and purple, and the area is also a famous dark sky reserve.

Lake Pukaki – the classic view of Aoraki/Mount Cook

Continuing south-west, the road reaches Lake Pukaki, another large glacial lake of intense blue, framed by golden tussock grassland. From the lakeshore you look straight up the lake to Aoraki/Mount Cook, which rises snow-covered at its far end, one of the great mountain views of the world on a clear day.

This 15-minute stop is perfect for photographs, and the guide explains how the glaciers carved these lakes during the ice ages and how hydro-electric schemes now use their water. From here the road follows the shore of Lake Pukaki for about 45 minutes into the valley, with the peaks growing closer and higher with every kilometre as you approach the national park.

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park protects the highest peaks of the Southern Alps, with Aoraki/Mount Cook itself standing at 3,724 metres, the highest mountain in New Zealand. The park is part of a World Heritage area, and its name Aoraki honours an ancestor of the Ngāi Tahu people. The small alpine village at its heart sits surrounded by snowfields, glaciers and sheer rock walls.

You have about two and a half hours of free time here, starting with a 30-minute lunch break with your included meal, chicken or vegetarian. Many travellers ask if a Mount Cook day trip from Christchurch is worth the long drive: standing in this valley, ringed by ice-covered summits, is the answer. Note that walks in the park are not guided.

Tasman Glacier – New Zealand's longest glacier

The Tasman Glacier stretches about 23.5 kilometres down the side of the Southern Alps, making it the longest glacier in New Zealand. A short scenic hike in the Tasman Valley climbs onto the moraine wall to a viewpoint over the glacier's terminal lake, where icebergs that have broken off the ice float in grey-blue water, with the debris-covered glacier and high peaks behind.

About one and a half hours are set aside for this walk and free time. The track is short but includes steps and uneven ground, so wear sturdy shoes and warm clothing, since the weather in the mountains can change quickly. After the walk the tour heads back towards Christchurch, with brief stops at Lake Tekapo and Geraldine on the way.