Swing Bridge, Mount Cook National Park 7999, Canterbury Region, New Zealand
Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is a rugged land of ice and rock. Walking one of the tracks is the best way to experience this ancient landscape.
The track leads up the Hooker Valley and along the Hooker River, ending at the glacier lake, where there are amazing views of Aoraki/Mount Cook on a clear day. Along the way you will cross three swingbridges and encounter picturesque icebergs, glaciers and majestic mountains that will have you reaching for your camera at every turn.
The track leads through the sacred Tōpuni area of the Hooker Valley, which has special significance and values to Ngāi Tahu iwi, towards Aoraki/Mount Cook.
From the first of three swing bridges along the way, enjoy the views over the Mueller Lake and listen for the rumbling of avalanches from the distant Mount Sefton. Try to spot them before they crash into the Mueller Glacier below.
After crossing the Hooker River, the track goes between old moraine ridges and humps. From the second swing bridge, the vegetation changes to more open tussock and a wider valley floor. A third swing bridge leads to the East Hooker and the source of the Hooker River.
The track ends with an amazing view over the iceberg-speckled Hooker Lake and up to majestic Aoraki/Mount Cook and the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana.
Return on the same track, enjoying more views down valley and across to the Sealy Range.
Epic New Zealand Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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