Mount Cook Heli Hike & Alpine Guided Treks
Alpine Guides offers customised, small group experiences across Mount Cook National Park, including the Tasman Glacier (New Zealand’s longest glacier).
Alpine Guides offers a variety of short, accessible mountain trips, including the Tasman Glacier Heli Hike and Mount Cook Heli Snowshoeing, as well as guided hiking and climbing, glacier trekking adventures, overnight hut stays, and single-day ice climbing experiences.
Alapine guides are highly trained experts who are driven to share their love of our beautiful scenery. They are all qualified through the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association’s training programme or through international guiding organisations associated with the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association. This ensures your safety and allows you to explore some of the world’s most challenging terrain.
Come and join Alpine Guides for a True Alpine Experience!
Alpine Guides – Tasman Glacier Heli Hike
Price: $499 per person
Duration: 3 Hours
Difficulty: Two out of five
Departs: 9:00 am – 11:00 am & 1:00 pm
Hike and explore the ‘white ice’ of New Zealand’s longest glacier at Aoraki Mount Cook. Heli-hiking on the Tasman Glacier offers easy access to the realm of the mountaineer. With your mountain guide, you will fly high onto the “white ice” of New Zealand’s longest and largest glacier – the mighty Tasman (Huapapa).
Your adventure starts when we meet at Mount Cook Airport, provide a safety briefing, and check equipment – then embark on a thrilling helicopter flight into the mountains.
An Amazing Landscape of Ice
This guided interpretative trek is on an amazing landscape of fluted ice, runnels, moulins, and sinuous winding streamlets. You will explore the gently undulating terrain, as your crampons bite into ancient ice. The highest peaks of the Southern Alps, Aoraki Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, tower above.
Your helicopter returns you safely to Mt Cook Airport, flying close to the massive 1,000 metre high (3,200 feet) Hochstetter Icefall to finish your incredible adventure.
Highlights of the Tasman Glacier Heli Hike:
- Up to 2 hours on the ice of New Zealand’s longest glacier
- Helicopter flight is twice as long as at Franz or Fox Glaciers
- Hike at over 1,200 m above sea level
- Amazing close-up views of New Zealand’s highest peaks
Please Bring:
- Sunglasses
- Sun block and lip cream (UV is high)
- Warm hat and gloves for cool days
- Small backpack with refreshments
- Camera with plenty of memory
Alpine Guides – Tasman Glacier Ice Trek
N.B. This a private guided tour for small groups upto 4 persons to one guide.
Price: From $695 per person (Based on 4 pax) – $1150 pp (Based on 2 pax)
Duration: 8 Hours
Difficulty: Three out of five (you need a good level of fitness to be on your feet for up to 6 hours.)
Departs: 8:00 am
If you want more adventure than a 2-hour heli-hike, the Tasman Ice Trek offers the thrill of the helicopter ride plus a real exploratory journey down the ice of the mighty Tasman Glacier.
You will fly to a high landing at approx 1,700 metres above sea level. With your guide you will travel downstream, traversing the incredible glacial landscape. You will move through the regular Tasman Glacier Heli Hike terrain to a low pickup at around 1,200 metres.
Explore The Ice
The hike will cover about 5 kilometres distance, with many diversions. Explore fascinating ice features. Squeeze through winding canyons. Peer into moulins and caves – and the many surprises the ice delivers! As you are on a private hike, there is no pressure to go faster (or slower) by people you don’t know.The glacier changes constantly through the season, so no two trips are the same.
All The gear
You’ll meet your guide at our base in Mt Cook Village. They will explain how the day will run, then kit you out with the ‘sharp’ stuff, like ice axe and crampons. Then, it is a short drive to your waiting helicopter adventure.
Highlights
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Two 15 minute scenic helicopter flights in the Mount Cook region
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Incredible mountain, glacier and lake views
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Up to 6 hours on the ice
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Private guide
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Professional and experienced guides and pilots
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All technical equipment and lunch provided
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
The Ice Trek is for fit people with a taste for exploration. You must be confident walking on uneven terrain continuously for several hours carrying a small backpack.
