Mount Cook Scenic Flights – Air Safaris Tekapo

Air Safaris Tekapo – The Grand Traverse

Mount Cook Scenic Flights 

Take a breathtaking journey with Air Safaris and discover the majestic beauty of New Zealand’s highest peaks and longest glaciers. From our facilities at Lake Tekapo, Franz Josef, and Glentanner.

Embark on a scenic flight to explore the Aoraki Mount Cook and Westland Tai Poutini National Parks.

Enjoy the flight of a lifetime

With ‘The Grand Traverse’, where every seat provides a stunning view.

And for a more personal experience, choose from our charter flights to popular destinations, including Christchurch, Queenstown, Wanaka, and Milford Sound.

Our Lake Tekapo base is located in the stunning Mackenzie country, surrounded by pristine glacial waters and the unique turquoise hues of Lake Tekapo.

The Glentanner headquarters is a mere 15-minute drive from Mount Cook Village, while the Franz Josef base is located among lush rainforests and snow-capped peaks, just 8km west of the Franz Josef township.

Get ready to fly with Air Safaris and witness the natural wonders of New Zealand from the skies.

 

 Mount Cook Scenic Flight Options:

 

Air Safaris – The Grand Traverse

Price:  $470 per person – Child $375 pp
Departs:  9:00 am, 10:00am, 11:30 am, 2:00 pm & 3:30 pm
Duration:  50 minutes

‘The Grand Traverse’ is the premier Aoraki Mount Cook flight-seeing experience encompassing 200 km’s  of breathtaking scenery of two World Heritage National Parks.

Highlights of this magical world of permanent ice and snow include beautiful glacial lakes and valleys, braided river systems, remote high country sheep stations and New Zealand’s highest mountains and largest glaciers. 

Get up close to the face of New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki Mount Cook standing at a magnificent 3,754 metres and enjoy the magnificence of the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers as they spill down to the rainforests of the West Coast.

The Grand Traverse is approximately 50 minutes of flying time and every passenger is guaranteed a window seat. Your friendly pilot will provide an enjoyable and informative commentary with an in-flight guide that is translated into a number of different languages.

 

“The flight of a lifetime, Simply stunning!”

 

 

Mount Cook Scenic Helicopter Flight Options:

Air Safaris – Mackenzie Explorer

Price:  $370 per person Child $300 pp
Departs:  9:00 am, 10:00am, 3:00 pm & 4:00 pm
Duration: 30 minutes

Join us for an awesome experience showing off the very best of the Mackenzie with an alpine landing high on one of our local Sheep Stations to enjoy stunning views of Lake Tekapo and the mountains. 

One of our most popular helicopter flights, the “Mackenzie Explorer” is a great experience summer or winter.

Highlights include:

• Seeing the turquoise blue water of beautiful Lake Tekapo and the local rivers that fed into the lake.
• Flying around Lake Tekapo Village
• Mt John Observatory
• Mt Hay, Glenmore & Godley Peaks High Country Sheep Stations – see the family homesteads and higher up hill country where the merino sheep roam
• Experience a wonderful alpine landing at 5500? (snow only in winter months) to get the chance to get out and take in panoramic views of the lakes and mountains. We pride ourselves on the unique experience of enjoying the silence and tranquility of the mountains by shutting down the helicopter once we arrive at our landing site (subject to weather conditions).
• Lake Alexandrina with it’s fresh spring fed water contrasting starkly with glacial fed Lake Tekapo
• Ancient glacial deposits including massive “erractics” left behind as ice melted during the last ice-age

 

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Air Safaris – Mount Cook Franz Josef & Fox Magic
( Includes Snow Landing )

Price:  $810 per person  Child $650 pp
Departs:  3:00 pm 
Duration: 60 minutes

This flight by helicopter is a totally unique experience taking you from Tekapo, winding through our remote alpine valleys all the way right up close to mighty Aoraki / Mount Cook at over 3724 meters.

Learn all about our high country areas before crossing into the Mount Cook National Park for some amazing views of our highest peaks and longest glaciers. You will traverse over the Southern Alps and take in views of the Franz and Fox glaciers, before crossing back east for your snow landing.

Included in the flight is a snow landing on Liebig Dome (7700?) to enjoy a panorama view of Aoraki Mount Cook and surrounding mountains.

Highlights include:

• Seeing the turquoise blue water of beautiful Lake Tekapo and the local rivers that feed into the lake.
• Mt John Observatory. 

 

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Air Safaris – Mount Cook Alpine Grandeur  

Price:  $595 per person  Child $475 pp
Departs:  9:00 am, 10:00am, 3:00 pm & 4:00 pm
Duration: 45 minutes

This flight by helicopter is a totally unique experience taking you from Tekapo, winding through our remote alpine valleys all the way right up close to mighty Aoraki / Mount Cook at over 12000’.

Learn all about our high country areas before crossing into the Mount Cook National Park for some amazing views of our highest peaks and longest glaciers.
Included in the flight is an alpine landing (snow only during winter months) on Mount Joseph to enjoy a panorama view of Lake Tekapo and surrounding mountains.

Highlights of the Alpine Grandeur include:

• Seeing the turquoise blue water of beautiful Lake Tekapo and the local rivers that fed into the lake.
• Mt John Observatory
• Glenmore & Godley Peaks High Country Sheep Stations
• Wind your way through the steep, rugged mountains and passes of the Cass, Fork and Jollie Valleys, home to the merino sheep. Your pilot will tell you all about how these sheep are farmed and show you the remote musterer’s huts.
• Traverse the Murchison and Tasman Valleys to fly alongside Mount Tasman then majestic Aoraki Mount Cook
• Fly right over the Hochstetter Icefall tumbling down into the Tasman glacier.
• See the main climbing routes on Aoraki Mount Cook and high mountaineers huts where climbers overnight before embarking on there ascents of our highest mountains.
• Heading east back towards Lake Tekapo look across towards the Mount Cook Village from the Tasman Terminal lake at the bottom of the Tasman glacier.
• Marvel at the large icebergs below and the Tasman River formed by the melting ice as it flows down into Lake Pukaki.
• Experience a wonderful alpine landing at 5500? (snow only in winter months) to get the chance to get out and take in panoramic views of the lakes and mountains. We pride ourselves on the unique experience of enjoying the silence and tranquility of the mountains by shutting down the helicopter once we arrive at our landing site (subject to weather conditions) or if you prefer take the totally unique opportunity to land at one of the remote musterers huts in the Cass Valley on Glenmore Sheep Station.
• Lake Alexandrina with it’s fresh spring fed water contrasting starkly with glacial fed Lake Tekapo
• Ancient glacial deposits including massive “erractics” left behind as ice melted during the last ice-age