Visit Mt. John Observatory

From the lakefront, walk left until you reach the trailhead. It takes around 1-1.5 hours to walk it at an average pace. The track is on privately owned land, so expect for sheep to be nearby at all times.You can mountain bike the trail if you wish to. The trail varies from long, drawn out sections to switchbacks, and eventually will lead you up the top of the hill where the observatory is locat...

Are you looking for a good stop on the way to Mt. Cook or do you happen to be an astrogeek with a love for space and mountains and overall beautiful nature? The town of Lake Tekapo has everything you need to restock before Mt. Cook with views of the stunning and parallel Lake Tekapo. It is also a great overnight destination for those seeking some epic stargazing. Directions Getting there is eas...

Mount Cook (Aoraki), the highest mountain in New Zealand, lies on the Northern base of Lake Pukaki - this will definitely be good. Getting there all depends on where you're coming from. To start, GPS the Lake Pukaki Information Centre and then explore as you wish. Follow motorway 8 along the South end of the lake for a few different parking spots. Climb some rocks and get blown away (literally,...

Getting to the Unwin Crag can be more of an adventure than the rock climb itself. You can park at the Unwin Lodge or at the car park at the bottom of the crag. From the lodge you walk towards the Mount Cook Village and you can easily see the 2 small rock faces just above the bush on the left hand side. There is a small cairn that marks the entrance to the trail. The trail is very bushy and will...

The route begins on Tasman Valley Road right after it crosses over the Hooker River heading towards the Tasman Valley. Right after the bridge at Hooker corner there will be a small cutoff on the left side (as you head towards the Tasman). This gravel cutoff is where the trail starts up Mt. Wakefield and you can park your car (no camping allowed).The first hour or so is a battle up through thick...

One of the most spectacular hikes in New Zealand next to New Zealand's highest mountain - Mount Cook (aka Aoraki).5.2km one way, it is a tough ascent. The first part of the track ascends to Sealy tarns. This involves climbing zig zag stairs where you will be rewarded with a spectacular view over Hooker valley and can even enjoy lunch at a large picnic table. Many walkers choose to stop the hik...