Getting around Mount Cook and the Mackenzie

5 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

The region splits into two parts. Inside the national park, Mount Cook Village is small and the main walks begin close by, at the end of two short valley roads. Out in the Mackenzie Basin, the places most visitors combine with Mount Cook are spread along State Highway 8: Twizel about 65 km from the village, Lake Tekapo about 104 km. Between them lies Lake Pukaki, with State Highway 80 following its shore towards the mountains.

Inside the national park

Several tracks start in the village itself. Kea Point begins on Terrace Road near the DOC visitor centre, and the short Governors Bush, Bowen Bush and Glencoe walks also start in the village. The Hooker Valley Track starts at White Horse Hill car park, a short drive up the Hooker Valley road; walking there from the village adds about an hour to the three-hour return walk, according to DOC.

The Tasman Valley Road is the second turn on the left as you drive out of the village, after the Hooker Valley road. DOC gives about ten minutes to the Tasman Valley car park, where the Tasman Glacier View Track and the Blue Lakes start. Without a car you walk, cycle or join a tour.

Parking at White Horse Hill

DOC charges for parking at White Horse Hill. You pay per half hour or per day, the first 20 minutes are free, and the machines accept cards only, not cash. Staying overnight in a vehicle there is charged as two day rates. Tourism New Zealand notes that spaces are limited from November to March, so in summer it helps to arrive early or walk up from the village.

Cycling

DOC has marked three cycle routes inside the park. The Hooker Valley route runs 2 km to White Horse Hill Campground, the Tasman Valley route 8.5 km to the Blue Lakes car park, and a 5 km section of the Alps 2 Ocean trail goes downhill to Mount Cook Airport. That section is the start of the 315 km Alps 2 Ocean trail to the coast. On the walking tracks themselves cycling is not allowed, and the Mount John Walkway at Tekapo is closed to mountain bikes as well.

Shuttles and pickups

Without a car, shuttles cover the longer distances. Tekapo Shuttle links Lake Tekapo with the village and also runs transfers to the Tasman Glacier and the Hooker Valley Track. Alpine Guides lists the Cook Connection shuttle between Twizel and the village, booked through Cycle Journeys. Timetables vary through the year, so confirm them before you plan around them.

Many tours solve the problem for you. Glacier Helicopters flies from its base on Bowen Drive in the village. The short helicopter flight from Mount Cook Airport, about 5 km away, offers pickup in the village if you arrange it with the operator. The Helicopter Line flies from Glentanner, about 20 minutes by car, and can take you there from the village. The stargazing tours on Mount John and at Cowan's Observatory start from the Dark Sky Project base in Lake Tekapo and include the transfer.

Driving between the lakes

Traffic keeps to the left, and Tourism New Zealand warns that many roads are narrow and winding, so plan for more time than the distance suggests. Between Tekapo and Twizel, the Pūkaki Information Centre on State Highway 8 has a shop selling Mt Cook Alpine Salmon, and the Tekapo day shuttle stops there on its way back. State Highway 80 has several lookouts over the lake, and Peters Lookout on the shore of Lake Pukaki offers one of the best photo views of Aoraki. The Lake Pukaki page describes them.

At Lake Tekapo the road to the Mount John summit is open from 9:00 to 16:00, with a fee per vehicle paid at the gate by card. It closes in some weather conditions.

Fuel, money and signal

The village has one self-service fuel pump, card only, and the nearest shop is 66 km away in Twizel. There is no bank in the village, but EFTPOS card payment is available. The Hermitage reports 4G coverage in the national park with a signal that can vary and be slow, so download maps and tickets before you head up the valley. Arriving from further away? See getting to Mount Cook.