Location - Mt Cook National Park
The hub of the Southern Alps
The world heritage area of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Westland National Parks is the hub of the Southern Alps, and New Zealand's greatest alpine area. This region encompasses all but one of New Zealand's 3000 metre peaks, and its largest glaciers (they cover almost 70% of the Park!).
This place of spectacular icefalls, soaring ridges and immense vertical scale has been the inspiration and training ground for some of the world's best mountaineers, and the most famous, Sir Edmund Hillary.
Dominating the area is the massif of Aoraki/Mount Cook, the 'Cloud Piercer', rising over 3000 vertical metres from its valley floor.
View Aoraki/Mount Cook Area in a larger map
Location, location, and so on...
It would be hard to find a better place for a guiding company to be based. Our office in Mt Cook is open year-round.
Our location gives us an immediate logistical advantage over other outfits, who need to bring their clients here by road - not to mention the resources at our base, and unmatched local knowledge.
Other guiding companies come to us to find out what's going on in the mountains!
Don't be misled by numbers
New Zealand lies within the latitudes of the westerly trade winds. A vigorous maritime climate, combined with the Tasman Sea just 30 kilometres to the west, has created a heavily glaciated mountain landscape.
Uninitiated climbers to the area are known for underestimating the scale of this place - at their peril! Disregard the "height" of the peaks and talk about their vertical relief. The Mount Cook area is as challenging as anywhere on Earth.
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Winter Guiding & Courses ››
From ice climbing and ski mountaineering to avalanche courses and ski touring.
Summer Courses and Guiding ››
Introductory to advanced climbing courses, guided ascents and expeditions on NZ's highest peaks.
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