The New Zealand Walks for Wimps series provides essential information about short, relatively easy hikes around New Zealand. Today we’re taking one of New Zealand’s most popular half-day hikes, the Hooker Valley Track in Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park. Click on the map markers at the bottom of this post for more great easy NZ walks!
The Hooker Valley Track in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is one of New Zealand’s most popular, and I can see why.
Winding between towering mountain peaks covered in snow, the track is easy, relatively flat, and well-maintained.
Only taking a few hours, it’s one of the easiest ways to get to the spectacular alpine views New Zealand is famous for. No strenuous uphill hike, no climbing, no helicopters needed.
The mountains are all around, glaciers hanging off them precariously. As you amble across one of the three suspension bridges, you might hear the crack and rumble of a calving glacier from high above.
A stop at the Climbers’ memorial establishes the hierarchy for all who visit: around here the mountains are the boss.
The memorial’s original plaque was dedicated to a trio who died in an avalanche in 1914, but numerous other plaques have been added for those who’ve perished in the park: a freak mountain storm, a fall, an avalanche or simply lost in the mountains.
The path winds through a green valley full of tussock and cheery mountain buttercups. The river rushes alongside, a constant grey and icy cold companion as it makes its way out to join the Tasman River.
A small day use shelter shows up, a wooden hut that looks like it could be a hundred years old, but probably isn’t. Either way, it’s charming in its simplicity and I’m sure is welcome for hikers on days with less blue sky than when I went.
Arriving at the lake is breathtaking. Nestled in an amphitheatre of mountains, the most spectacular of them all, Aoraki, presides over the scene like royalty.
The Origin of Aoraki / Mount Cook
Aoraki was the son of Rakinui, the sky father. Along with his brothers he left the heavens in a canoe to visit Papatūānuku. They explored the earth and the seas, sailing their powerful Waka through the dark empty Southern oceans. Shortly after, Aoraki and his brothers became hungry and began fishing. They were unsuccessful and as a result decided to return to the heavens, to the domain of their father Rakinui. Aoraki started the incantation needed to launch their massive waka into space, free of the earth’s surface to take them back to the heavens, but his courage wavered momentarily as he was distracted by the fearful cries of his crew. At this crucial stage he faltered before completing the words to release them.
The waka had partially begun its separation into the void but only the bow had lifted with the main body of the waka and the stern remaining firmly held in the dark, cold, ocean. As the incantation stumbled into error, the upward flight lost momentum and the bow and forward part of the waka crashed back to the surface. Thus the prow of the waka was smashed into many fragments, which you can still see as the many islands and deep sounds and fissures at the north of the South Island.
After this crash landing the great canoe overturned and Aoraki and his brothers were forced to climb onto the back of it to avoid drowning. They were stranded in the ocean with no way to return home and eventually the broken incantation caused the canoe and the crew to be turned into stone.
The bodies of Aoraki and his brothers, all of them great chiefs in their own rights, were eventually changed into mountains forming the Southern Alps, with Aoraki the eldest brother being the highest.
The canoe became the South Island, and is known by Māori as Te Waka o Aoraki – The Canoe of Aoraki. Aoraki and his brothers thus became the first mountains in New Zealand.
For many years after the disastrous episode suffered by Aoraki and his siblings there was only a stark and rocky landscape utterly devoid of life, fresh water, and other features required to sustain habitation.
It was the deeds and actions of Aoraki’s relatives, whom later become the atua – demi gods of the tribal peoples of Waitaha, Rapuwai, Kāti Hawea, Kāti Mamoe and Kāi Tahu, which eventually transformed the landscape. Various forms of life were introduced so that the fate of these sacred relatives, the original crew would not be in vain, the land no longer barren and uninhabitable to human beings.
From: Arowhenua
Small icebergs float in the lake, babies from the immense glacier that makes its way down the mountain at the far end. (Ok, there was one iceberg when I was there. ONE. And not even a very big one.)
A jaunt down to the rocky beach is easy, and it’s the perfect spot for a picnic lunch or a nap in the sun, while marveling at Mother Nature all around.
And guess what? The way back is just as stunning.
Have you hiked the Hooker Valley Track? Tell me about your experience in the comments!
Are you looking for another easy walk? Head down to Wanaka and try the Diamond Lake and Rocky Mountain Track, or the Rob Roy Glacier Track!
Click on any map marker below to check out another easy New Zealand walk.
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It would take me probably 8 hours, just because I would stop and take pictures every few steps. Yours are soooo stunning! I would love to go to New Zealand and go hiking! Looks absolutely spectacular!
Haha Maria every walk I did in NZ took me way longer than predicted, for exactly that reason! You should definitely go to New Zealand; there are SO many great hikes to do!
This is an epic post about an epic trip. Sure loved living with you, if only for the time I’m reading it. Very nice job putting this together.
Thank you Christine! Glad you enjoyed coming along on my hike with me! 🙂
Awesome photo essay. Could that sky be any bluer? It’s important to showcase places that are drop dead gorgeous and maybe a bit more accessible for the less seasoned adventurer. Thanks for posting!
Thanks Efrain! The sky is always so blue in New Zealand. I agree, and in New Zealand you don’t have to go do anything crazy to see some awesome views!
Oh New Zealand, how I love you. I’ve done a short version of this trek, I believe! The bridge looks familiar. Your photos certainly show off the incredible beauty this wonderland has to offer.
Thanks for stopping by Jen! I adore New Zealand too. I could live there, easily. Can you imagine doing hikes like this all the time? And taking pictures like this every day? Heaven. 😉
Very cool articles about our awesome country – New Zealand! There are so many walks to do in New Zealand (we give away a free book on New Zealand’s Best Walking trails 9 Great Walks and When To Walk Them). Very cool, photos and descriptions making me want to hike these again 🙂
Thanks Andy! There is a ridiculous number of walks to do in New Zealand, I only wish I could go back and do all the ones I missed! Glad I could inspire you to go back and do them again!
We did this trip in August 2014, a brilliant day with blue sky all the way. And despite the temperature hovering at or below zero, it got very hot in the sun. I think it took us 6 hours because of numerous photo stops (about 300 photos). This would have to be about the most spectacular mountain scenery that I have seen, rivalling that of the Canadian Rockies and European Alps.
I’ll be back there on 24th August this year (2016) and just hope the weather is suitable to repeat the walk,
Wow, I bet it looks quite different in the winter with snow everywhere! I bet your photos are spectacular. I just can’t seem to do any walk in New Zealand quickly, because I’m always stopping so much for photos. I hope you get good weather when you go this year! Thanks for stopping by Charles!
I’ve done this hike a couple times, and think it’s one of the best reward-for-effort walks in New Zealand. I’ve yet to get there in winter but it’s on my to-do list. Just a stunning little walk, and highly recommended.
I agree, it’s amazing. I would love to do this hike in any season! I’m sure it’s one of those that looks a bit different every time!