At the foot of Aoraki Mt. Cook, the highest mountain in New Zealand (NZ), Lake Pukaki and the Mt. Cook Village are amazingly beautiful sites to see.
Located about 45 minutes west of Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki is a long, turquoise-blue glacier lake lined with flowers and snowy mountains.
If you follow the road north along the lake you’ll reach the beautiful Aoraki Mount Cook Village with sweeping views of Aoraki Mt. Cook. We stopped there to stretch our legs and explore the beauty of the Southern Alps on our way west from Ōtautahi Christchurch on a two-week-long trip through NZ with our toddler. You could make it a day trip, or spend a few days enjoying the sites and trails along the mountain’s edge. Here’s how we would recommend you spend your time there!
Lake Pukaki and Aoraki Mt. Cook are on the occupied and stolen lands of the Maori.
Top 2 things to do at Lake Pukaki and Aoraki Mt. Cook with your kids
1. Visit Lake Pukaki
Lake Pukaki is a stunning turquoise-blue lake that is fed by glacier water. While walking along the lake with our kiddo, a local told me that what makes Lake Pukaki so blue is the ‘glacial flour,’ or glacial sediment, that adds color and opaqueness to the water. This same ingredient was called ‘glacial milk’ in Patagonia.
We pulled over to take some quick photos on our drive up to Aoraki/Mt. Cook from Lake Tekapo. Keep an eye out for lookout points because the views of the mountains from this drive are incredible! Try to time this drive either before or after naptime so you don’t have to decide what is more important—epic photos or a well-rested child.
Once our toddler fell asleep, I refused to let my partner stop for a photo because I knew she would wake up and be cranky. Instead, we took a few wobbly pictures from the road while the car was in motion.
2. Hike in the Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park
~2-3 hours
After a long drive alongside Lake Pukaki, you’ll eventually reach the climbing village of Aoraki Mt. Cook. Aoraki Mt. Cook Village looks like an old resort town surrounded by snow-covered mountains and filled with people with weathered skin who look like they spend every moment in the icy air.
We arrived at lunchtime and pulled in to eat a quick meal before we embarked on a hike. There are a lot of easy trails in this area, most of which leave from the nearby restaurant (see below) and hotel.
We decided to do the Hooker Valley walk, which is a six-mile out-and-back trail. It is easy, with minimal hills, lots of glacier views, and several suspension bridge crossings over the beautiful Hooker River. You can hike in as far as your kids will let you and turn around when it makes sense. You’ll see some melting glacier bits and maybe even hear the glacier cracking echo in the distance!
In a rustic building filled with old maps, books, and posters that take you back in time, the Old Mountaineer’s Café and Bar is an experience in itself.
We may have been the only BIPOC and mixed-race family in the restaurant, but we were in the company of many other families at lunchtime.
The restaurant has open seating, yummy pizza, beer, and lots of high chairs. There was a neat patio outside too where we would have eaten if it was warmer. From there you can leave your car and embark on a trek (see above).
Where to Stay
The Hermitage Hotel
~$130/night
The Hermitage Hotel opened its doors to visitors in 1880 and is located right in the middle of the Aoraki Mt. Cook village.
It was the perfect place for our family to stay while exploring the Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park. The rooms and beds are cozy and warm and each room has an epic view of the beautiful NZ Alps.
If your budget allows, check out the buffet for breakfast for a convenient and delicious start to your day.
Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park is full of outdoor beauty that is accessible to families with little kids. Stop by the mountaineering village and restaurant to learn more about the climbers who have summited Aoraki’s 12,000-foot peak. The approachable hikes are great for families because many are not too steep—as long as your goal isn’t to summit Aoraki—and take you alongside some of the park’s most beautiful glaciers.
Before kids, my husband and I hiked on glaciers—we fell in love in Patagonia and got engaged in Iceland, so it only made sense that our miracle baby’s first international trip would be to a glacier wonderland like this. We were coming full circle.
Have you seen a glacier up close? Isn’t it magic? Share in the comments below!
This post is part of a series of posts about visiting the South Island of NZ with kids. Continue the adventure with us here:
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
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