Mt Cook and Hooker Valley Small-Group Hiking Tour from Queenstown
4.8
144 Ratings
Queenstown
Embark on a small-group hiking tour from Queenstown to Mt Cook and Hooker Valley. Experience spectacular destinations, secret stops, wildlife viewings, and more with Cheeky Kiwi Travel.
Duration: 12 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Queenstown - Your tour starts in the stunning city of Queenstown. As we drive out of the city your guide will not only set the scene for your adventurous day but also point out and guide you past some of the area’s top highlights.
  • Kawarau Suspension Bridge - Departing Queenstown we then make our way through the impressive Kawarau Gorge passing stunning views, the Kawarau Suspension Bridge and the famous Roaring Meg Lookout. Time and light permitting, we will stop for that first great shot of the tour.
  • Cromwell - Exiting the Kawarau Gorge we enter the fruit and wine growing region of Cromwell. Passing huge fields of vines, we cross Lake Dunstan and follow this beautiful lake towards Lindis Pass.
  • Lindis Pass - Climbing in altitude, Lindis Pass has amazing views down through the valleys. Being one of only three alpine roads through the otherwise impassable Southern Alps, we stop at the famous lookout at the top of the pass for an essential photo.
  • Omarama - While driving through the endless plains of the Mackenzie district we will spot several of the famous Merino breed of sheep before stopping at the quaint township of Omarama. While in Omarama we have time for a break or even to try the best creamy chicken pie in NZ (in our opinion)!
  • Lake Pukaki - Turning west we begin to enter the Aoraki National Park and Lake Pukaki begins to emerge in front of us. Lake Pukaki is one of the bluest lakes you will ever see and is stunningly framed by the backdrop of Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Southern Alps. We stop for some amazing photos and to just marvel at the sight that we are beholding. It’s not hard to see why many Lord of the Rings scene were filmed nearby and we will point them out for you.
  • Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu) - While in the national park we will stop and explore some of the amazing sites and get those bucket list photos before heading to the departure point for your hike.
  • Hooker Valley Track - Being dropped off at the start of the Hooker Valley Track you will depart on a self-guided, 3 hour return easy but spectacular hike. The hike includes amazing views of Hooker Lake, Hooker Glacier and Mt Cook (weather dependant). You also get the chance to spot ice bergs and cross the three famous swing bridges. It is easy to see why this is one of New Zealand’s favourite walks. After this sprit lifting experience, our guide will pick you back up again from the start of the track.
  • High Country Salmon - Farewelling Aoraki/Mt Cook Village and making our way back to Queenstown we stop in at High Country Salmon, a local salmon farm, where you can feed the fish and taste some of the freshest salmon in New Zealand.
  • Mrs Jones Fruit Orchard - During summer months when the sun is still up and as we get close to Queenstown, we often stop at Mrs Jones Suncrest Orchard to try or buy her delicious local fruit or real fruit ice cream.
  • Queenstown - Sadly the tour must come to an end as we re-enter Queenstown and say our goodbyes.
What's Included
  • Bottled water included
  • Complimentary snacks provided
  • Experience a small group for a personalized touch
  • Enjoy a fully guided tour
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Lunch - opportunities to purchase along the way.
Additional Information

Cheeky Kiwi Travel not only provides access to exhilarating locales, but also enhances your experience through intimate tour groups, experienced guides, and a meticulously curated journey. Expect unexpected delight through hidden pit stops, wildlife sightseeing, custom-designed vehicles, gratis refreshments, and numerous other delightful extras. Our expeditions are memories in the making.

The Mt Cook & Hooker Valley Hike Tour comprises a petite, fully-supervised day trip that offers the topmost features of the region along with the renowned Hooker Valley Hike. Our distinctively enthusiastic guides will spark your adventure with their impactful narratives and extensive local knowledge. Tours are conducted in up-to-date, snug minibuses, laden with conveniences that prioritize your comfort and well-being.

  • A large amount of walking is involved.
  • Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair.
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
  • Children aged 7 years and below are required to travel in a child safety car seat. If you don’t have a car seat one can be provided (with 24 hours’ notice).
Location
The Station - Home of Adventure in Queenstown
Shotover Street
Please pick this location if your hotel is not on our list. We do not pick up from your hotel, motel or private property if it is not listed.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(144 Ratings)
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Joanna_r
May 25, 2024
Unforgettable - Absolutely amazing trip. Lynette, our guide was wonderful and we were treated to the most spectacular views that we could ever ask for.
Review provided by Viator
930mandyl
May 24, 2024
Best choice ever - Cheeky Kiwi Travel contacts you for your confirmation of pick up time and location twice, which shows the company’s responsibility to you. Tour guide Ken is a funny and caring person who taking care our whole journey. He also introduces us different stories and background information of New Zealand along the journey. He is amazing! Highly recommend for choosing cheeky Kiwi Travel!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jonathanlee0611
May 24, 2024
Great day with Cheeky Kiwi Travel - Our tour-guide Cameron was amazing! He knows a lot about Queenstown and helped us to understand a bit better about New Zealand! Best part of the trip is that, Cameron offered to provide us with the spikes (to install on our shoes), which really helped for people who are going to complete the entire Hooker Valley Track. Really good weather today which makes a better trip, thanks to Cam and Cheeky Kiwi Travel!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roam03086016327
May 24, 2024
Absolutely nice tour - It was really nice tour 😍 If i visit again in Queenstown, I'd like to book another tour by Cheeky Kiwi Travel. If you want to get a new experience, book this tour by Cheeky Kiwi Travel right away!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
839stuartd
May 1, 2024
Great views, noiseless, fresh air - Mt. Cook, Hooker Valley Tour was quite breathtaking at points. The only downside was that the views of Mt Cook itself were poor due to the weather. You can’t control the weather though so make the best of the still stunning views. Iveta was an experienced tour guide who told us she had lived in New Zealand for (I think) 17 years so she had a lot of great local information and a fair few jokes along the way to keep the mood light and fun. The highlight is the hike. It’s probably more of a slightly challenging walk if anything. We had three hours to complete it and I used about 2.5hrs and was seriously taking my time for plenty of photos on the way back. If it is wet, buy a poncho at the stop prior where you have breakfast for extra protection and wear wet weather clothing. Puddles can form on the path too so if you have waterproof shoes, that would be ideal. You don’t gain much elevation on the hike and you’re walking approx 11km there and back so for me, heat was not an issue other than I was too hot. The other stops were nice but the main event is definitely the hike. very glad I did it in wet weather, absolutely worth it. Try not to be deterred, the path is clearly marked and easy to navigate. Thanks Iveta for the recommendations and info you shared for Queenstown too
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hayleyb133
Apr 24, 2024
The best - This was one of the best tours I’ve done. Jeff and Renae were fantastic hosts, the other passengers were a great mix and the views were superb. I hiked and the view looked as good as those who were on the helicopter (I might be biased here) Usually you get to the end of a tour and think can I go to bed now, I was buzzing the whole day. Great value for money for those who don’t have a car in Queenstown.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eyko
Apr 21, 2024
Very good but it’s pity - It’s great trip and we enjoyed! Unfortunately, we couldn’t reach 3 swing bridge to see lake, we need 15 minutes more to reach there but, we have to return to our group on time 14:00. It’s pity !
Review provided by Viator
Giuliags734eu
Apr 14, 2024
Amazing trip! - We had the best tour guide in Queenstown, Jeff. We had an amazing trip even if the weather could have been better. Our driver Jeff was also the kindest driver possible, he didn’t hesitate to stop if someone wanted to take a picture and showed us hidden spots. I would definitely recommend it and if you get Jeff as driver a good time is guaranteed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alexhkao
Apr 10, 2024
Enjoyed Our Tour - Our guide Danny kept us entertained with stories and scenic viewing, made the long trip felt not so long. We enjoyed all the stops, especially the delicious real fruit ice cream. Danny clearly explained multiple options to spend our time in Mt Cook Hooker Valley, for us to choose according to one’s interest and/or ability.
Review provided by Viator
Pattij515
Apr 8, 2024
Fabulous guide and glorious scenery - We started our day with a fantastic guide, Dani. She is seriously the best driver we have ever had anywhere in the world. Safe, knowledgeable, clear, fun, helpful. We were blown away by her sense of humor and organization of the day. We had all ages and abilities in our group. One heli-hiker and one heli-scenic cruiser. It took five minutes to drop off the heli-hiker at the airport just outside the entrance to the park. On the day we were there, the skies were blue and never clouded over. Dani made sure people were prepared for the sun. She also spoke with each group to determine how long they wanted to hike. Several only wanted to be on the Hooker Trail for an hour or two. So she made arrangements to meet them, and transport one to the Heli-scenic flight and another group to Mt. Cook for lunch. Then she came back to get the rest of us three hours later. Three hours allowed us enough time to hike to the end, have 20-25 minutes for our bagged lunch and then hike back. We are in our 60’s and fit (and had trail shoes on our feet). On the way back, we picked up our Heli-hiker and still had plenty of time to top at the Salmon farm and for ice cream on the way back to Queenstown. It is a long day, but a great day with a variety of experiences and wonderful stories from Dani. It was one of our best days in NZ.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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