Mount Cook: Scenic Helicopter Flight with Alpine Landing

About This Experience

This 25-minute helicopter flight leaves from Mount Cook Airport, and Aoraki/Mount Cook is in view from the moment you lift off. Your pilot flies up the Tasman Valley and over a blue glacier lake, through the valleys and peaks of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, then sets down at an alpine landing site in the Southern Alps looking straight at the 3,724 m summit. Groups are small, capped at six passengers, and the pilot talks you through the landscape over the headsets for the whole flight.

At the landing you climb out and spend time on the high ground before the return leg to the airport. The operator says the site has snow about 95 percent of the year, but summer can bring too little snowfall to guarantee it, so a summer landing may be on rock. If a snow landing matters to you, the operator itself points to its ski plane and helicopter glacier flight, which it describes as a guaranteed snow landing all year round.

Check-in at the airport closes 45 minutes before departure. After you book, the operator emails to confirm your exact flight time, which can differ from the slot you requested; if the new time does not suit you, you get a full refund. Bags stay on the ground, but cameras and phones are welcome for the whole flight. Pickup and drop-off in Mount Cook Village are available if you arrange them directly with the operator.

Mountain weather decides whether you fly. If conditions cancel the flight, you are offered a new flight within 30 minutes or a full refund, and free cancellation runs up to 24 hours before departure. Weight and balance limits apply to every aircraft, with a passenger limit of about 115 kg (254 lb). In the rare case that a group's combined weight reaches the safety limit, your flight can be rescheduled, and you can cancel for a full refund instead.

Highlights

• Aoraki/Mount Cook (3,724 m) in view from takeoff onward
• A route up the Tasman Valley and over a blue glacier lake
• Step out at an alpine landing site that looks straight at Aoraki/Mount Cook
• Snow on the landing site about 95% of the year, according to the operator
• Valleys and peaks of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park seen from the air
• Cameras and phones allowed for the whole flight

What's Included

• ✓ 25-minute scenic helicopter flight from Mount Cook Airport
• ✓ Alpine landing where you leave the helicopter
• ✓ Pilot guide with live commentary in English
• ✓ Small group, limited to 6 participants
• ✓ Pickup and drop-off in Mount Cook Village, arranged with the operator

Not Included

• A guaranteed snow landing (snow can be missing in summer)
• Pickup outside Mount Cook Village
• Bags on board (not allowed)

What to Bring

• Sunglasses
• Closed-toe shoes
• Camera or phone

Good to Know & Caveats

• Snow on the landing site cannot be guaranteed all year because summer snowfall can be too low
• After booking, the operator emails to confirm your exact flight time, which may differ from the one you requested; if you cannot make the new time, you get a full refund
• If weather cancels the flight, you are offered a new flight within 30 minutes or a full refund
• Weight and balance limits apply to all aircraft; the passenger weight limit is about 115 kg (254 lb)
• If the combined weight of all passengers reaches the safety limit, your flight may be rescheduled, and you can cancel for a full refund
• Check-in closes 45 minutes before departure
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund

Meeting Point

Check in at Mount Cook Airport, Mount Cook Road, Mount Cook 7999. Pickup and drop-off in Mount Cook Village are available if you arrange them directly with the operator.