Tekapo Shuttle: Mt Cook Day Tour via Pukaki & Tasman Lake

About This Experience

This day trip from Lake Tekapo is a shuttle to the main walks in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, with a driver who knows the tracks. It meets at 8:00 am from September to May, or 8:30 am from June to August, at the Four Square supermarket car park, and returns to Tekapo around 4:30 to 5:00 pm. The coach carries up to 60 passengers and runs year-round with no minimum numbers, and all the walking is self-guided at your own pace.

The first stop is Peter's Lookout on the shore of Lake Pūkaki, with a view up the lake to Aoraki/Mount Cook and the Southern Alps. You reach the Hermitage Hotel around 10:00 am, later in winter, and you can get off there and spend the day in the village if you would prefer not to walk. At 10:15 am the group walks the Tasman Glacier View Track, about 300 steps up to a view of the Tasman Glacier and Tasman Lake, or the easier Tasman River Track, depending on the driver's advice.

At 11:30 am you start the Hooker Valley Track, which is fully open to Hooker Lake over three swing bridges. The listing puts the average return walk at about 3 hours and allows roughly 4 hours on the track. When you finish, a free shuttle runs every 30 minutes between 1:00 and 2:30 pm from the Hooker Valley car park to Mount Cook Village, where you have free time before the coach leaves the Hermitage at 3:00 pm.

On the way back there is a stop at Lake Pūkaki around 4:00 pm for photos and the Mt Cook Alpine Salmon Shop. Water, snacks, Wi-Fi, a 240V outlet and USB charging are on board, and snow spikes are handed out when the tracks are snowy. Lunch is not included, so bring your own. If tracks are fully closed or DOC maintenance stops the trip, you get a full refund, and you can cancel free up to 24 hours ahead.

Highlights

• About 4 hours for the Hooker Valley Track to Hooker Lake, a walk the listing puts at 3 hours return on average
• The Tasman Glacier View Track, about 300 steps up to a view of the Tasman Glacier and Tasman Lake, or the easier Tasman River Track
• A photo stop at Peter's Lookout over Lake Pūkaki toward Aoraki/Mount Cook
• Free time in Mount Cook Village before the 3:00 pm departure, or the option to skip the walks and stay at the Hermitage all day
• A 4:00 pm stop at Lake Pūkaki for photos and the Mt Cook Alpine Salmon Shop
• A year-round departure with no minimum passenger numbers

What's Included

• ✓ Return coach transport between Lake Tekapo and Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
• ✓ Free shuttle from the Hooker Valley car park to Mount Cook Village every 30 minutes, 1:00 to 2:30 pm
• ✓ Bottled water and snacks
• ✓ Wi-Fi, a 240V outlet and USB charging on board
• ✓ Snow spikes when the tracks are snowy
• ✓ A driver who recommends the best Tasman track on the day and confirms track access

Not Included

• Lunch (bring your own)
• A guide on the walks, which are self-guided

What to Bring

• Your own lunch
• Rain gear, since the weather can change quickly
• A phone number or social media account the driver can use to contact you during the day
• Walking shoes for about 10 km on the Hooker Valley Track

Good to Know & Caveats

• Check in 10 minutes before departure: 8:00 am from September to May, or 8:30 am from June to August.
• The driver waits in the Four Square car park or the public parking area next to it.
• Track access can change with the weather or DOC maintenance, so confirm with the driver on the day.
• The coach leaves the Hermitage at 3:00 pm; tell the driver if you are doing another activity or need pickup elsewhere.
• The end time can run about 30 minutes late in heavy traffic and crowds, especially in summer.
• Up to 60 passengers travel on the shuttle, and the operator says it may add seats even when the booking shows full.
• Ask the driver if you need a drop-off at your accommodation in Tekapo.

Meeting Point

Meet at the Four Square supermarket car park in Lake Tekapo (22 Rapuwai Lane), or the public parking area next to it, at 8:00 am from September to May or 8:30 am from June to August. There is no hotel pickup, but you can ask the driver for a drop-off at your accommodation.