Mount Cook - MacKenzie

The Big Two

The Hooker Valley Track is what pretty much everyone does, and honestly, fair enough. It's flat, accessible, and genuinely stunning. You'll likely hear distant avalanches rumbling off the peaks while you walk. It's busy though. Like, really busy. My strong advice is to get up earlier than feels reasonable and be on the track before the sun is even up. The first section of the Tasman Glacier walk is the same deal. Go early, go under headtorch if you have to.

Don't Sleep on Mount John

Over in Tekapo, the Mount John walkway is one I'd make time for. It zigzags up through shade for most of the climb, which you'll appreciate, and then opens up at the top with views in every direction over the lake. The colour of Tekapo on a clear day when the sun is high is really something. Give yourself time to wander around the summit rather than just turning straight back.

If you're driving through Omarama, the Clay Cliffs are a short walk once you're there and worth a look if the gravel access road is in reasonable condition. Fair warning though: last time I went, we turned around before even getting in. The road can be rough and it's not always worth the trouble.