Chances are, however, that Moraine Walk at Tasman Lake doesn’t quite ring a bell. Along the way, you’ll encounter a side-trail heading towards the Blue Lakes. A few icebergs in the lake. The 10km trail finishes at the Hooker Lake which, on a calm day, reflects Mount Cook off its surface. I had a great time there and I’m sure you would too. The Tasman Glacier viewpoint hike to the moraine lookout starts from the Tasman Glacier car park, approximately 15 minutes from Mount Cook Village. This trip branches off the Tasman Glacier View Track just past the Blue Lakes Shelter and leads to a viewpoint of the glacier terminal lake and the source of the Tasman River. This is in the Tasman valley, one valley to the east of Hooker valley. The hike to view the glacier is straight up, mostly on gravel stairs with no handrails. More of a stroll than a hike. Then, take a paved walk back to the parking lot, completing the circle. Mount Cook: Top of the Tasman Glacier Hike Explore the immense beauty of the upper snowfield of the Tasman Glacier. make sure to climb down to the bottom of the river it's just stunning! Tasman Glacier: Tasman Glacier Just 15 minutes hike - See 93 traveler reviews, 237 candid photos, and great deals for South Island, New Zealand, at Tripadvisor. The viewpoint at the top is the real goal here and let me tell you – it is well worth the effort. Moraine Ridge Walk at Lake Tasman in Mount Cook National Park is exactly that type of place. 6) Tasman Lake Track. Fly over the Southern Alps and Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park to reach Tasman Glacier, New Zealand’s largest glacier and a frozen wonderland of ice caves, snow fields, crevasses and pinnacles. Our main reason to go to Tasmania was to cycle and of course to hike the famous Overland Track.This 5-6 day trek from Cradle Mountain NP to Lake St. Clair NP is said to be one of the finest multi day hikes in the world and has been praised by Cheryl Strayed on the National Geographic website. Tasman Lake Track is a 2.2 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Mount Cook Village, Canterbury, New Zealand that features a lake and is good for all skill levels. There are a couple of good walks near Mt Cook for those who don’t want a hike. The Tasman Glacier terminates into a lake (Tasman Lake) which is currently 5km … Icebergs can be seen floating in the lake in summer, and in winter the lake freezes over. Location – Aoraki Mt. Had to rock scramble a bit to find trail at top of moraine at one point but fun. Read our guide on how to hike one of the best Great Walks, Abel Tasman Coast Track. Book your tickets online for Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier walks, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu): See 258 reviews, articles, and 482 photos of Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier walks, ranked No.4 on Tripadvisor among 13 attractions in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te … It’s amazing how sometimes you find beauty where you never quite anticipated it. The terminal face of Tasman black glacier is visible although quite far away. And as always, if you have any questions or comments, leave them down below and I’ll do my best to respond! I cited it earlier in the article and it’s where I learned about the Moraine Walk in the first place. This iceberg is located in Tasman Lake at the terminal of the massive Tasman Glacier - New Zealand. Tasman Glacier View Walk Overview. Getting to the Tasman Glacier Track This short hike is located down the Tasman Valley Road, an offshoot of the main Mount Cook Road. An easy hike for all abilities on a wide gravel track. Tasman Lake Track is a 2.2 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Mount Cook Village, Canterbury, New Zealand that features a lake and is good for all skill levels. Unlike the alpine Great Walks the Abel Tasman Track can be walked year round so if you walk in the cooler months you will probably find it far less busy. Blue lakes is a short walk and the climb to the Tasman Glacier is worth it once you get there – although it’s a short walk you climb 100mts high mainly up steps so be prepared – the other one is to the source of the Tasman River and the Tasman Glacier lake and thankfully its mainly flat. In my opinion, this steep ascent is the most difficult and boring part of the hike. The content on this page was created by The Wigley: Top of the Tasman Glacier Hike This website helps visitors connect with providers of great New Zealand tourism experiences. Super easy and short relaxing walk with a nice view over the lake. Just follow the most obvious route down and you will soon find yourself on the trail again. You get to see the Tasman River and the lake icebergs up close. The hike to Ball Hut is along the entire stretch of Tasman Lake and Glacier along the lateral moraine (the rocky debris pushed to the side as the glacier carved its way into the valley). Help keep our trails and parks open during COVID-19 by committing to social distancing. At first you will get a beautiful view of the lake from up top as you see plenty of icebergs floating in the water. It was easy at first, as it followed a kind of service trail and was flat. Path is crowded but accessible to most people. Tasman Glacier Lake is a relatively recent addition to the scene, starting its formation in 1974 and growing steadily since then. ( or you can walk the no step trail alongside the steps). ... followed by the Lake Waikaremoana with a 33 per cent increase in nights booked from the … If you’re in a rush (or you just hate walking up hills) you could skip the first part and head straight to the lake / river section of the track. Honestly, I would’ve had a hard time believing the image above, had I not taken it myself. In my opinion, this steep ascent is the most difficult and boring part of the hike. An easy 20-minute or so stroll will lead you back to where we started. You might have heard of the famous Hooker Valley Track or the Sealy Tarns trail. Sad fact: The Tasman Glacier is New Zealand’s fastest retreating glacier and between 2000 and 2008 the glacier retreated 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) from Tasman Lake. Don’t worry about losing your way, however. After Queenstown, we set out to meet our friends at the Hermitage Hotel, a beautiful hotel inside Mount Cook National Park.This was 3.5 hours away from Queenstown, so we woke up early, grabbed breakfast from Ferg Bakery, and then were on the road again. No tourists, no other hikers, just incredible New Zealand nature all around. The Moraine Walk essentially follows the crest or spine of rolling hills of moraine till left by the glacier as it receded. But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself! But if the weather looks promising, definitely consider coming here in the morning. The journey starts at Tasman Glacier Car Park. The trail then goes back down the same ~100 steps and follows a gravel trail to the end of the glacier lake which was brown from all the sediment. Moraine Walk is essentially an unsigned off-trail route that connects the Tasman Lake Viewpoint and the Tasman Lake outlet into a single loop track. The Tasman River is the main water flow that feeds Lake Pukaki, and the Tasman river comes from the melting Tasman Glacier. The Tasman Glacier is the largest glacier in New Zealand - by far. Great view of Tasman Glacier and Terminal Lake. The path follows the ridge down to the lakeshore, making its way through rocks and rubble. Length: 45 min – 1 hour return / 2.5km / 1.5 miles; Start and end point: Tasman Glacier / Blue Lakes Car Park You can see the glacier way up behind Tasman lake, and a number of awesome icebergs in the lake. - Klook India The trail is steep to the lookout, but it’s a short trail. The large terminal moraines mark the foot of the Tasman Glacier at the time of the lake’s formation and are a sobering reminder of the glacier’s retreat. Keep right at the next junction and follow this well-made trail around the peninsula to emerge at the western edge of Kerr Bay. Instead of just ending the hike after the Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier View, you can continue on the Tasman Lake Track that brings you to some additional views closer to the lake itself towards the southern end of the lake. I was told about this moraine viewpoint by a friend who lives in New Zealand when I was looking for the best Tasman … TASMAN GLACIER VIEW HIKE … I’m truly grateful to each and every one of you who choose to do so. It was easy at first, as it followed a kind of service trail and was flat. But we’ll get to that in a second. We'd recommend this hike to anyone, though if you are walking the track in the warmer months do expect it to be busy. This creates, in my opinion, a much more diverse and entertaining route. The best thing about the Moraine Walk is that you will probably have it all to yourself. It’s a great source of information for anyone traveling to New Zealand and amazing for finding these kinds of off-the-beaten-path spots. There, a barely visible path will lead you to the riverbank. From the rugged backcountry of the Kahurangi National Park, to the glacial lakes and alpine valleys of Nelson Lakes National Park, right through to the coastal beauty of the Abel Tasman National Park, you'll never be short of options to hike amongst our spectacular surroundings. Includes tips on best things to do, where to stay, how to g To those still reading at this point, I do recommend checking my YouTube video from the location to see why I loved it so much as well as an amazing book NZ Frenzy by Scott Cook. Why is that so exciting, you might wonder. We are located at the Old Mountaineers' Cafe Bar & Restaurant next door to the DOC Visitor Information Centre. These days they are rather unremarkable, so feel free to skip them. Enjoy a scenic helicopter flight from Mt Cook to Tasman Glacier followed by an exhilarating 2-hour guided walk on the glacier itself. Much like the viewpoint above, it is a place to simply take in the beauty of the surrounding landscape. Otherwise I would skip it entirely and just visit the Hooker Track. An interesting (but definitely not fun) fact is that they believe the 2011 Christchurch earthquake contributed to a huge calving of the glacier where 30 to 40 million metric tons of ice fell into the lake.. Key Statistics: The Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier View Track. Show more The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is accessible year-round. Steps going up to a view point of the Tasman glacier, which is unfortunately barely visible because so small now and covered of dust (March 2020, post Australian fires :( ). Read all 262 reviews. The Tasman Glacier is the source of the popular and beautiful Lake Pukaki, which was created by the receding ice carving the rock over thousands of years. Hiking the Tasman Lake Mount Cook National Park is well known for its abundance of incredibly beautiful hiking routes of varying difficulty. The trail is steep to the lookout, but it’s a short trail. Rocky dry setting closer to lake- nice contrast with other area hikes and not crowded late in the day. Cook National Park. Tasman Glacier trail is a short drive from the Mount Cook Village with ample parking available. Highlights – Truly breathtaking views of glacier, glacial moraines, lake, and mountains.. All up the Tasman Glacier / Lake hike took us around 90 minutes. There were two icebergs floating that were cool to see but otherwise this could be skipped. The smallest national park in New Zealand, Abel Tasman, is a paradise for all travelers who love hiking, kayaking, biking, canyoning or lazing on the beach. Get to walk around the alpine environment of the valley and ride an MAC boat around the glacier lake. Worth it though!! It contains 1/3 of all the glacier ice in New Zealand! I counted 333 stairs to the top at the lookout Whether or not you head to the jetty, you should definitely continue the trail to the Tasman River. Length Of Walk – 500 m one way, about 15 minutes.. Hike on the Top of Tasman Glacier. This magnificent glacier is the largest of several in the region that flows towards the Mackenzie Basin from the Southern Alps. I did this recently (in 2019). It was incredible!!!! The outlet offers a different view of the Tasman Lake and the mountains in the background. This hike is just over 1 mile each way, and brings you right up to the shores of the Tasman Lake. Whatever time of year you hike we're sure you'll be blown away by the scenery. We hope you enjoy your The Tasman Glacier Lake Walk when visiting Mt Cook. If you want to see a more impressive glacier, go to Franz Joseph! This variation features a side trip to Blue Lake and Lake Constance. *This text contains an affiliate link. If you branch off and visit the Blue Lakes too, the hike will take about 1 hour return without counting photo stops. As you emerge at the observation area, you are treated to a sweeping panorama of the Tasman Lake below and the surrounding mountains. This is as far as most people go. Adding the side track to the Blue Lakes brings that distance to 1.85 kilometers to visit the first two lakes or 2.75 kilometers round trip going all the way to Ball Hut Road. We are located at the Old Mountaineers' Cafe Bar & Restaurant next door to the DOC Visitor Information Centre. Blue lakes is a short walk and the climb to the Tasman Glacier is worth it once you get there – although it’s a short walk you climb 100mts high mainly up steps so be prepared – the other one is to the source of the Tasman River and the Tasman Glacier lake and thankfully its mainly flat. This is in the Tasman valley, one valley to the east of Hooker valley. I counted 333 stairs to the top at the lookout We fitted our crampons (shoes with spikes) and then off we set for our 2 hour hike. You might have heard of the famous Hooker Valley Track or the Sealy Tarns trail. Mount Cook Village, Canterbury, New Zealand. Easy walk. Highlights – Truly breathtaking views of glacier, glacial moraines, lake, and mountains.. You have to do this in a relatively short time. In the early 1970s, there were several small meltwater ponds on the Tasman Glacier. The 400 climbing steps were a challenge, but definitely worth the effort. This will be one of the best places to take photos of the lake as well as the valley. This is a one-hour walk. Plenty of little details to see along the way, such as lichens, mosses, and tiny plants between the rocks. Interesting partial view of Mount Cook. A few icebergs in the lake. Spectacular views of the surrounding snow capped mountains, cotton candy colored water, boulders and icebergs. Department of Conservation suggests climbing to the viewpoint first, then retracing your steps and taking a completely different road down to the river. There are a couple of good walks near Mt Cook for those who don’t want a hike. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is accessible year-round. Your email address will not be published. Fly Cook Fly Heli-Hike Fly da Queenstown. The first 17km of the glacier is up in the mountains and remains frozen solid due to the cold, high altitude air. Some trails or park services may be closed this weekend so check with local authorities before heading out. The glaciar is really far away. What you can do instead, though, is continue past the Tasman Lake Viewpoint onto a moraine ridge. The trip will showcase scenic viewpoints along the way, such as Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki, the Ben Ohau Range, and sites from Lord of the Rings. Tasman Lake is a proglacial lake formed by the recent retreat of the Tasman Glacier in New Zealand 's South Island. Take A Hike New Zealand – 6 Top Trails. Tasman Glacier View Walk Overview. Full view. We turned hike into loop by walking atop moraine to other end of lake where boats launch and taking that trail back. There is no access to the lake from up here, so you do need to walk around. It’ll mean an early start, for sure, but the views will be absolutely lovely. The Tasman Glacier Lake Walk is a great return walk of 0.7km, it'll take you around 20 mins allowing for time to take photos. Difficulty – Easy. Avoid long lines at Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre by having admission included. Tasman Glacier hike - general info. To me, it represents what a true New Zealand experience should look like. Worth it if you want to take a break from driving. Heavily trafficked as described, lots of people but easy walk to do to stretch your legs before the long drive out of the Mt. An interesting (but definitely not fun) fact is that they believe the 2011 Christchurch earthquake contributed to a huge calving of the glacier where 30 to 40 million metric tons of ice fell into the lake.. Key Statistics: The Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier View Track. Keep bearing to the right and you’ll be at the mouth of the Tasman river. Glacier Kayaking, Southern Alps Guiding, Aoraki Mt Cook Guiding Company, Tasman Glacier Skiing, Tasman Glacier Heli Skiing and Heli Hiking are based in the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. it's not every day you get to walk on snow/ice built up … We decided to turn right for the 25 minute walk toward Tasman Lake. It’s a real adventure and makes this hike worth doing. This is a version of the Travers-Sabine Circuit, which is a multi-day hike (4-7 days) in Nelson Lakes National Park. The Abel Tasman Track is rated as one of New Zealand’s Great Walks and this tour is the most relaxing way to experience all the Abel Tasman National Park has to … It will make the hike more challenging! Home to three extraordinary national parks, Nelson Tasman is a destination for avid hikers and lovers of the outdoors. Not a distinct view than seeing Mueller Lake from the Kea Point Track. I really enjoyed hiking the Tasman Lake and the Moraine Walk. Hikers have a choice to either turn right to trek on towards the Tasman Lake and Tasman River or turn left to head towards the Tasman Glacier View & the Blue Lakes. New Zealand’s Longest Glacier. loved it anyway! Beautiful views over the lake with icebergs and the Tasman Glacier. More of a stroll than a hike. Tasman Lake is at the terminal of Tasman Glacier in New Zealand. We hope you enjoy your The Tasman Glacier Lake Walk when visiting Mt Cook. I don’t place ads in this blog, so it’s the single best way to support me and my work. Explore the immense beauty of the upper snowfield of the Haupapa/Tasman Glacier. The next bit is where the fun truly begins. It helped to have the hike downloaded because there is no real trail/markers that connect the mouth of the river with the view point. Know before you go Worth it if you want to take a break from driving. Love photography. But, cool as it is, that’s not what makes this hike so remarkable and unique. Tasman Glacier hike - general info. Moraine Walk is great fun and brings you closer to all the good stuff that Tasman Lake has to offer. The hike to view the glacier is straight up, mostly on gravel stairs with no handrails. Tour boat among the icebergs on Tasman Lake Filed Under: New Zealand, Travelling Tagged With: hiking, Mount Cook, Mountains, New Zealand, Your email address will not be published. Spend some time at the lakeshore, then return to the parking lot via a paved marked road. Lots of icebergs congregate to the south part of the lake. Another highlight is a visit to the Tasman Glacier, and a … On this vlog, we are exploring Blue Lake & Tasman Glacier Track / … You will notice the sign pointing towards Tasman Valley road on the right side of Mount Cook Road just before the village. Went right at fork to Tasman Lake (no stairs that way). $991.25 per adulto. Moraine Walk is great fun and brings you closer to all the good stuff that Tasman Lake has to offer. On a clear day you can even see Mount Cook in the distance. Family-friendly walk. The deep turquoise color of the water is truly otherworldly. After flying in to 2,200 meters aboard a ski plane, you will be ready to explore ice formations in this ever-changing environment. Continue on a loop by walking on the moraine - it’s steep, rocky and windy, but a fun time. The Tasman Lake Jetty is where the Tasman Lake Glacier Boat Rides depart from and gives you a view of the lake from down below. Travers Saddle features stunning views of surrounding mountains and Blue Lake has stunning colors and some of the freshest water in the world. ... Queenstown, viaggiando attraverso il cuore del Parco Nazionale di Fiordland, e poi navigando fino al bordo del Mar di Tasman. From here, a short 15-minute climb leads to the Tasman Lake Viewpoint. You can hardly see the glacier and the lakes are not impressive. LOTS of steps Lying long and deep in the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is the incredible Tasman Glacier, a terminal ice structure that is the biggest of its kind in New Zealand.. Here the road veers away from the lake and you leave it to pick up the Peninsula Nature Walk. However, I rated this 5-star because I joined the top lookout to the end of the glacier lake by taking the very rugged and unmarked Moraine Walk. Another track branches off to go to the source of the Tasman River. An easy hike for all abilities on a wide gravel track. Steps going up to a view point of the Tasman glacier, which is unfortunately barely visible because so small now and covered of dust (March 2020, post Australian fires :( ). Stay right again to end of Tasman Lake with icebergs. The hike to Tasman Glacier View is 1.15 kilometers (0.7 miles) round trip with 85 meters (280 feet) of elevation change. At the end of this hike, you’ll see there are many kayaks and small boats on shore. Explore the immense beauty of the upper snowfield of the Haupapa/Tasman Glacier, this is where its 23-kilometre journey begins. As you fly in to 2200 metres (7200 ft.) aboard your ski plane, marvel at the rock and ice debris transform to glistening white. The Haupapa/Tasman Glacier is the longest glacier in New Zealand, currently 23 kilometres (14.2 miles) long and up to 2 kilometres wide. Hike on the Top of Tasman Glacier. Enjoy a scenic helicopter flight from Mt Cook to Tasman Glacier followed by an exhilarating 2-hour guided walk on the glacier itself. This fly-in, fly-out heli-hike combines the excitement of walking on the mighty Tasman Glacier and the excitement of two helicopter flights. By the 1990s, however, these ponds had joined, and the Tasman Lake was born. The Tasman Glacier car park has plenty of space for cars and campers. As you fly in to 2200 metres (7200 ft.) aboard your ski plane, marvel at the rock and ice debris transform to glistening white. Well, for one, there are incredible vistas of the Tasman Lake all along the way. The hike itself has a lot of stairs so be prepared ... Lovely views of Tasman glacier and lake at top, perfect on a sunny summers day. The hike itself is a brief climb up wooden steps to the most incredible viewpoint of the Haupapa/Tasman Glacier - New Zealand's longest - feeding into the lake below! Free carpark; Free access to the walk; Toilets near the carpark, but none on the trails; Plan 30min return for the walk to the lookout - add 30min if you detour to the Blue Lakes; Plan 1h return of flat walking to reach the Tasman Lake shore. Explore the immense beauty of the upper snowfield of the Tasman Glacier. Explore the immense beauty of the upper snowfield of the Haupapa/Tasman Glacier, this is where its 23-kilometre journey begins. Tasman Valley Road, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu) New Zealand. The Tasman Glacier Lake Walk is a great return walk of 0.7km, it'll take you around 20 mins allowing for time to take photos.