The southern part of New Zealand is as beautiful as the rest of the country and is abundant with many worth-seeing and amazing places. One of the most notable and darling one is Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park that is situated in close vicinity to Twizel town and draws the attention of all those people who take flights to Christchurch. The Aoraki/Mount Cook village and the highest mountain of the country also lie within the same park. To guard the jaw dropping landscape and vegetation of the area, this park was established and it consists of several reserves.
The park covers the land area of almost 700 km² and 40 percent of the complete area is blanketed with glaciers- Aoraki/Mt Cook and Tasman Glacier are the best-loved destinations of this area. The peak of Aoraki/Mt Cook is more than 3753 meters high and it serves to be the paradise of adventurers and explorers.
The park houses almost 400 species of plants and almost 100 new plant species have been introduced here to make it colorful and beautiful- the wilding pines, wild cherry and Russell lupin enhance the magic and charisma of this place. The park also offers shelter to more than 40 species of birds and you can also encounter Himalayan tahr , chamois, jewelled gecko, the Mount Cook flea. It has also been recorded that park also features 7 native butterflies and 223 breeds of moths.
There are plenty of activities that can be performed within this park. The park offers Walks for families ( suitable for all age groups, these walks are really exciting), Mount Cook Village Walking Tracks ( there are many wall ways and paths around the side of the village), the Tasman Valley Walking tracks ( there are many short walks that offer you the jaw dropping and awe-inspiring vistas of 3 km wide and 29 km long Tasman glacier).
The Mueller Hut Route is another fantastic fascination of this place that lies at the elevation of almost 1800 meters and offer the panoramic views of highest peaks, vertical rock faces, ice cliffs, glaciers at the Sealy Range. The Ball Pass Crossing is another famous and must-see attractions of the region that provide a 3-day route and offers a path to Mount Cook by passing through Tasman Valleys and the Hooker.
Other popular activities of the park are Mountain biking ( the permission is granted for on formed roads only), Star gazing, Snow activities, various scenic flights, hunting , mountaineering, climbing and tramping as well. From ultimate luxury accommodations to backpackers staying options, there are many lodges in the park- there are almost 17 huts; Tasman Saddle Hut, Sefton Bivvy, Plateau Hut, Onslow Hut (Steffan Memorial Hut), Murchison Hut, Mueller Hut, Liebig Hut, Kelman Hut, Haast Hut, Godley Hut, Gardiner Hut, De La Beche Hut, Barron Saddle Hut, Ball Hut and many others so this time in your vacations just pack up your belongings and head towards Christchurch.
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