If the jagged snowy peaks and glacial valleys of Mount Cook National Park look vaguely familiar, it may be because they were a prominent filming location in “The Lord of the Rings.” Located in the Canterbury region on New Zealand’s South Island, the park is part of the Southern Alps and home to the country’s highest mountains and largest glaciers. To see them up close, several trails zigzag across the mountainsides, including the Sealy Tarns Trail, which, although a challenging climb, rewards hikers with incredible views. It’s about a three-hour drive north from Queenstown, “the adventure capital of the world,” or around four hours from Christchurch.
No matter where you’re coming from, the scenic drive takes you through the heart of “Middle Earth” and winds past the turquoise waters of Lake Pukaki. During summer, the roads are easily passable, but take extra care in winter from June to August, when they sometimes close due to icy conditions. You need a solid rental car and maybe even snow chains. As you near the Sealy Tarns Trailhead, you’ll see Mount Cook — “Aoraki” in Te Reo Māori, meaning “cloud piercer” — towering over you to the left. As you continue along the road, you’ll get to White Horse Hill Campground, the main parking area and trailhead for the Sealy Tarns Track. It’s a fairly big parking lot and it’s free to use, although you may want to arrive early to be guaranteed a place.
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Hiking the Sealy Tarns Trail
A view of Mount Cook from the Sealy Tarns Trail in New Zealand – Alexander Jung/Shutterstock
The 3.3-mile out-and-back Sealy Tarns Trail may not be long, but you’ll feel the burn in every inch of your legs by the time you reach the top. Known as the Stairway to Heaven, the gently sloping start doesn’t stay gentle for long as the track soon turns into a steep climb up 2,200 steps and gain 1,790 feet in elevation. Although the track is well-maintained, it can get slippery, so it pays to have a decent pair of hiking boots. It can also get very windy, so layering up is the best way to stay warm — even in the summer. Stunning landscapes wait for you around every corner, and on a clear day, you’ll be rewarded with views over Hooker Valley, Mount Cook, and the Sealy Tarns themselves — small mountain lakes — when you get to the end of the trail.
For experienced hikers, the trail continues as the Mueller Hut Route, a demanding alpine track for which you’ll certainly need to pack your winter climbing backpack. The 6-mile out-and-back trail ends at the striking red Mueller Hut — be sure to reserve one of the 28 bunks in advance for an overnight stay. If you’re heading back down instead, book a spot at White Horse Hill Campground. The best time to hike is from November to March when the wildflowers are blooming and the tracks are clear of snow, but it also means sharing the trail with the crowds too.
More adventures in Mount Cook National Park
helicopters sitting in Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand – Scm Jeans/Getty Images
If you’ve ever dreamt of soaring over the Southern Alps, the mountain range that runs the length of New Zealand’s South Island, you could opt for a heli hike. The experience is part helicopter ride, followed by a guided walk over the impressive Tasman Glacier. Step into a surreal world filled with deep crevices and blue-tinged ice caves. Departures leave from the nearby Mount Cook airport, just a few miles from Mount Cook village, and some even leave from Queenstown.
For an evening adventure, make your way to the Aoraki MacKenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. Join the Summit Experience, a guided night tour led by enthusiastic astronomy experts as they take you on a journey through the cosmos under some of the darkest skies on the planet. Unpolluted skies mean that the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds are visible to the naked eye, proving you don’t need daylight to experience some of New Zealand’s most unforgettable views.
To find out more about the park and other must-do New Zealand experiences, stop by Aoraki/Mount Cook Visitor Centre. As well as providing you with all the information you’ll need for your hiking adventures, it also has some interesting exhibits on Māori legends and local wildlife. And if your legs are still burning after some serious steep climbs, head out to Lake Tekapo Hot Pools to ease your tired muscles. Here’s another South Island hiking trail where you can discover some of New Zealand’s best landscapes.
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Read the original article on Explore.