Mt Cook overnight or just 2 hours via bus

I will have Monday - Thursday or Friday before a meeting in Wellington in January to hit a one or two NZ South Island highlights. I am a 50 yr old female traveling alone who enjoys mountains, birds, animals, walking, and anything that is unique about a destination. I would like to use public transport or tours for this part of my trip.

As I posted when I started planning this trip, on my last visit to NZ's SI I had a great penguin tour from Dunedin, glow worm/lake trip in Te Anau, day hike/boat trip to Milford, and the commercial flight to/from AKL was like flightseeing of the mountains.

I had originally planned to fly to CHC and go up to Arthur's Pass, but your comments on my posting about going there for views and walks made me rethink. I am now thinking of flying AKL-ZQN or CHC on my day of arrival (Monday), staying overnight, and then taking a bus to Mt Cook on Tuesday. This is a longer drive than Arthur's Pass, but looks more dramatic with the lakes and the mountains.

Question 1--my options are to combine an Atomic or Intercity bus to Twizel, then change to a Mt Cook shuttle or else take Great Sights tour bus all the way to Mt Cook (much more expensive, but no change). I used Atomic before and it was fine basic bus transport. I assume the Great Sights is more expensive because it is a tour with commentary. Has anyone used them?

Question 2--Either bus would get me to Mt Cook around 1pm. There is an option to just stay for 2-2.5 hours and then return or continue onward to the other city. I thought I would overnight at Mt Cook (rooms are available) so I could take walks. I could get a bus out the next morning at 10am, connect in Twizel and be in CHC or ZQN in late afternoon on Wednesday. I doubt one can see much with just 2 hours? Anyone taken a bus tour like this from/to CHC and ZQN? How long have you stopped/spent at Mt Cook if focusing on walks and views, not flying to the glacier? The only reasons I was considering the day trip with 2 hours at Mt Cook rather than overnight are that I could keep same hotel in CHC, and then I have the option to ride the bus/train to Picton and take the ferry to WEL. This might be too much seat time--flying US-NZ, bus RT Mt Cook, bus/train/ferry to WEL. If I overnight at Mt Cook, I would need to fly from ZQN or CHC to WEL because of time. Less seat time, but no scenic ride up coast or ferry views.

The other reason I am rather constrained is that I want to visit Kapiti Island overnight to look for kiwis in conjunction with my Wellington stop. I can stay there on Thursday night, so that means I need to get to WEL on Wednesday evening or early on Thursday morning. Going on to WEL on Wednesday gives me the option of both the 9am and 3pm ferry crossings.

So, I would appreciate any experiences you've had visiting Mt Cook. I saw the posts of questions and responses from 2007 from the Indian honeymooner, but not much more.

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mlgb on Nov 8, 09 at 01:27 PM

Although I enjoy spending a night at Mt. Cook Village (to see the sunsets and sunrises), you can also sample some of the short walks that leave from the vicinity of the Hermitage & visitor center. If there is a view of Mt. Cook the Hermitage is just as good a place as any.

I don't know about Great Sights, but I would check that the other options do a photo stop at Lake Tekapo and the church.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/canterbury/aoraki-area/aoraki-mount-cook-village-walking-tracks/
Kay2 on Nov 8, 09 at 03:44 PM

Good point.
I saw on Intercity
Tekapo Refreshment Stop 12:00 pm- 12:40 pm Reflections Cafe Carpark, Main Highway
and
Southern Links
Tekapo Break 1:30 pm Lake Tekapo Tavern 2:10pm
and nothing on Atomic timetable.
I'll ask them directly.
I'll have to look up where Reflections Cafe and Tekapo Tavern are.
Melnq8 on Nov 8, 09 at 06:58 PM

Just about everything in Lake Tekapo is right along the main highway, as it's a tiny settlement (although I was surprised how much it'd grown on my last visit). Reflections Cafe and Lake Tekapo Tavern are right on SH 8.

As for whether or not to spend a night in Mt Cook, keep in mind there really isn't much there. Here's a list of all the tracks in the area, most of which are pretty short:

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/canterbury/aoraki-area/aoraki-mount-cook-village-walking-tracks/
mlgb on Nov 8, 09 at 07:45 PM

Actually those are just the short walks (you might notice that the same link is posted two responses up). There are other activities and longer walks but with just another another half day some of them are not really possible.

Just for reference there is now a float trip to the icebergs breaking off the foot of the Tasman glacier as well flights with the Mt. Cook Skiplanes. Of course they won't go in bad weather so I don't know if I'd plan a whole itinerary around them. However Kay you might consider doing that I was able to get the empty seat as a single on the Grand Circle trip one year and it was sooooo fantastic. My favorite part was flying over the snow field that is the start of the Fox/Franz..although the glacier landing was also fun.

http://www.skiplanes.co.nz/Flights/Aoraki-Mt-Cook-Flights/Ski-Plane-Flights.asp
Melnq8 on Nov 8, 09 at 08:06 PM

Sorry mlgb, missed your earlier link.

Kay2 on Nov 8, 09 at 10:49 PM

My husband is a pilot and he only allows me to fly in small planes and helicopters with him or someone he has checked out--sort of like having your father check out your dates. So, I'll have to pass on the flights.

I did a sea kayak to glacier near Valdez, Alaska with hubby that was a quite fun outing and really beautiful. Another time we did a day cruise from Seward, Alaska that included waiting for the glacier face to calf. They are amazing. I was surprised at another one that terminates on land there that people were going unescorted around the warning signs and climbing around, into ice caves, etc. I appreciate their beauty, but also respect their dangers.

I did see the longer 4-hr Hooker Valley walk, but would be out late or early for that. Would have to check sunrise/sunset. I don't mind short or long walks, just not too remote or seldom traveled as I will be solo.

The isolation, smallness of Mt Cook doesn't bother me for an overnight to soak up some nature if the weather is nice or marginal (I love US national parks), but if the weather is really bad and you can't see the scenery, I would probably feel stuck.

Thanks for helping me think this one through. There is never enough time, at least in my schedule.

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Mt Cook overnight or just 2 hours via bus

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