Mount Cook Village

If you love mountains, one of the most dramatic landscapes in the world is at Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. It boasts the tallest mountain, the largest glacier and the only glacial lakes with icebergs in New Zealand. The region is part of the Te Wahipounamu UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are more than 140 peaks over 2000 meters and contains all but five of New Zealand's 27 peaks over 3,000 meters. The highest, Mt. Cook is 3724 meters. The region has a long history as a playground of mountaineers, including the Kiwi hero, the late Sir Edmund Hillary. 40 percent of the park is made up of glaciers, including the Tasman Glacier, the longest in New Zealand. Since first being built in 1884, the Hermitage Hotel has been the cornerstone of Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Village. Despite a history scattered with flood, fire, triumph and tragedy, The Hermitage has stood as a perfect escape destination for generations of travelers to the Mount Cook Region. The hour long drive on Mt. Cook Road from the main highway is also very scenic along Lake Pukaki. The village is part of the Aoraki MacKenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, one of only 8 places in the world with light pollution heavily restricted so star-gazing is popular. Other than accommodations, the village offers a free visitors center, a fee museum about Sir Edmond Hillary, gift shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.