Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There Blog (NZ Mt Cook & Tasman Glacier)

Welcome to my Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There Blog.

Today I’m heading into the middle of the South Island, Mackenzie country. Dotted with sparkling lakes and clusters of huge mountain ranges—including the tallest mountain in New Zealand, Mount Cook, this area is blessed with some of the most stunning scenery in the country.

Highlights:

Lake Tekapo. Lake Tekapo is very pretty, and so is the quaint old Church of the Good Shepherd which sits on its shores. We visited on a gorgeous day, so unfortunately there were tons of other tourists around.

Mount Cook. Some amazing scenery on the way to the mountains, including the turquoise blue of the lakes. 

Tasman glacier. The visitor centre at Mount cook told us there was only a short walk of 20 minutes to see the Tasman glacier. However, the sweet lady forgot to inform us that the track was nearly vertical and designed for mountain goats without a fear of heights – ie. Someone who wasn’t me. However I made it to the top and the view did justify the terrifying climb. We overlooked Lake Tasman, and were treated with the amazing sight of icebergs floating in a hidden lake. The icebergs didn’t look that big until you caught sight of the tiny tourists boats circling them far below.

Thinking about icebergs and snowcapped mountains makes me want to go back there—especially after the scorching hot weather we’ve had over the Christmas holidays!

Tracey.