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The Cool Climber

Tasman Glacier Ice Climbing

The Cool Climber

The Cool Climber
Are you ready for a technical and physically demanding adventure? Join us for an advanced ice climbing experience in New Zealand’s big alpine environment!

This trip is not for the faint-hearted—it requires a high level of fitness, beyond that of a heli hike, and involves up to 7 hours on the ice. A good understanding of English is essential to ensure safety and to fully benefit from the detailed instruction provided by our expert guides.

A thrilling scenic helicopter flight will take you deep into the Tasman Glacier, where you’ll access the best ice climbing locations. Soak in breathtaking views of New Zealand’s dramatic alpine landscapes, including the Haupapa/Tasman Glacier Lake and the striking Hochstetter Icefall.

Our highly skilled guides will teach you advanced crampon and ice axe techniques. You’ll use specialized ice climbing equipment to climb vertical and sometimes overhanging ice walls, pinnacles, or even descend into crevasses—all while securely anchored by a top rope attached to your harness.

This personalized experience is designed for people looking to challenge themselves and rapidly develop their skills in a thrilling environment. Our ice-climbing guides follow a carefully structured teaching method to ensure you progress efficiently and safely.

Step out of your comfort zone and onto the ice for an unforgettable adventure!

Just make any changes you think necessary or throw out and start again.

Tour Details

FITNESS LEVEL

Good/High

EXPERIENCE LEVEL

No ice climbing experience required

Tour Times

8:00am
Check In 20 mins. before

Understanding the Risks

Walking on a glacier involves risk. Please see our Risk Disclosure Statement:

Price

$1250 per Person
A minimum of 3 people is required per group

Price valid to 30 September 2026

 

FAQs

We recommend you book in advance so you don’t miss out on this amazing experience. You can easily book with us online, or contact us via phone or email. 

We suggest booking for your first day in Mt. Cook, as our experiences are weather dependent. 

Check-in time is 20 minutes before meeting guided trip.

Please note the check in time and flight time are not the same. This allows you enough time to prepare for your trip before flight time.

Absolutely no experience is needed for any of our trips. Our guides will provide specialist equipment and professional instruction to quickly have you exploring the glacier with confidence.

Can you walk up and down a flight of stairs without holding the handrail? Can you walk at a moderate pace, starting and stopping, for up to 2 hours? At times we might have to walk on steeper steps with a handrail for balance.

Good fitness for this trip is a level of fitness sufficient to ascend and descend 1000m+ over 8 hours or more carrying a pack 12kg (26lb) or more over multiple days.

Yes, we require 4 people for this trip to go ahead. If you have less than 4 people in your group, we will do our best to put you on a trip with other people. If minimum numbers are not met, we can accommodate private trips at an additional cost. For more details, contact us.

Aoraki/Mt Cook Village is located on the eastern side of the Southern Alps/Ka Tiritiri O te Moana in the McKenzie Country Region.  It is home to most of New Zealand’s big mountains over 3,000m including the tallest, Aoraki/Mt Cook at 3724m.

Weather in this alpine environments is subject to rapid change and temperatures can vary accordingly.

Weather and cloud levels can change within a matter of minutes. This is why our weather checks are not made until 10 minutes before your departure time.

There is an individual weight restriction of 116 kg/256 pounds for our experiences as they utilise either helicopters or ski planes. Please contact us on info@mtcookguides.co.nz or 0800 68 2665 if you would like to join a trip and are over this weight limit.

No. Please leave your drone behind. It is illegal to fly a drone in Mt. Cook as it is within a National Park.

If you fly a drone, it will be confiscated and you will be fined $5,000. For rules on flying drones in New Zealand, please reference www.airshare.co.nz.

If for some reason you need to cancel your trip, then let us know as soon as possible. Most of our trips are fully refundable provided we receive your cancellation request twenty-four (24) hours prior to the reporting time. Please see the Terms and Conditions section on this website for more details.

Please find more questions and answers on our FAQ Page.

We recommend you book in advance so you don’t miss out on this amazing experience. You can easily book with us online, or contact us via phone or email. 

We suggest booking for your first day in Mt. Cook, as our experiences are weather dependent. 

Check-in time is 20 minutes before meeting guided trip.

Please note the check in time and flight time are not the same. This allows you enough time to prepare for your trip before flight time.

Absolutely no experience is needed for any of our trips. Our guides will provide specialist equipment and professional instruction to quickly have you exploring the glacier with confidence.

Can you walk up and down a flight of stairs without holding the handrail? Can you walk at a moderate pace, starting and stopping, for up to 2 hours? At times we might have to walk on steeper steps with a handrail for balance.

Good fitness for this trip is a level of fitness sufficient to ascend and descend 1000m+ over 8 hours or more carrying a pack 12kg (26lb) or more over multiple days.

Yes, we require 3 people for this trip to go ahead. If you have less than 3 people in your group, we will do our best to put you on a trip with other people. If minimum numbers are not met, we can accommodate private trips at an additional cost. For more details, contact us.

Aoraki/Mt Cook Village is located on the eastern side of the Southern Alps/Ka Tiritiri O te Moana in the McKenzie Country Region.  It is home to most of New Zealand’s big mountains over 3,000m including the tallest, Aoraki/Mt Cook at 3724m.

Weather in this alpine environments is subject to rapid change and temperatures can vary accordingly.

Weather and cloud levels can change within a matter of minutes. This is why our weather checks are not made until 10 minutes before your departure time.

There is an individual weight restriction of 116 kg/256 pounds for our experiences as they utilise either helicopters or ski planes. Please contact us on info@mtcookguides.co.nz or 0800 68 2665 if you would like to join a trip and are over this weight limit.

No. Please leave your drone behind. It is illegal to fly a drone in Mt. Cook as it is within a National Park.

If you fly a drone, it will be confiscated and you will be fined $5,000. For rules on flying drones in New Zealand, please reference www.airshare.co.nz.

If for some reason you need to cancel your trip, then let us know as soon as possible. Most of our trips are fully refundable provided we receive your cancellation request twenty-four (24) hours prior to the reporting time. Please see the Terms and Conditions section on this website for more details.

Please find more questions and answers on our FAQ Page.

What to bring

→ Any Essential Medication

→ 3 – 4 layers of warm upper body clothing

→ A warm hat and gloves

→ Warm trousers

→ A camera

→ Sunglasses and sun protection

→ Lunch, snacks and a drink

→ A good level of English

→ Jeans are not recommended

What we provide

⊕ Specialised Climbing Boots

⊕ All technical & safety equipment

⊕ Waterproof Jacket

⊕ Overtrousers

⊕ Gloves and woolen socks

⊕ Alpine backpack

⊕ Climbing helmet

⊕ A great day on the ice!

 

Aoraki-Mt Cook Glacier Guiding Limited Partnership  – RISK DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

UNDERSTANDING THE RISKS

I accept that this activity inherently involves risks and hazards that could potentially result in harm or injury. The risks and hazards include, but are not limited to avalanche, rock fall, ice fall, crevasses, moulins, heavy rain, cold exposure, heights, flooding, uneven terrain, tripping, earthquake (including without limitation injury from man-made structures (like buildings, bridges and dams) or natural features (like cliffs and sloping ground) being destabilised or damaged), air travel (including without limitation aircraft crash or accident or injury from collision with spinning aircraft propellor or rotor blades) and sun exposure.

I am aware that participating in the guided activities offered by Aoraki-Mt Cook Glacier Guiding Limited Partnership  (hereafter AMCGGLP) can be hazardous if they are not conducted with care, control and responsibility. I acknowledge that these risks could result in my injury (physical or mental) or even death.

Medication/health conditions

  • I have informed the staff of AMCGGLP (or will, prior to undertaking the activity) of any medical conditions, previous injuries and any medication I am currently taking which may affect my ability to undertake the activity I have booked with AMCGGLP.
  • I confirm I am physically fit and able to participate in the activities and I have not been advised otherwise by a qualified medical person.
  • I consent to receive any medical treatment that may be deemed necessary by AMCGGLP the event of injury, accident or illness while undertaking the activities.
  • I understand it is my responsibility to disclose any conditions (health or otherwise) that may affect the safety and enjoyment of myself and those around me.

Conditions of participating in activity

  • I agree to walk with care, and obey the rules set out by AMCGGLP and instructions given by the guide (or a representative of AMCGGLP), at all times.
  • I accept that if I do not adhere to the instructions and rules, or if I act dangerously, recklessly or in a way that might endanger myself or others, AMCGGLP may remove me from the activity. If this occurs, I acknowledge I will not receive a refund. This is necessary to ensure my safety and the safety of others.
  • I accept that AMCGGLP reserves the right to cancel this activity if it becomes concerned for my safety, or the safety of another person.
  • I agree to wear appropriate clothing and use/wear all safety clothing and equipment (as required by the guide) at all times when participating.

Limited liability of Aoraki-Mt Cook Glacier Guiding Limited Partnership

  • I understand that if I act recklessly or intentionally, and don’t follow the rules or instructions set out by AMCGGLP and the guide, which I have been made aware of, to the extent permitted by law, AMCGGLP will not be held responsible for any injury, damage or loss I cause to myself/my property, or another person/their property, resulting from my action (or lack of action).

Liability of landowner

  • I agree that the owner(s) of the land on which the activity is conducted, to the extent permitted by law, will not be held responsible for any death, injury, misadventure, damage to or loss of property caused in whole or part by these activities.

Damage to property or equipment

  • In the event that I damage any of the clothing or equipment, or other property owned by AMCGGLP or a landowner, I agree to pay to AMCGGLP (or the landowner) all costs associated with repairing the damage.

Drugs/ Alcohol

  • I confirm I am not under the influence of intoxicating alcohol or drugs (be they legal or illegal) which may in any way impair my ability to undertake the activity.

Marketing

  • I give AMCGGLP permission to send me emails and/or post relating to AMCGGLP events and promotions, as well as the right to use all photos and videos of me taken during the activity for promotional and social media purposes.

Insurance

  • I acknowledge that AMCGGLP strongly recommends that I have full insurance covering any personal injury and loss or damage to property, that I might suffer, including medical treatment cover.

Overnight Stay on Glacier

  • I understand that AMCGGLP operate in a mountain/alpine environment where certain events may result in having to stay on the glacier overnight.

Participant Acceptance

  • I agree that by purchasing this ticket and in undertaking the activities, I accept the risks and hazards associated with the activities and all other terms and conditions outlined in this Risk Disclosure Statement.
  • I also confirm that all persons travelling with me on this ticket have been informed about the terms of this Risk Disclosure Statement and in undertaking the activities, have similarly agreed to accept that there are risks and hazards associated with the activities and to accept the terms of this Risk Disclosure Statement.