TOUR DETAILS
The Wigley: Top of the Tasman Glacier Hike
Duration:
Up to 5 hours
ICE TIME:
Up to 3 hours
Fitness Level:
Moderate
Experience:
No experience required
Minimum Age:
12 years
Tour Times:
11:30am
Check In 10 mins. before
Price:
SAVE $120PP with promo code MCGGDOM20
$669 $549 per adult
$669 $549 per child (12-16)
Valid until 30 September 2022.
The Wigley: Top of the Tasman Glacier Hike
Explore the immense beauty of the upper snowfield of the Haupapa/Tasman Glacier, this is where its 23-kilometre journey begins. As you fly in to 2200 metres (7200 ft.) aboard your ski plane, marvel at the rock and ice debris transform to glistening white. Get ready to explore the glacier by walking, hiking and snowshoeing, you may even see an iceberg in the glacier lake!
If you have never tried snowshoeing in NZ, now is the time to give it a go! Snowshoeing is a great way to confidently make your way across snow-covered terrain. Once on the glacier, we will provide you with snowshoes, adjustable walking poles, harnesses and any additional equipment you may need. After your gear is fitted, you are ready to explore the ice formations in this ever-changing environment; you’re in the heart and birthplace of New Zealand mountaineering.
Your flight home tracks down the eastern side of New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki/Mt Cook and the stunning Hochstetter icefall. You’ll return home with incredible memories of your Tasman Glacier hike in this vast mountain landscape.
This experience is named in honour of Harry Wigley, pilot and pioneer of the retractable ski for glacier and airfield landings. Although the Haupapa/Tasman glacier is the primary landing site this may vary depending upon environmental conditions.
WHAT TO BRING
Any Essential Medication
3-4 layers of warm upper body clothing
Sunglasses and sun protection
A drink and snacks
A warm hat and gloves
A Camera
WHAT WE PROVIDE
Quality leather boots
Snowshoes and/or crampons
Harness
Waterproof jacket & overtrousers
Adjustable walking poles
Socks, gloves and gaiters
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 10 minutes before departure.
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.
For this trip, you’ll need moderate fitness, which is walking at least 3 hours, including walking uphill.
For this trip, you need to bring any essential medication, 3-4 layers of warm upper body clothing, sunglasses and sun protection, a drink and snacks, a warm hat, gloves, and a camera. No drones are allowed.
On this trip, we provide quality leather boots, snowshoes and/or crampons, a harness, waterproof jacket and overtrousers, adjustable walking poles, socks, gloves and gaiters
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.
In the event New Zealand goes into Alert Level 3 or 4, you will receive a 100% refund.
All visitors to Mt. Cook Glacier Guiding MUST:
- Be double-vaccinated (for those aged over 12) and show their government ‘My Vaccine Pass’ on arrival.
- Sanitise their hands and sign in using the NZ COVID Tracer App.
- Wear a mask in all indoor areas – including reception, our boot room, and inside the helicopter/ski plane.
- Comply with any additional public health measures (including social distancing) that are in place at the time of your visit.
Please find more questions and answers on our FAQ Page.
