The Solo Scale:
If you’re staying in Aoraki (also known as Mount Cook) for the night, there’s any number of excursions and activities. One of them you might not expect is to get to see icebergs in the middle of the country. Thanks to boating on Tasman Glacial Lake, you’ll get a great view of massive glaciers. Plus, you get to do it while keeping a safe distance!
You can book this in advance to be safe. However, if you don’t mind the risk, you can visit the desk within the centre and see if there’s still a spot. If there is, you’ll pay and sign a waiver. This is one of the few activities in New Zealand that I had to do this for. Once your departure time arrives, you’ll board a bus that will drive you closer to the mountains. Careful though, because there’s a hike coming up.
There is a 1km hike from the bus drop-off point to where the boats depart. It’s not a difficult walk, but you are 3000m above sea level at this point. Even a level walk might be a bit of a hike for some people. Once you arrive, your boat driver will hand you a life jacket. Then, they’ll load you into the boat with your parties, evenly distributing the weight of the boat.
Trip Tip: Bundle up, no matter what time of year it is! It’s not surprising that the water is chilly with all the ice around you. As you’re whipping around in the boat, it gets incredibly frosty on the water and that’s before the sun goes down. Bring a jacket and scarf, but also make sure to hold on. The boat goes really fast, and if you’ve got loose articles on you, there’s a chance they might belong to the lake if you’re not careful.
Once you’re on the water, your guide will take you as close as safely possible to the icebergs. That might not be as close as you’d expect. The worry is about what’s under the water and the potential for danger in case they flip and take the boat out. You’ll also want to be mindful about loose items (hats, scarves, phones). When the boat picks up speed, you really do haul ass, and you might lose your items to the glacial lake bottom.
You’ll spend around an hour going up to the main glacier, and going around some of the larger glaciers. Some are still covered in sediment and snow, others reduced down to their icy remnants. Then, once your boat tour is done (with a few speedy zips around the water for some thrills, because New Zealand is still all about adventure), you’ll return back to the dock. This is where you hand your life jacket back, do the walk back to the bus, and head back to your accommodations or your transport).
The excursion was a perfect combination of activity, thrills, and being able to bask in the glory of nature. It means even more when you realize that these glaciers might not be around forever, with climate changing the way that it is.
Ready to set sail? Book your excursion with Glacier Explorers!
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