Aoraki is the Māori name for Mt. Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain at 3724 metres.

Proving grounds - Sir Edmund Hillary honed his skills on Mount Cook, pictured in the distance, before his legendary Everest ascent.

Milford Sound. The wetter, the better for its cascades and waterfalls!

Gondola-land! Nothing prehistoric about Queenstown's nightlife these days.

Hooker melt-water lake, Mount Cook in the distance.

Jump on a water taxi to scoot to the best walking in the beautiful Abel Tasman National Park.

A typical grab-and-run lunch (with fine tablecloth!) beneath Mt. Sefton’s icefalls.

Crossing the Alps from west to east before we head south to Mt Cook

Swing (suspension) bridges are a common and exciting way to cross rivers on this hiking tour.

The 'stairway to heaven': after 2200 steps, you've earned a breather to enjoy the views across to Aoraki / Mt. Cook.

Matuktuki River crossing en route to the Rob Roy Glacier viewpoint.

Sealy Tarn, dammed by a lateral moraine in the last ice age (18,000 years ago).

Walking with dinosaurs - the fern-covered forests of the Kepler Track evoke a Jurassic world.

Who needs a stove! Enjoy tea and pancakes with the help of Murchison's perpetually burning ‘natural flames’.

New Zealand tree ferns can grow up to 20 metres.

Aoraki / Mt. Cook Alpine Lodge offers easy access to cafes and nearby trailheads.

A 'stiff' day climb gets you high above Muller Glacier's terminal meltwater lake; the car park/start is just visible way below.

Aoraki is the Māori name for Mt. Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain at 3724 metres.

Castle Hill’s limestone boulders were an important meeting place and food gathering area for early Māori people.

Torrent Bay, Abel Tasman National Park

‘Elevenses’ - your guide will have the snack bag well-stocked (and possibly padlocked?) on your treks.

New Zealand fur seal colony at Cape Foulwind; named after Captain Cook was blown miles offshore, now the locals give it new meaning!

Rutherford Hotel, Nelson

Walk the paths across the gantries and high limestone arches to view the blowholes at Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki.

Lake Wanaka from Edgewater Resort

Southern Slice