Mount Cook National Park, Tasman Glacier

Turn off state highway 8 onto the 80 and drive up past Lake Pukaki and you arrive in the heart of the Mount Cook National Park. The day we went it was overcast so the mountains all around (as seen from the plane a few days earlier) can't be seen on the photos but you'll just have to believe us it is magnificent. The first picture is of the Hermitage Hotel which was the original mountain climbers stay and is now an expensive famous hotel. We drove from there up a track to the base of the Tasman Glacier. The glacier advances and retracts over time and the current lake was not there 20 years ago but has formed with the current retraction. Massive, and I mean massive, pieces of ice have broken off and are floating in the lake as icebergs. You will see a yellow dot on the middle photo which is a tourist boat full of people. Quiet an incredible sight to see. The 'hills' around thew lake are in fact just debris from the glacier. Very good day out. We will be back !