The Tasman Glacier at a glance
The Tasman Glacier ends in the Tasman Lake, in the Tasman Valley of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. You can reach the valley by car in about 10 minutes from Mount Cook Village. From the car park, a stepped track climbs to a moraine viewpoint over the lake. You can also see the lake from the water on a guided boat trip, or from the air on a scenic flight with a landing on the glacier.
This page covers the walk, the lake track, the boat trip and the safety rules for the lake shore. Prices and times are the 2026 figures that the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the boat operator publish. Both change, so check the current conditions before you go.
The Tasman Glacier View Track
A short walk with a lot of steps.
The climb
The track starts at the Tasman Valley car park and has more than 300 steps. It takes about 10 minutes to the junction for the Blue Lakes and another 5 minutes to the moraine viewpoint. DOC's list of short walks gives 40 minutes return. Do not confuse this with the longer walk that boat passengers take from the bus to the lake.
The lake track
If the steps are not for you, the Tasman Lake and River Track is a 2.5 km walk of 50 minutes return. DOC lists it as the alternative for people who cannot manage the stairs.
Getting to the car park
Drive south on State Highway 80, take the second turn on the left onto Tasman Valley Road and follow it over a single-lane bridge to the end of the road. Mount Cook Village is about 10 minutes away. Snow can close State Highway 80, and DOC links to the NZ Transport Agency for the road status, so check it in winter. More on the drive on the getting there page.
What is at the car park
There is no reservation and no parking fee here, unlike White Horse Hill for the Hooker Valley. There is no drinking water and no mobile coverage. The toilets are closed in winter or when water is short.
Our picks: the Tasman Glacier from the air
A flight with an alpine landing, a snow landing and a helicopter hike on the ice.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Helicopter to the Tasman Glacier with a guided walk
A helicopter flight, a glacier landing and a two-hour guided walk. Glacier boots, crampons and a rain jacket if needed are included, and so is the hotel transfer in Mount Cook Village.
Check availability →
50-minute helicopter flight with a snow landing
A 50-minute flight with a snow landing on the Tasman Glacier, a pilot and flight commentary.
Check availability →40-minute Tasman Glacier helicopter flight
A 40-minute flight with an alpine landing and panoramic views of the Tasman Glacier. Food, drinks and hotel transfer are not included.
Check availability →Tasman Glacier tours and flights
Boat trips, glacier landings and scenic flights over the Tasman Glacier, with live prices and availability.
Tasman Lake boat trips
The Glacier Explorers trip takes you onto the Tasman Lake among icebergs that have broken off the glacier. You check in at the Activities Desk in the Hermitage 30 minutes before departure, ride a bus to the valley and walk about 1.5 km (25 minutes) to the boat, with the same walk back. The whole outing takes about 2 hours 45 minutes, of which roughly 1 hour is on the lake. The product text also says about 3 hours, so allow the longer figure.
The minimum age is 4. Booking is required. Icebergs and calving are not guaranteed, and if the trip is cancelled for weather you get a full refund or another date. The operator pauses the trips in winter, roughly from mid-June to the end of August, so there is no fixed reopening day to plan around.
Boat trip prices from October 2026
Prices in NZD, per person, as listed by the operator.
| Ticket | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | Aged 15 and over | From NZ$219 |
| Child | Aged 4 to 14 | From NZ$99 |
| Family | 2 adults and 2 children | From NZ$576, by phone or email |
Staying safe at the lake
The shore looks gentle. It is not.
Moraines and the lake
DOC warns that the moraine walls and the glacial lake are dangerous. Stay on the track and behind the viewpoint. The same rule applies to the Hooker Lake: do not walk on lakes, lake ice or icebergs, because of the risk of falling in and of hypothermia.
Plants and birds
Tutu is poisonous, so do not eat any plants. Kea are protected, and you should not feed them.
The glacier itself
The walk ends at a viewpoint above the lake. If you want to stand on the glacier, book a scenic flight with a glacier landing. The 45-minute Ultimate Alpine Experience combines a ski plane and a helicopter and lands on the Tasman Glacier. The 25-minute Tasman Discovery has a ski plane snow landing and is listed at NZ$429, as of 2026. See scenic flights for what the listings include. If you are visiting the west side as well, Franz Josef Glacier walks offer a different kind of glacier day.
Plan the rest of your trip
Where the Tasman Valley fits.
Tasman Glacier: frequently asked questions
How long does the Tasman Glacier walk take?
It is 10 minutes to the Blue Lakes junction and 5 more minutes to the moraine viewpoint, with more than 300 steps. DOC lists 40 minutes return.
Can I walk on the Tasman Glacier?
The walk ends at a viewpoint above the lake. A scenic flight with a glacier landing is the way to stand on the glacier.
How much is the Tasman Lake boat trip?
From NZ$219 for adults and from NZ$99 for children aged 4 to 14 from October 2026. A family of two adults and two children pays from NZ$576.
Is the Tasman Valley car park free?
Yes, as of 2026. DOC charges at White Horse Hill, where the Hooker Valley Track starts, not here.
Are there toilets and drinking water?
There is no drinking water and no mobile coverage at the car park. The toilets are closed in winter or when water is short.