AORAKI / MOUNT COOK AIR TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Picnic Amongst the Peaks: A Private Helicopter Picnic on the Tasman Glacier
A 1.5‑hour private helicopter flight from Mount Cook Airport that includes a landing and pilot‑set picnic on the snow‑covered Tasman Glacier, offering close, photo‑rich views of Aoraki / Mount Cook and the Southern Alps.
Picnic Amongst the Peaks: A Private Helicopter Picnic on the Tasman Glacier.
The Southern Alps compress the sky into a narrow cathedral of rock and ice around Aoraki / Mount Cook. From a helicopter the range reads as a sequence of hard lines—seracs, bergschrunds and a horizon of alpine summits—while the Tasman Glacier unfurls below like a slow, silver river. This outing pairs that elemental topography with the intimacy of a pilot‑set private picnic on the glacier, a brief, suspended moment in a vast, year‑round winter landscape.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Private helicopter flight with a glacier landing
The excursion is a private helicopter flight from Mount Cook Airport that includes a true glacier landing on the Tasman Glacier where a pilot‑set private picnic is enjoyed amid sweeping mountain and ice panoramas.
Year‑round snow and glacial vistas
The Tasman Glacier is a central feature of the flight, with snow and ice present year‑round and expansive views over the Tasman terminal lake and the Hochstetter Icefall.
Iconic alpine views of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman
After time on the ice the helicopter flies closer to Aoraki / Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, delivering panoramic, photo‑friendly perspectives of New Zealand's highest peaks and the glacial terrain that surrounds them.
What the day feels like
What the experience feels like
The rhythm is compact and cinematic: a takeoff from Mount Cook Airport, a slow sweep over the Southern Alps with landmark passes past the Tasman terminal lake, Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, followed by a considered landing on the Tasman Glacier. Time on the ice is deliberately private and composed—a pilot‑set picnic against a vast white foreground—before the helicopter lifts to deliver closer views of the peak and a return to base. The trip is built for calm, photographic observation of alpine forms rather than strenuous exertion.
THE ROUTE
Private helicopter flight with a glacier landing
The excursion is a private helicopter flight from Mount Cook Airport that includes a true glacier landing on the Tasman Glacier where a pilot‑set private picnic is enjoyed amid sweeping mountain and ice panoramas.
THE ICE
Year‑round snow and glacial vistas
The Tasman Glacier is a central feature of the flight, with snow and ice present year‑round and expansive views over the Tasman terminal lake and the Hochstetter Icefall.
THE SCENERY
Iconic alpine views of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman
After time on the ice the helicopter flies closer to Aoraki / Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, delivering panoramic, photo‑friendly perspectives of New Zealand's highest peaks and the glacial terrain that surrounds them.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this outing suits—and who should check further—based on operator restrictions and flight profile.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Duration is 1.5 hours; the flight showcases the Tasman Glacier and surrounding peaks, with snow and ice present year‑round.
Departures and return are from Mount Cook Airport as part of the planned flight circuit; the itinerary includes passes over Tasman Terminal Lake, Mount Cook and Mount Tasman and a glacier landing.
The outing is photo‑rich and photo‑friendly—bring a camera and any personal items you need for brief exposure to cold, snowy conditions on the glacier; specifics and recommended clothing should be confirmed with the operator.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the Picnic Amongst The Peaks helicopter experience?
The full experience runs for approximately 1.5 hours.
Where does the flight depart from and return to?
The flight departs from and returns to Mount Cook Airport.
Do we land on the glacier and is there a picnic?
Yes—the itinerary includes a landing on the Tasman Glacier where a pilot‑set private picnic is provided on the snow.
What mountains and glacial features will we see?
The flight passes the Tasman terminal lake, Aoraki / Mount Cook, Mount Tasman and the Hochstetter Icefall, offering panoramic alpine views.
Is there snow and ice on the glacier year‑round?
Yes—the Tasman Glacier and surrounding icefields present year‑round snow and ice as part of the experience.
How close do we get to Mount Cook during the flight?
After time on the glacier the helicopter flies closer to Aoraki / Mount Cook for enhanced views of the peak before returning to base.