Things to do in Mackenzie District

We booked this Mount Cook and Tasman Glacier helicopter experience at the last minute, a day before the scheduled flight and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of our trip! Our pilot, Josh, was fantastic – friendly, professional, and made us feel safe from start to finish. Even the staff that oriented for the pre-flight (forgot her name). The flight offered breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks, turquoise lakes, and the stunning Tasman Glacier. Landing on the glacier was absolutely surreal, and Josh even took a great photo of us to remember the moment. Everything was well-organized, and the pilot’s commentary during the flight made the experience even more special. If you’re visiting Mt Cook, don’t miss this - it’s worth every minute and every dollar!

The instructors are very patient and don't speak too fast, so even people with bad English can understand 🥹. They guide tourists step-by-step on the glacier, and there are always two staff members accompanying you, so you feel very safe. I highly recommend that everyone visiting Mount Cook include this trip in their itinerary! When you get on the helicopter, the staff will also check each seatbelt to make sure it is fastened tightly. If there's a next time, I think I'll bring my family to participate again!

So happy, so worth it, so much fun! A must-try experience. The driver and tour guide provided a very dedicated introduction. Another highlight was the glacier helicopter experience, simply amazing. Once we were on the glacier, the instructor led us with great reassurance, you could see the instructor was very experienced. We walked for about an hour or a little more, which was actually quite sufficient because it was a bit tiring. Also, it's not really that cold on the glacier, so you don't need to wear too many clothes.

The tour guide thoughtfully prepared hot chocolate with marshmallows and blankets for us, so we could lie on the grassland and watch the Southern Hemisphere's starry sky. They explained the names of each star and how to find the South Celestial Pole. It was a night full of knowledge and romance ☺️. They also gave us reusable cocoa cups, and every time I see that cup, I remember the starry sky that night ☺️☺️.

It’s an amazing experience! The tour will provide stars information and knowledge to us before we admire by ourselves. And we can see the stars and planets by the telescope. It’s really amazing and stunning!! We can see the Milky Way in the dark sky and we can also take pictures of the galaxy! It’s a memorial experience.

The experience felt magical and expertly guided. The view of the night sky was breathtaking. The guides were incredibly knowledgeable, explaining constellations, planets, and the stories behind them in a way that was both fascinating and easy to follow. Using the powerful telescopes made the stars and galaxies feel closer than ever. This was the highlight of my trip—an inspiring, peaceful, and truly world-class stargazing adventure.

The whole tour was amazing, although the itinerary was a bit hectic. Except for Mt. Cook, the other stops were quite short — just enough time to snap a few photos before moving on to the next spot. It’s understandable since the destinations are quite far from Christchurch. They also provided free lunch and snacks (chips), which was a nice touch

Highly recommend the Lake Tekapo Petting Zoo experience! It's a quick 30 minutes but so worth it. Our guide, Joy, was awesome – she gave us a warm introduction to all the animals and even offered to help us take photos. A fun and memorable stop for anyone visiting Tekapo!

The Taiwanese tour guide was articulate and engaging. They were attentive to safety, weather conditions, and appropriately discouraged excessive light pollution. We were lucky to have excellent visibility, making my first naked-eye view of the Milky Way an unforgettable experience. We also viewed Saturn later, and the ring system was fascinating. Highly recommended.