New Zealand
Aoraki / Mount Cook
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Kia ora! Aoraki / Mount Cook is the tallest mountain in New Zealand, rising snow-capped above the Southern Alps on the South Island.
Why is it special?
At about 3,724 meters (12,218 feet) tall, it's the highest peak in all of New Zealand.
Its Māori name, Aoraki, means "cloud piercer" — a perfect description for a mountain that's almost always wrapped in cloud or snow.
How was it formed?
The mountain was pushed upward over millions of years as two giant pieces of the Earth's crust slowly crashed into each other.
It has three peaks — the Low Peak, Middle Peak, and High Peak — and is surrounded by huge rivers of ice called glaciers, including the Tasman Glacier.
Amazing facts
Aoraki / Mount Cook is permanently covered in snow, even in summer!
The first people to reach the very top did it on Christmas Day in 1894.
Quick facts
- Aoraki / Mount Cook is permanently covered in snow, even in summer!
- The first people to reach the very top did it on Christmas Day in 1894.
- In 1910, Freda du Faur became the first woman to climb all the way to the summit.
- The mountain sits inside a huge national park filled with glaciers, lakes, and hiking trails.