Twizel - Now we're Cooking
Trip Start
Nov 12, 2007
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26
40
Trip End
Aug 01, 2008
Twizel,
New Zealand
Friday, March 7, 2008
It is a lovely drive from Twizel down to the Mount Cook area and we headed there on our first morning to do the very popular Hooker Glacier Walk. This is a great walk up a valley but fairly flat. There are snowy peaks all around but soon the top of Mount Cook in all its glory comes into view dominating the scene. By late morning the sky was a perfect blue and the camera was busy again. The walk ends near the foot of the glacier at a strange glacial lake a strange brown/grey colour with large pieces of ice floating in it.
Mount Cook
Taking advantage of the good weather we then drove to the next valley containing the Tasman Glacier for more views of the mountains and another similar glacial lake.
Just outside Twizel is Lake Pukaki. This is a large lake and is a fantastic turquoise blue colour (caused by glacial rock flour or something like that) In clear weather you can see all the way along the lake to the Mount Cook range behind. An arresting site.(Lots more photos).
The sun was still shining the following day so we drove on to Lake Tekapo another scenic lake still a strange blue colour though not as turquoise as Pukaki when we saw it. Tekapo is home of a famous small church "The church of the Good Shepherd" which sits on the lakeside and rather than having a stained glass window has a normal window looking out on the lake and mountains. It is very popular with tourists and for weddings. We headed up a nearby hill for more good views especially from the Observatory Cafe at the top.
