Lake Tekapo & Mt Cook High Country Safari | Full Day

Lake Tekapo & Mt Cook High Country Safari | Full Day
From NZD $1,595.00
  • Duration: 6 Hours (approx.)
  • Location: Lake Tekapo
  • Product code: SafariFullDay
A full-day safari exploring the remote landscapes of the Mackenzie Basin, departing from Lake Tekapo or Twizel and journeying deep into the Southern Alps backcountry toward Aoraki/Mt Cook. Each safari is shaped by its starting point, whether Lake Tekapo or Twizel, allowing access to different regions of the Mackenzie high country — from the remote Cass Valley to the expansive Ōhau backcountry.

Travelling by premium 4WD expedition vehicle, this journey takes you beyond public roads and into privately accessed high-country stations — crossing alpine valleys, braided rivers, and expansive tussock basins rarely experienced by visitors.

Through long-established relationships with local station owners, access is granted to landscapes that remain closed to most, offering a deeper and more authentic way to experience the Southern Alps.

Designed as a small-group high-country safari, this experience offers a level of access and immersion rarely found on standard day tours in the Mt Cook and Lake Tekapo region. Private departures are also available for those seeking a fully exclusive experience.

FULL DAY SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS

  • Journey through the remote Cass Valley and Lake Tekapo backcountry, and or Ohau Backcountry ( depending on your departure location)
  • Travel onward through the Mackenzie high country with views toward Aoraki/Mt Cook and across Lake Pukaki
  • Exclusive access to privately owned high-country stations not open to the public
  • Privately guided 4WD safari led by an experienced local high-country guide
  • Explore braided rivers, alpine valleys, and expansive tussock basinsVisit historic musterers’ huts and working merino stations
  • Opportunity to observe rare Mackenzie Basin birdlife including Black Stilt (Kākī), wrybills, and banded dotterels, along with alpine wildlife such as Himalayan tahr and red deer
  • Enjoy a relaxed alpine picnic in a remote and scenic location
  • Exceptional photography opportunities across diverse alpine landscapes

As the journey unfolds, moments of stillness, light, and scale define the experience — from remote alpine viewpoints to the quiet of the high country after the day visitors have gone. No two safaris are the same. Each journey is shaped by the landscape itself — its weather, light, and ever-changing conditions.