There is excellent Alpine Climbing in New Zealand both in the North and South Islands, however, most of the peaks are in the South. The largest mountain range is the Southern Alps which extends 700 kilometres down the entire length of the South Island. At the heart of this range lies the Aoraki/Mount Cook region – an area dominated by the massif of Aoraki/Mount Cook itself. This region contains 29 peaks over 3000 metres and is characterised by extensive glaciation. Aoraki/Mount Cook rises to a height of 3754 metres. Large glaciers carve their way down into the valleys and on the western side of the Main Divide these reach down to temperate rainforest, stopping only a few kilometres from the sea.
Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the most accomplished alpine climbers ever, learned the ropes in New Zealand, and through his endeavors, established New Zealand as an Alpine Climbing destination.
New Zealand is a great place to learn the skills associated with climbing, and with professional guides, climbing one of the famous peaks in New Zealand is with the grasp of those with a strong and adventurous attitude.