Southern Alps Guiding
Southern Alps Guiding
4.6
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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4.6
167 reviews
Excellent
138
Very good
15
Average
3
Poor
6
Terrible
5
Marie
34 contributions
Feb 2023 • Friends
Great to get on the water in our 2nd attempt to do so. We tried on a previous visit to Mt Cook but, sensibly, Charlie and Co cancelled that trip due to gale force winds.
This time we had a perfect day - and a great guide. He ran the group through kayak basics strokes at cafe, then drove us over to Tasman glacier, where we had 20 min walk to launching point. We kitted up and were run through risk mitigations before getting on the water.
With risks associated with icebergs (eg: rolling or breaking apart) you can only go close to smaller ones and have to view larger ones from further away. The guide managed a mixed group of experienced and less experienced kayakers well. The outing was approx 9-2pm from end to end with a good 2 hrs on the water. Thanks for the chance to kayak on a glacier lake!
This time we had a perfect day - and a great guide. He ran the group through kayak basics strokes at cafe, then drove us over to Tasman glacier, where we had 20 min walk to launching point. We kitted up and were run through risk mitigations before getting on the water.
With risks associated with icebergs (eg: rolling or breaking apart) you can only go close to smaller ones and have to view larger ones from further away. The guide managed a mixed group of experienced and less experienced kayakers well. The outing was approx 9-2pm from end to end with a good 2 hrs on the water. Thanks for the chance to kayak on a glacier lake!
Written 25 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
817sandramp
Adelaide, Australia442 contributions
Mar 2023
Had the best time ever on our heli hike on the Tasman Glacier. Charlie is the consummate guide - he's articulate, informative, friendly and most importantly very experienced and safety conscious. Charlie provided gloves, beanies and hiking boots for those of us who didn't bring any. We were at the mercy of the weather but he got the all clear from the pilot and it was all systems go - even if we hadn't landed on the glacier the flight over it was worth it. Charlie fitted our crampons for us and demonstrated how to walk on the ice, always reminding us of how dangerous it could be and of the need to do exactly as he'd asked. He loves what he does and loves sharing this part of his world with others. We had drinks in the Old Mountaineers Cafe after our flight whilst enjoying the view of Aoraki Mt Cook through the big picture windows - definitely one of our highlights.
Written 5 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa P
10 contributions
Feb 2025 • Couples
The heli hike on the Tasman Glacier led by Charlie was an absolutely fabulous experience, truly never to be forgotten. While the helicopter ride and then being on the glacier is fantastic, Charlie as guide made the experience for us. He’s professional, fun and knowledgeable - you won’t find a better or more skilled guide anywhere! 100% recommended the experience, it was the highlight of our whole NZ trip.
Written 27 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicola B
2 contributions
Jan 2025 • Couples
What an amazing experience from start to finish. Charlie was a great guide. He made us feel safe as well as having a good laugh with us all and explains everything we were seeing. A local guide with a personal touch. You must also stop by the Old Mountaineers cafe owned by Charlie also. Lovely cappuccino and huge slice of chocolate cake. Once in a life time experience. Best part of our honeymoon
Written 21 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amber Fitzgerald
Seattle, WA6 contributions
Feb 2020
We didn't expect to be in this National Park during our time on the South Island but plans changed and here we were! We learned about the glacier sea kayaking trip through a quick Google and decided to do a last minute booking for the following day. We are so glad we did! What an awesome experience to be able to kayak right up to and touch gigantic icebergs in the lake from when the glacier was originally in that valley. Our guide Grant was so knowledgeable and passionate about the glacier and the surrounding mountains. We had a lovely time with him and the other couple on the trip! Highly recommend!
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WSY11
Singapore, Singapore75 contributions
Dec 2019
On the day of our booing, we attempted to go twice but twice the flights were cancelled due to bad weather. The following day, we managed to get up with Ant. The views were scenic but we could not see the large cave due to the cave being covered by snow. We had a fun time walking and balancing our selves on the glacier. Its sad to see the glacier receding rapidly though.
Written 7 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James Blaze
7 contributions
Jun 2020 • Couples
During our explorations of our Kiwi Backyard we were lucky enough to fit in a Heli Hiking trip to the Tasman Glacier, guided by Ollie and Charlie. We lucked out with the weather and some near perfect flying conditions. Exploring the caves was a magical experience, wandering across the top of the glacier with such impressive views will stick in our memories forever. Ollie and Charlie were superb guides and extremely knowledgeable of the ever changing environment the glacier brings. I highly doubt a larger group would have made their guiding or the experience any different. Thank you!
Written 24 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hopelly
Singapore, Singapore8 contributions
Jan 2020
I enjoyed the helicopter ride but felt a bit disappointed about my experience on the glacier. We did not get a chance to see the ice caves that we saw on the pictures. The experience of the guide makes a lot of difference. Ollie appeared to be inexperienced and a bit grumpy on the trip. He was visibly annoyed with Asians taking pictures, even though he told the group to take plenty of pictures during the hike. With a different guide, I suppose the experience could be different.
Written 21 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi and thanks for your comments. As per our advertising the glacier is an ever changing environment and we just can't guarantee that some features that are visible one day will be there the next. Ollie is a fine and honest young guide and has a great future ahead especially with the skills he has to offer. He's kind and has empathy with his clients. When you are with a group that wants to stop regularly and take many photos then this does slow the journey and can affect what the group has time to visit. This could give the guide cause for concern because he has the responsibility of making sure everyone has a good time.
Regards
Charlie
Written 23 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sarah B
1 contribution
May 2019
We had the absolute best time during our glacier hike. Our original plans were altered due to road flooding and Charlie was so quick to respond and accommodate our last minute booking. The guides were amazing - so friendly and knowledgeable. The helicopter ride had great views and then we lucked out to be able to see one of the remarkable ice caves during our hike. Everyone tells me that they think our pictures are fake. We even got to drink glacier water! 10/10 recommend!
Written 15 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mjh19802015
Wellington, New Zealand2 contributions
Apr 2015 • Friends
We were told we were going on a glacier kayak tour from 10-2. You don't even get into the kayaks until 11:30, and our guide spent an absurd amount of time doing safety drills incase we fell in- even though there were stabilizers to make sure you don't tip. The lake is essentially the size of a pond and you just go in a circle and can't even get close to the glaciers incase they rotate. The advertisements make it look a billion times cooler than it is. We got done at 1:00 and then had to carry out kayaks back with no assistance from the guide. Everyone on our tour (7 of us) felt extremely ripped off and scammed. I wish we would've read reviews before booking.
Written 22 April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hi, how long does it take for the whole trip in terms of Tasman Glacier Heli-Hiking? the meeting place is Old Mountaineers’ Café Bar at 9:00am, right? 09:00am is the only time slot for Tasman Glacier Heli-Hiking? and pick up to airport(?) and drop off to Old Mountaineers’ Café Bar which is the original meeting place are also included in this trip? thanks in advance!
Written 20 January 2020
Hi and thanks for your email. If you go to our website mtcook . com all the info and booking information is available plus times.
Best wishes
Charlie Hobbs
Written 21 January 2020
Kristin S
Santa Barbara, California
I’m trying to choose between the Heli hike or the snowshoeing hike. I’d like to get close and into some of the glaciers and on the snow. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Kristin
Written 11 September 2018
Hi there. Is it possible to do the helihiking in late November, early December this year (2018)? Thanks.
Written 5 June 2018
TASMAN GLACIER HELI-HIKE AND GLACIER HIKING
with
Southern Alps Guiding
Hi Melvin
Thank you for your email regarding our heli hiking trips on the famous Tasman Glacier. Our company offers unique personalised heli hiking without being around big groups. We are the pioneers of heli hiking at Aoraki Mount Cook and the operation is Aoraki Mt Cook family owned. Our guides, Charlie and Ant, are the “Legends” of Tasman Glacier Guiding and have vast amounts of experience and knowledge of the area.
Our classic fly-in, fly-out heli-hike combines the excitement of Glacier Hiking on the mighty Tasman Glacier and two helicopter flights. With a helicopter (or sometimes in the famous Mt Cook Skiplanes when we have lots of soft snow and snow shoes are used for glacier hiking to access the big ice formations!), we are able to access and explore the “white ice” of the world famous Tasman Glacier where it runs beside the biggest mountains in New Zealand, including Aoraki Mount Cook, and where it often creates spectacular ice formations. Our helicopter flights are twice as long as the Fox or Franz Glacier flights therefore offering a great scenic flight of Aoraki Mount Cook and the Southern Alps.
The Tasman Glacier is the longest glacier in the Southern Hemisphere outside of the Antarctic and the ice is hundreds of metres thick.
Equipped with crampons and walking poles, we board our aircraft. Traveling high above the amazing icebergs of the Tasman Glacier Lake, we fly past the famous Hochstetter Ice Fall and the mighty Aoraki/Mount Cook. The landing on the Tasman Glacier is surrounded by the biggest and the most impressive mountains in New Zealand. And this is where we begin our adventure and exploration on the glacier ice.
Outfitted with specially designed crampons for these ice conditions by your guide, the adventure of hiking on the glacier begins. Your guide cuts steps in the ice, which enables you to explore the amazing ice formations on the glacier. The guide will also give informative facts about the Tasman Glacier, how it flows and what makes the crevasses, caves and sink-holes appear.
Weather permitting, ice-walking time is about two hours.
Please note that this is a natural and ever-changing environment, so there is no guarantee that specific features will be seen.
Check out our Facebook page Southern Alps Guiding for some recent photos of trips and our Trip Advisor comments.
We meet and check in at The Old Mountaineers’ Café Bar where the Southern Alps Guiding office is situated, next door to the DOC visitor information centre at 9.00am.
Credit Card details (Visa or M/card only) are required to secure bookings. Please go to our website to make the booking.
Please supply the following when making your booking:
- Tick the trip and your preferred date in the comments.
- your accommodation details while in the area.
- your mobile phone number if you will have one with you.
Fitness level required: low to moderate
Trip Duration: Approximately three - four hours
Cost: NZ$575 PER PERSON. Includes two aircraft scenic flights, guide fee, any equipment that is required, DOC permit fees and GST.
Southern Alps Guiding – ph: 0274 342277.
Situated at The Old Mountaineers Café Bar, next door to the DOC Visitor Information Centre, Aoraki Mt Cook.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Cancellation Policy
We reserve the right to cancel or change any part of any trip. This could be due to adverse snow, avalanche, mountain or weather conditions or any other mountain related scenario. We have a strict 36 hour cancellation policy which means that if WE cancel the trip due to any of the above conditions will give you a full refund. If you decide not to do the trip within 36 hours of the trip start time for any reason (you sleep in, have a vehicle breakdown, an unexpected illness or injury etc) or we cancel your booking because of client unsuitability due to poor fitness or health there will be no refund. Please ensure you have travel insurance to cover all potential cancellation scenarios. We also reserve the right to cancel because of inadequate experience due to ability and conditions. Credit Card details are used only to hold the booking. No money is taken from your card except if the cancellation policy comes into force.
We are Safety Audited Certified.
Warmest regards
Charlie Hobbs
Written 6 June 2018
Sze Wei H
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Hi what is the minimum age for children to do the hike to the snow and glacier? My son is 6 years old and weigh almost 21kg
Written 11 April 2018
Thanks for your email regarding our Tasman Glacier Heli Hiking. The minimum age is 8 years old.
You can check our website for more information mtcook com
Warmest wishes
Charlie Hobbs
Written 11 April 2018
Hi, there, we are 4 guests from hongkong and would like to do a helihike in late feb 2018, is it possible to see ice cave at that time? Thanks a lot~
Written 26 November 2017
TASMAN GLACIER HELI-HIKE AND GLACIER HIKING
with
Southern Alps Guiding
Hi
Thank you for your email regarding our heli hiking trips on the famous Tasman Glacier. Our company offers unique personalised heli hiking without being around big groups. We are the pioneers of heli hiking at Aoraki Mount Cook and the operation is Aoraki Mt Cook family owned. Our guides, Charlie and Ant, are the “Legends” of Tasman Glacier Guiding and have vast amounts of experience and knowledge of the area.
Our classic fly-in, fly-out heli-hike combines the excitement of Glacier Hiking on the mighty Tasman Glacier and two helicopter flights. With a helicopter (or sometimes in the famous Mt Cook Skiplanes when we have lots of soft snow and snow shoes are used for glacier hiking to access the big ice formations!), we are able to access and explore the “white ice” of the world famous Tasman Glacier where it runs beside the biggest mountains in New Zealand, including Aoraki Mount Cook, and where it often creates spectacular ice formations. Our helicopter flights are twice as long as the Fox or Franz Glacier flights therefore offering a great scenic flight of Aoraki Mount Cook and the Southern Alps.
The Tasman Glacier is the longest glacier in the Southern Hemisphere outside of the Antarctic and the ice is hundreds of metres thick.
Equipped with crampons and walking poles, we board our aircraft. Traveling high above the amazing icebergs of the Tasman Glacier Lake, we fly past the famous Hochstetter Ice Fall and the mighty Aoraki/Mount Cook. The landing on the Tasman Glacier is surrounded by the biggest and the most impressive mountains in New Zealand. And this is where we begin our adventure and exploration on the glacier ice.
Outfitted with specially designed crampons for these ice conditions by your guide, the adventure of hiking on the glacier begins. Your guide cuts steps in the ice, which enables you to explore the amazing ice formations on the glacier. The guide will also give informative facts about the Tasman Glacier, how it flows and what makes the crevasses, caves and sink-holes appear.
Weather permitting, ice-walking time is about two hours.
Please note that this is a natural and ever-changing environment, so there is no guarantee that specific features will be seen.
Check out our Facebook page Southern Alps Guiding for some recent photos of trips and our Trip Advisor comments.
We meet at The Old Mountaineers’ Café Bar where the Southern Alps Guiding office is situated, next door to the DOC visitor information centre at 9.00am.
Credit Card details (Visa or M/card only) are required to secure bookings.
Please supply the following when making your booking:
- Tick the trip and your preferred date in the comments.
- your accommodation details while in the area.
- your mobile phone number if you will have one with you.
Fitness level required: low to moderate
Trip Duration: Approximately three - four hours
Cost: NZ$565 PER PERSON. Includes two aircraft scenic flights, guide fee, any equipment that is required, permit fees and GST.
Southern Alps Guiding – ph: 03 4351 890 fax: 03 4351 293 cell: 0274 342277. Situated at The Old Mountaineers Café Bar, next door to the DOC Visitor Information Centre, Aoraki Mt Cook.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Cancellation Policy
We reserve the right to cancel or change any part of any trip. This could be due to adverse snow, avalanche, mountain or weather conditions or any other mountain related scenario. We have a strict 24 hour cancellation policy which means that if WE cancel the trip due to any of the above conditions will give you a full refund. If you decide not to do the trip within 24 hours of the trip start time for any reason (you sleep in, have a vehicle breakdown, an unexpected illness or injury etc) or we cancel your booking because of client unsuitability due to poor fitness or health there will be no refund. Please ensure you have travel insurance to cover all potential cancellation scenarios. We also reserve the right to cancel because of inadequate experience due to ability and conditions. Credit Card details are used only to hold the booking. No money is taken from your card except if the cancellation policy comes into force.
We are Safety Audited Certified.
Warmest regards
Charlie Hobbs
Written 26 November 2017
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