Southern Alps
A mountain range running most of the length of the South Island, with a spine of peaks above 3,000 metres. Its Maori name is Ka Tiritiri o te Moana, and it holds Aoraki Mount Cook and the great glaciers of the west coast.
- Where
- Mount Cook Village, Canterbury, New Zealand
- Grade
- Well known
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 1 for its grade
- Coordinates
- -43.3650, 170.6240
Get the Southern Alps stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Southern Alps. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Canterbury volume with your photos and a note.
Near Southern Alps
Franz Josef Glacier 36 km
A 12 kilometre long glacier in Westland Tai Poutini National Park that flows from the Southern Alps almost down to rainforest, a few hundred metres above sea level. It has advanced and retreated sharply over the last century and is reached from the village of Franz Josef.
Tasman Glacier 44 km
The longest glacier in New Zealand at around 23 kilometres, flowing south from the Southern Alps in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. Its terminal lake, scattered with icebergs, can be explored by boat.
Fox Glacier 46 km
An 11.7 kilometre long glacier in Westland Tai Poutini National Park that ends in rainforest not far from the Tasman Sea. It is named after the premier William Fox, and the village of Fox Glacier is the base for guided walks.
Aoraki / Mount Cook 47 km
The highest mountain in New Zealand, rising 3,724 metres in the Southern Alps. It stands in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, and Sir Edmund Hillary trained on its slopes before his Himalayan climbs.
Lake Matheson 54 km
A small glacial lake in South Westland near the township of Fox Glacier, once a food gathering place for local Māori. An easy track circles the lake, which is famous for mirror reflections of Aoraki / Mount Cook and Mount Tasman on calm mornings.
Hokitika Gorge 56 km
A scenic reserve and gorge on the Hokitika River, about 33 kilometres and 40 minutes by road inland from Hokitika. The river runs a milky turquoise colour from glacial silt, and swing bridges cross it on a short bush walk.
Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park 59 km
A national park in the central west of the South Island, established in October 1953 and named for Aoraki / Mount Cook, the country's highest mountain. Glaciers and peaks of the Southern Alps fill much of the park, with walking tracks near the village.
Lake Tekapo 60 km
The second largest of three parallel alpine lakes at the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin. Glacial flour gives it an unreal turquoise colour, and the small Church of the Good Shepherd stands on its shore.
More famous places to visit in Canterbury
Questions
Where is Southern Alps?
Southern Alps is in Mount Cook Village, Canterbury, New Zealand. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Franz Josef Glacier (36 km), Tasman Glacier (44 km), Fox Glacier (46 km).
How do I get the Southern Alps stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Southern Alps and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Canterbury volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Southern Alps before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Canterbury volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 40 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.