The park forms part of the Te Wahipounamu region, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, known for its rich biodiversity and stunning landscapes.

In the heart of the Southern Alps, a majestic landscape unfolds, dominated by the highest peak in the country. This awe-inspiring area, steeped in Maori legend and early European exploration history, is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. The towering peak, known to the Maori as Aoraki and to Europeans as Mount Cook, reaches an impressive 3,724 meters into the sky, its snow-capped summit often shrouded in cloud.

The park's history is as rich as its natural beauty. According to Maori legend, Aoraki and his brothers were the sons of the sky father, Rakinui. Their canoe was stranded on a reef and when they climbed on top, the cold south wind froze them, turning them into stone. Aoraki, the tallest, became the highest peak, and his brothers created the Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, the Southern Alps. European explorers, drawn by the challenge of its unclimbed peaks, began arriving in the 19th century. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to summit Mount Everest, honed his mountaineering skills here.

The park's diverse terrain offers a range of activities. Hikers can explore a network of trails that wind through alpine meadows, past glacial lakes and up to panoramic viewpoints. The Hooker Valley Track, one of the most popular, offers stunning views of Aoraki/Mount Cook, while the Tasman Glacier Lake walk leads to the terminal lake of the largest glacier in New Zealand. For the more adventurous, the park offers opportunities for mountaineering and skiing.

The park is also a sanctuary for a variety of flora and fauna. Among the tussock grasslands, herb fields and forests, visitors may spot unique alpine plants and a variety of bird species, including the kea, New Zealand's cheeky alpine parrot. At night, the park's remote location and lack of light pollution make it one of the best places in the country for stargazing.

This breathtaking region is not just a place of natural beauty, but also a testament to the power of nature and the spirit of exploration. It's a place where the past and present meet, where Maori legends echo in the valleys and the legacy of pioneering mountaineers is etched into the snow-capped peaks.