State Highway 80, Mount Cook Road, takes about 45 minutes to drive into Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. It runs from State Highway 8 down the west side of Lake Pukaki and the Tasman River that feeds the lake.
The distraction factor on a clear day is very high. Aoraki Mt Cook is a dominant feature, with many safe places to stop for photos. But the flats at the west end of the lake are also colourful, and the Burnett Mountains on the east side of the valley are substantial in their own right. At the end of the highway, turn left for Mt Cook Village and the Hooker Valley and right for the Tasman Valley.
Look out for the Pukaki Boulders sign if you need a break. A short uphill track leads to some large boulders left behind by the glacier when it retreated over 10,000 years ago.
