Our pick
The local morning
Drive to the airport yourself
- Length3 hours
- On the iceUp to 2 hours
- Slots8:45 AM, 10:45 AM
Estimate your group cost
Mount Cook heli hike price, and what the fare really buys
Tasman Glacier heli hike, up to 2 hours on the ice
★ 4.9 · 315 opinions
Compare 4 side by side
Work out the heli hike bill
Choose your group size to see each heli hike at its starting total.
- Our heli hikeFrom the airport · starts at, per person $528
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View - Second operatorFrom the airport · starts at, per person $555
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View - Coach and heli hikeFrom Queenstown · starts at, per person $710
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View - Fly-in heli hikeFrom Queenstown · starts at, per person $1,056
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View
From-prices on GetYourGuide, shown at the ECB reference rate. Your exact price is confirmed during booking.
The Mount Cook heli hike is a big-ticket morning in the park. Here is what it costs from, what the fare covers, the rules that can stop you flying and the costs that sit on top.
Editorial team, tasmanglaciertour.com · Updated November 8, 2026 · Allow 7 min
Summary view
- Our heli hikeFrom $528: a 3-hour morning, as much as 2 hours of it on the ice.
- Operator fareThe guiding company lists NZD 995 per person for the same trip.1
- Second operatorA rival Tasman heli hike costs from $555, capped at 10 guests.
- From QueenstownCoach or plane combos start from $710 and $1,056.
- On topFuel, a drive to the airport and your lunch: the airport sells almost no food.2
The Mount Cook heli hike we book, and its price
Our listed heli hike costs from $528 a head on GetYourGuide for a 3-hour outing. That buys a 45-minute safety briefing at Mount Cook Airport, a quarter-hour helicopter ride up to the Tasman Glacier, as long as 2 hours exploring the ice with your guide and the same short flight home. Read the starting fare as a minimum: your date and the day's exchange rate set the exact sum.
The trip runs at 2 fixed times, 8:45 AM and 10:45 AM, and a group never holds more than 11 people. Nothing is charged when you reserve, and the full fare is refunded if you cancel 24 hours or more ahead. That flexibility matters more here than on most tours, because the whole morning depends on whether a helicopter can land high in the Southern Alps.
The record behind the price is strong. Across 315 reviews the listing scores 4.8; its sub-scores are 5 for the guide, 4.9 for transport and 4.6 for value. Value scores lowest, which is honest about an expensive morning: guests rate the people and the flying a little above the price tag. The rest of this page shows where that money goes.
Side by side
Heli hike options by fare, length and group
| Option | From | Length | Group or rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our heli hike | $528 | 3 hours | Up to 11 |
| Second operator | $555 | 3 hours | Up to 10 |
| Coach from Queenstown | $710 | 12 hours | Age 12 and over |
| Fly from Queenstown | $1,056 | 6 hours | Waist bag only |
Starting fares only: your date, your option and the exchange rate fix the real price.
Where the money goes: flights, guiding and kit
The Tasman Glacier heli hike price pays for a pair of helicopter legs, a qualified glacier guide and a full set of ice gear. Mt Cook Glacier Guiding, whose desk inside the airport terminal is the meeting point for this listing, says every piece of glacier equipment is included.4 Its kit list covers your feet with leather boots, socks and crampons or snowshoes, your body with a waterproof jacket and overtrousers, and the rest with poles, a hat, gloves and a backpack.5
The guiding is skilled work. The company says its guides hold, or are training for, Hard Ice Guide and Alpine Trekking Guide qualifications through the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association.6 On the glacier the guide cuts steps into the ice for the group to follow, a technique the operator traces back to the pioneers of New Zealand mountaineering.7 You are paying for judgement as much as for transport.
Some of the fare also goes to the park. The guiding company says part of the cost helps fund a Department of Conservation programme that removes lead nails from mountain huts, which protects the kea.8 The Helicopter Line, which runs a rival heli hike with Alpine Guides, states that its prices include concession fees that contribute to conservation.9 Flying inside a national park carries those costs whichever operator you choose.
Booking direct or through GetYourGuide
The operator sells the same morning on its own website. The Mount Cook Ski Planes and Helicopters page lists the Tasman Glacier heli hike with Mt Cook Glacier Guiding at NZD 995 per person.1 The guiding company's own page gives the same figure per adult and per child aged 9 to 16, valid to 30 September 2027.15 Children and adults pay alike, because each one takes a seat in the helicopter.
Alpine Guides, which guides the Helicopter Line version, lists NZD 995 per person from 01 October 2026.16 So the operators have converged on a similar figure, and the real differences lie in the terms. Booking direct, the guiding company refunds most trips cancelled 24 hours before the reporting time.17 Through GetYourGuide you can reserve without paying, with the same 24-hour window for a full refund.
Compare the price in your own currency on the day you book, since the GetYourGuide fare is shown in the currency you choose while the operator charges in New Zealand dollars. If your card adds a foreign transaction fee, that small extra belongs in the sum too. Whichever route you take, read the confirmation carefully: the check-in time comes before the flight time, and the operator plans its morning around it.
Pick by budget
Which Tasman option fits your spend
Say what matters most and see where the money is best spent.
If I want to walk on the ice for the least money
The heli hike from the airport
It starts from $528 for 3 hours with up to 2 hours on the glacier.
If I have no car in Queenstown
The coach combination
A 12-hour day with pickup and the heli hike, from $710.
If My time is shorter than my budget
The fly-in heli hike
Flights from Queenstown and 2 hours on the ice in 6 hours, from $1,056.
If I only want to see it from above
A scenic flight with a landing
The 45-minute Glacier Highlights flight lists NZD 699 per adult.12,10
If We travel with a child under 9
A scenic flight
Scenic flights suit all ages; the heli hike starts at 9 years.13,14
Three ways to pay for the ice
Local morning, coach day or fly-in day
No driving
The coach day
Round trip from Queenstown
- Length12 hours
- At the glacier3 hours
- Minimum age12
Fly-in option
The fly-in day
Flights from Queenstown
- Length6 hours
- On the ice2 hours
- Weight limit150 kg
Weight, age and fitness rules that decide if you fly
Helicopters are weighed before every lift, and the rules are strict. Mt Cook Glacier Guiding sets an individual limit of 116 kg for its experiences, because they use helicopters or ski planes.22 The Helicopter Line allows up to 150kg on a rear helicopter seat, and the second GetYourGuide heli hike states a maximum of 150 kilograms per person including equipment.23 Give an honest weight when you book.
Age limits differ by operator. The guiding company accepts children from 9 years, and anyone aged 9 to 16 must come with an adult.14 The Helicopter Line and the second listing set 10 years as the minimum.24 The Queenstown coach combination asks for children of 12 or older. Families with younger children should look at a scenic flight instead, which suits all ages.13
The fitness bar is modest but real. The guiding company's test is whether you can take a flight of stairs without gripping the rail and keep walking, pausing as needed, for up to 2 hours.25 The GetYourGuide record itself advises against the trip for travelers whose mobility is limited. If knees or balance worry you, the boat or a flight with a snow landing will give you the ice without the walking.
Where your fare goes
The heli hike morning, stage by stage
Check-in
Desk in the terminal
Meet at the guiding desk inside Mount Cook Airport.
Briefing
Safety and kit
A safety briefing of 45 minutes while your gear is fitted.
Flight in
Up the Tasman Valley
The helicopter lands you on the glacier after 15 minutes.
On the ice
Guided hiking
As long as 2 hours exploring, if the weather holds.3
Flight out
Back to the airport
A flight of 15 minutes back, then a 10-minute break.
Heli hikes from Queenstown, Twizel and Tekapo
Every Tasman heli hike starts at Mount Cook Airport, and getting there is your job. The operator states that transfers are not included and that it offers no shuttle service from Twizel or Tekapo.18 Its own travel times to the base are 50 minutes from Twizel, 1.5 hours from Tekapo and 3.5 hours from Queenstown.19 Add those hours, and fuel, to your budget before you compare fares.
Queenstown has packaged answers. A 12-hour coach day picks up from 28 locations and gives 3 hours at the glacier for the heli hike, from $710. A 6-hour version flies you from Queenstown to Mount Cook and back, with 2 hours on the ice, from $1,056. The flight version spares you most of a day of driving, and the price shows it.
There is a middle way for self-planners. The ski plane company points to flights from Queenstown with Glenorchy Air, which take off at 9am, loop past Fox Glacier and Franz Josef and touch down at Mount Cook at 10:30am, flying home at 3pm.26 That leaves time for a morning on the ice before the flight home. Our page on reaching the heli hike sets each route out in full.
Video
Heli hiking on the Tasman Glacier at Mount Cook
NZ Pocket Guide on YouTube · Until you tap play, no video is loaded.
Our guides are either fully qualified, or in training for Hard Ice Guide and Alpine Trekking Guide certifications through the internationally recognised New Zealand Mountain Guides Association.
Before you pay
Covered, extra, and ways to save
In the fare3
- Helicopter flights in and out, 15 minutes each
- A live guide in English
- Boots, crampons or snowshoes and a waterproof jacket5
On top3
A Mount Cook glacier heli hike or a scenic flight?
The cheaper alternative is a scenic flight with a snow landing. Glacier Highlights is priced at NZD 699 per adult and NZD 649 per child by the operator.12 Its 45 minutes include a glacier stop of 10 to 15 minutes before the return to the airport.10 A shorter helicopter flight with an alpine landing, the Tasman Taster, is listed at NZD 379 for 25 minutes.27
Set those against the heli hike and the trade is clear. A flight buys the view from above and a short stop in the snow; the heli hike buys up to 2 hours walking on the glacier itself, among crevasses and ice formations, with a guide. If walking the glacier is why you came, the price per minute on the ice favors the hike by a wide margin.
If the aerial view matters more than the walk, the flight wins on cost and on time, and it suits travelers who cannot meet the fitness or age rules. Our flights page compares helicopter and ski plane routes over the Tasman and the neighboring icefalls. Either way, remember that both depend on the same mountain weather and the same small aircraft.
Extras outside the fare, and ways to save
Food is an easy cost to forget. The guiding company says that nothing is sold at the airport except a small cookie box and bottled water, so eat before you arrive.2 It also advises bringing a drink and snacks, and the nearest supermarket is in Twizel, 65km away.28,29 Stock up there if you are driving in from the south.
Lateness is the costliest mistake. The operator says it cannot hold a departure for anyone running late, and a missed trip is still charged in full.30 Leave early: the drive along Lake Pukaki tempts you to stop for photographs. Travel insurance is worth having too, since a weather cancellation refunds the hike but not the night you booked nearby.
Flexibility is the real money saver. Both operators suggest putting the trip on your first day nearby, leaving room for a second attempt if the weather turns.20 The trip also needs at least 4 people to run; if your group is smaller, the operator tries to join you to others, and a private trip costs extra.21 A shared seat on a busy morning is the cheapest way onto the ice.
FAQ
Questions answered quickly.
How much is the Mount Cook heli hike?
From $528.
That is the starting fare for the 3-hour trip on GetYourGuide; the operator lists NZD 995 per person.1
What does the heli hike price include?
Flights, a guide and the kit.
Boots and socks, crampons or snowshoes, poles, waterproof jacket and trousers, hat, gloves and a pack, says the operator.5
Do children pay less?
No, the same fare.
The guiding company charges the same per adult and per child aged 9 to 16.15
Is there a weight limit on the heli hike?
Is transport to the airport included?
No.
Transfers are not included, and no shuttle runs from Twizel or Tekapo.18
What if I need to cancel?
Yes, up to 24 hours before.
Cancel at least 24 hours before and the whole fare comes back; reserving costs nothing upfront.
What happens if bad weather cancels it?
You get a refund or a new time.
When weather grounds the trip, the operator refunds you or finds a later departure with space.31
Sources
- Mount Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters (mtcookskiplanes.com) · Adventure+ ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · FAQs ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · The Adventurer: Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · The Adventurer: Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · The Adventurer: Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · Our Story ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · The Adventurer: Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · Our Story ↩
- The Helicopter Line (helicopter.co.nz) · Mountains High ↩
- Mount Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters (mtcookskiplanes.com) · Glacier Highlights ↩
- Mount Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters (mtcookskiplanes.com) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Mount Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters (mtcookskiplanes.com) · Glacier Highlights ↩
- Mount Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters (mtcookskiplanes.com) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · The Adventurer: Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · The Adventurer: Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- Alpine Guides (alpineguides.co.nz) · Tasman Glacier Heli-hike ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · The Adventurer: Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- Mount Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters (mtcookskiplanes.com) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · FAQs ↩
- Mount Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters (mtcookskiplanes.com) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · The Adventurer: Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · The Adventurer: Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- The Helicopter Line (helicopter.co.nz) · Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- The Helicopter Line (helicopter.co.nz) · Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · The Adventurer: Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- Mount Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters (mtcookskiplanes.com) · Getting Here ↩
- Mount Cook Ski Planes & Helicopters (mtcookskiplanes.com) · Tasman Taster ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · The Adventurer: Tasman Glacier Heli Hike ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · FAQs ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · FAQs ↩
- Mt Cook Glacier Guiding (mtcookguides.co.nz), the operator of the heli hike this site books · FAQs ↩