Scenic return helicopter flight from ChristchurchExtended alpine flight over Aoraki / Mount Cook National ParkRemote alpine landingPilot commentaryOptional: Alpine picnic lunch (available on request; dietary requirements must be advised in advance)

Important Information

Duration: Approx. 3 hoursFlights operate subject to weather conditionsDress warmly for alpine environmentsHelicopter type at operator’s discretion

Overview Pricing

Aoraki Mount Cook & Lord of the Rings Country Helicopter Tour

South Island

Garden City Helicopters

from

NZ$3499

per person

Helicopter flying above dramatic snow-covered mountain ridges in the Southern Alps

Experiences

Helicopter Scenic Flights

Lord of the Rings and Hobbiton

Family-friendly Tours

Half-Day Tours

South Island

Start: Christchurch Airport

Location: Christchurch

Travel Time: 3 hours

Explore Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park and The Lord of the Rings filming landscapes on a three-hour return helicopter tour departing from Christchurch Airport. Available subject to weather and booking availability, the experience includes scenic flying over the Southern Alps, Tasman Glacier, a remote alpine landing and pilot commentary. Flight and landing times vary. Ideal for nature lovers, photographers and film fans, with a minimum of two participants required.

Alpine Landing and The Lord of the Rings Landscapes

Take off from Christchurch and soar across the Canterbury Plains, passing braided rivers, high-country lakes and rolling farmland before reaching the spectacular Southern Alps. Fly into Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park, home to 27 peaks rising above 3,000 metres, including New Zealand's highest mountain, Aoraki / Mount Cook. Admire the immense Tasman Glacier winding through rugged alpine valleys before touching down at a remote mountain landing site. Step outside to capture incredible photographs surrounded by towering peaks and dramatic glacier-carved landscapes, with seasonal snow adding to the alpine scenery.

On your return journey to Christchurch, discover the landscapes that brought Middle-earth to life in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Fly over the sweeping plains of Rohan and the high-country setting used for Edoras, the capital of Rohan. Your experienced pilot will share commentary as you take in the vast valleys, mountain ranges and remarkable natural formations of Canterbury's alpine wilderness. For an extra-special experience, an alpine picnic lunch can also be arranged on request.

Aerial view of Waimakariri River braided channels and Southern Alps

Aerial view of Lake Ōhau with snow-capped Southern Alps in the distance

Scenic aerial view of Edoras filming location from Lord of the Rings with helicopter landing nearby

View of snow-covered Mount Cook from helicopter window

Helicopter landing on snowy mountain with passengers exploring the ridge

Helicopter soaring through snowy mountain peaks near Mount Cook

Helicopter flying over turquoise Lake Tekapo with alpine backdrop

Snow-capped Aoraki Mount Cook viewed from road along Lake Pukaki

Pilot and passenger inside helicopter cockpit with mountain views

Hooker Valley with Mount Cook towering in the background on a clear day

Helicopter flying over dramatic hilltop near Edoras, Lord of the Rings filming location

Aerial view of the braided Rakaia River during a scenic helicopter flight in Canterbury

Aerial view of the lush farmland and braided rivers of the Canterbury Plains

Family stepping out of a helicopter onto snow-covered mountains near Mount Cook

Braided river network in Canterbury seen from above during a helicopter flight

Scenic return helicopter flight from Christchurch
Extended alpine flight over Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park
Remote alpine landing
Pilot commentary
Optional: Alpine picnic lunch (available on request; dietary requirements must be advised in advance)

Duration: Approx. 3 hours
Flights operate subject to weather conditions
Dress warmly for alpine environments
Helicopter type at operator’s discretion

More than 24 hours before departure: Full refund**
Within 24 hours: No refund

Note: **Any refund approved under our terms and conditions will be subject to a 5% admin & processing fee, which will be deducted from the refund amount.

Please see more information on refunds and cancellations in Go New Zealand's terms and conditions.