Plan & prepare

Getting there

Descending Upper Joe Waterfall, Mount Aspiring National Park. Image: Keith Springer.
Descending Upper Joe waterfall

Mt Aspiring National Park straddles the southern end of the Southern Alps. The closest towns are Wanaka, Queenstown, Glenorchy and Te Anau. It is one of New Zealand's larger parks at 355,543 hectares and it lies alongside the largest, Fiordland National Park.

In the northwest the park is traversed by State Highway 6. Good tramping tracks and short walks can be accessed from the small settlement of Makarora between Haast and Wanaka.

Roads also lead to main access points from Wanaka, Queenstown/Glenorchy and Te Anau. Local transport services run to most of these access points, including a boat service from Glenorchy to the Greenstone Valley, and the following services from Wanaka:

Alpine Coachlines

Daily scheduled shuttle services to tracks within the Mount Aspiring National Park and Lake Wanaka region.
Ph +64 3 443 7966

Wanaka River Journeys

Jet boat transport to Rob Roy Glacier and Mount Aspiring National Park walks from Wanaka.
Ph +64 3 443 4416

Bus services to Queenstown, Wanaka and Te Anau are frequent. Queenstown has an airport with regular services and Wanaka airport services domestic flights.

Safety

If you use the track system in the park for overnight trips, make sure you are properly equipped and well prepared.

Make sure your group has a capable leader and that everyone is carrying a sleeping bag, cooking utensils, sufficient high energy food (with some extra for emergencies), a waterproof raincoat and overtrousers, gloves, a hat, and several layers of warm (wool or fleece) clothing.

Please check in at any of the local Department of Conservation offices for up-to-date information on weather and track conditions. 

Follow the outdoor safety code

 

Maps

DOC maps: Discover the outdoors - DOC's key places, campsites, tracks and huts, and visitor centres on a map

Learn more

Check, Clean, Dry between waterways and stop the spread of didymo.

Safety

Safety information

Always contact the nearest visitor centre for the latest information about facilities and conditions.

Alerts for Mount Aspiring National Park

Contacts

Wanaka Area Office
Phone:      +64 3 443 7660
Email:   mtaspiringvc@doc.govt.nz
Full office details
Haast Visitor Centre
Phone:      +64 3 750 0809
Address:   Haast Junction
Corner SH6 and Jackson Bay Road
Haast
South Westland
Email:   haastvc@doc.govt.nz
Full office details
Makarora Visitor Centre
Phone:      +64 3 443 8365
Address:   Haast Pass Highway
State Hwy 6
Email:   makaroravc@doc.govt.nz
Full office details
Queenstown Regional Visitor Centre
Phone:      +64 3 442 7935
Address:   Outside Sports Building
36-38 Shotover Street
Queenstown 9300
Email:   queenstownvc@doc.govt.nz
Full office details