Mt Cook trip, one nighter?

[Stylo]

Heading away on Sat from Ch Ch , how long to get there and ...what's it like for accom ?. We've booked a 'cheap' room which is'nt that cheap but...all good as we have'nt been there before. Just curious about the Hermitage as neither of us have been there before ...

Looking fwd to the trip , if only for one night and heading back to the shakey city on Sun morning . Take our own booze? ...you betcha ...

Be nice to hear from anyone who's done the same trip, we're on a Hayabusa so fuel stops should'nt be an issue when fill up at Tekapo...Thanks in advance

[DougieNZ]

Have been there a couple of times. Hwermitage VERY expensive. Pleanty on other accomodation available but you will still pay a decent proce as they have a captive audience. Seeing wonderful sunset - priceless!

[cbfb]

Heading away on Sat from Ch Ch , how long to get there and ...what's it like for accom ?. We've booked a 'cheap' room which is'nt that cheap but...all good as we have'nt been there before. Just curious about the Hermitage as neither of us have been there before ...

Looking fwd to the trip , if only for one night and heading back to the shakey city on Sun morning . Take our own booze? ...you betcha ...

Be nice to hear from anyone who's done the same trip, we're on a Hayabusa so fuel stops should'nt be an issue when fill up at Tekapo...Thanks in advance

Depending on your speed, prob about 3 hours ish from ChCh.

Accom is pretty average, there is a hut apart from that it's very overpriced. Forget the hermitage, go for coffee or a beer but staying there is a joke.

The pub is shit, or was last time i went (been heaps of times). Moody bastard ran it we got thrown out.

I usually camp but doubt you'll be taking a tent.

And watch out for those bloody kea, one totalled my tent there!!

Have fun :)

[Stylo]

Depending on your speed, prob about 3 hours ish from ChCh.

Accom is pretty average, there is a hut apart from that it's very overpriced. Forget the hermitage, go for coffee or a beer but staying there is a joke.

The pub is shit, or was last time i went (been heaps of times). Moody bastard ran it we got thrown out.

I usually camp but doubt you'll be taking a tent.

And watch out for those bloody kea, one totalled my tent there!!

Have fun :)

On the back of the feedback We've been temped to cancel our booking ( Cheapest Motel $240 incl free 'continental breakfast ie 2 slices of toast and some marmite) and 800m from the Restaurant at the Hermitage , ...BUT...we're both looking fwd to the ride rather than the destination so we're gonna do it and, be damned. As I said neither of us have been there before so ....

Take it the roads are sealed through to the Hermitage ?

Look fwd to the ride and getting stung when we get there....Cheers..

Is there a shuttle to the Restaurant ? hmm

[DougieNZ]

All sealed... great road. I hope you get a clear day...

[Stylo]

All sealed... great road. I hope you get a clear day...

Thanks Dougie .....we'll try and keep to the speed limit too:msn-wink:

[cbfb]

On the back of the feedback We've been temped to cancel our booking ( Cheapest Motel $240 incl free 'continental breakfast ie 2 slices of toast and some marmite) and 800m from the Restaurant at the Hermitage , ...BUT...we're both looking fwd to the ride rather than the destination so we're gonna do it and, be damned. As I said neither of us have been there before so ....

Take it the roads are sealed through to the Hermitage ?

Look fwd to the ride and getting stung when we get there....Cheers..

Is there a shuttle to the Restaurant ? hmm

Yeah it's a damn shame about Mt Cook Village and its overpricing because the area is stunning. You should definitely go though, the scenery is fantastic. I used to go up there for mountaineering so we would usually spend as little time as possible in the village. If you're up for it there's a great day walk you can do along the valley, can't miss it.

You'll find the pub cheaper to eat than the Hermitage restaurant and you can walk anywhere within the village in 5-10 mins, no need for shuttles. No food or booze available to buy in the village though (apart from crazy price Hermitage 'shop') so take your own.

Have a great time.

[Stylo]

Yeah it's a damn shame about Mt Cook Village and its overpricing because the area is stunning. You should definitely go though, the scenery is fantastic. I used to go up there for mountaineering so we would usually spend as little time as possible in the village. If you're up for it there's a great day walk you can do along the valley, can't miss it.

You'll find the pub cheaper to eat than the Hermitage restaurant and you can walk anywhere within the village in 5-10 mins, no need for shuttles. No food or booze available to buy in the village though (apart from crazy price Hermitage 'shop') so take your own.

Have a great time.

Just been discussing the feedback on here with my Mrs and we're still gonna do it, Thanks cbfb , well take our hiking boots too...be nice to give the Bike a squirt on the road up to the Hermitage, nice to know it's sealed ....I'll give the Mrs my Credit card and she can decide where we eat...I'm actually Ok with a bowl of fries or a Toasted sandwich .......showing my roots

[Virago]

The Mt Cook Road is awesome...

230129

This is how it looks in winter...

230131

The Hermitage is only about 70km from Twizel - there's cheaper accommodation options there.

[FJRider]

Just been discussing the feedback on here with my Mrs and we're still gonna do it, Thanks cbfb , well take our hiking boots too...be nice to give the Bike a squirt on the road up to the Hermitage, nice to know it's sealed ....I'll give the Mrs my Credit card and she can decide where we eat...I'm actually Ok with a bowl of fries or a Toasted sandwich .......showing my roots

The Fairlie-Mt Cook-Omarama road is very heavily policed ... And as such .... I suggest the "squirts" be kept to legal speed ....

[RedKLR650]

You're looking at about 320kms from Chch to Mt Cook and at the legal limit, it's about 4 hrs ( 3 to Tekapo ) but obviously quicker on a bike

I'm Timaru based but am at Mt Cook a lot for work. The Mt Cook road ( 54kms of motorbike heaven ) is VERY heavily policed, especially by the Mufti cops ( saw 3 different mufti's on that road in 1 day once !!! )

Hermitage is a RIP-OFF and the manager there is straght out obnoxious, so be aware

There is a cafe / bar / restaurant called The Old Mountineers Cafe within walking distance which at least has some character, unless you fancy spending the evening in the company of the predominantly asian clientelle in the Hermitage bar

There is also another great accomodation option called the Aoraki Alpine Lodge, just around the corner from the bar

If you want a lesson on how a big company ( the Hermitage ) tries to steamroller over smaller businesses, read the recently released book, "Matagouri and other pricks" by Mary and Charlie Hobbs, the Old Mountineers Cafe owners, It's very enlightening :-)

and as you're looking for a good bike friendly ride, take the trip south then west to Lake Ohau - Beautiful twisties......

Cheers, Stu

Cheers, Stu

[Stylo]

You're looking at about 320kms from Chch to Mt Cook and at the legal limit, it's about 4 hrs ( 3 to Tekapo ) but obviously quicker on a bike

I'm Timaru based but am at Mt Cook a lot for work. The Mt Cook road ( 54kms of motorbike heaven ) is VERY heavily policed, especially by the Mufti cops ( saw 3 different mufti's on that road in 1 day once !!! )

Hermitage is a RIP-OFF and the manager there is straght out obnoxious, so be aware

There is a cafe / bar / restaurant called The Old Mountineers Cafe within walking distance which at least has some character, unless you fancy spending the evening in the company of the predominantly asian clientelle in the Hermitage bar

There is also another great accomodation option called the Aoraki Alpine Lodge, just around the corner from the bar

If you want a lesson on how a big company ( the Hermitage ) tries to steamroller over smaller businesses, read the recently released book, "Matagouri and other pricks" by Mary and Charlie Hobbs, the Old Mountineers Cafe owners, It's very enlightening :-)

and as you're looking for a good bike friendly ride, take the trip south then west to Lake Ohau - Beautiful twisties......

Cheers, Stu

Cheers, Stu

Thanks for the advice and feedback, Stu, Virago and the FJ man and others..looks like we'll have to keep our speed down ...don't have a RD for the Bike yet but looking into it so we'll just go for the ride and be prepared for the rip-off at the other end. I'll take some pic's and send them through , maybe one of the pics might be of the menu prices ? .....:msn-wink:

[Gremlin]

Handy stuff to know... I reckon I'll do a day trip there from Chch, first week of March... only 660km round trip.

[KiWiP]

I was there last week and stayed at the DOC campsite WHITE HORSE CAMPSITE (http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-stay/conservation-campsites-by-region/canterbury/aorak-mt-cook/white-horse-hill/)past Mount Cook. Campsite fantastic with good toilets showers etc. And a 5minute walk to the Alpine memorial which is a great spot to sit and watch the sun set on Mt Cook with a wine or two. Wait a bit more and you get this under the moon light http://i54.tinypic.com/ncgl7l.jpg
Mount Cook village looks like an industrial Russian complex. I wouldn't want to stay there if it was cheap. There is a much nicer complex down the track at glentanner and you will need to book if you want a unit. But if it's fine I would go for canvas as the DOC site is a very special place to wake up in.

[MD]

Popped up to the Hermitage for a coffee break while passing through in December 2010. Scenic but a fairly straight road bordering on boring at times. It's the white covered bit behind my head.

As said, you would be better off staying in a motel in Twizel and spending the day at the Mt Cook Village.

Christchurch. Mt Cook. A Hayabusa. That's a lunchtime squirt.

[Stylo]

Popped up to the Hermitage for a coffee break while passing through in December 2010. Scenic but a fairly straight road bordering on boring at times. It's the white covered bit behind my head.

As said, you would be better off staying in a motel in Twizel and spending the day at the Mt Cook Village.

Christchurch. Mt Cook. A Hayabusa. That's a lunchtime squirt.

Here's a couple of pics ...good roads and some interesting prices ( ! ) when we got there but, did'nt spoil our visit too much ....

Left the Hermitage around 9am this morning and shitty weather through to Tekapo...after that ...sublime ...

[Stylo]

Here's a couple of pics ...good roads and some interesting prices ( ! ) when we got there but, did'nt spoil our visit too much ....

Left the Hermitage around 9am this morning and shitty weather through to Tekapo...after that ...sublime ...

Ps the 'Busa is an awesome way to cover distance in style....and thanks to Metzler for not letting me get a puncture when I knew, just after we'd left, that I'd left all my tools and repair kit sitting next to the coffee I never bothered to finish in the garage...

No thanks to the 'cheap' Buffet meal at the Hermitage, $ 62 per head !

Good food though .....:yes: