Mount Cook is located in a spectacular range of glaciated mountains known as the Southern Alps.  Mt. Cook is one of 140 peaks in the Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park found in the central part of the Southern Alps.  It was originally given the name Aoraki by the Maori which translates to "cloud piercer".  The Southern Alps are located on the south island of New Zealand in the southern hemisphere near the Arctic and span 500 kilometers, nearly the entire length of the island.  Specifically, Mt. Cook can be found on the high inland basin of the Alps and south west of Christchurch at the coordinates 43°35′44.69″S, 170°8′27.75″E.  It is the highest peak of New Zealand at 12, 314 feet (3,744m) and was forced up by the collision of the Australian and Pacific plates and continues to rise (Luhr 2003).  It is one peak of many over 10,000 feet in the Southern Alps and is a beautiful site that can be seen from many locations such as Lake Pukaki or the state highway 80.  Mt. Cook is very accessible and offers many tourist activities such as skiing, hiking, and camping.  One of its most famous tourist centers and base camp is Mt. Cook Village (or The Hermitage).  Mt. Cook's location offers a unique blend of glacial and marine climates.         

(World Atlas 2007)