private guiding
Your Mission—Our Expertise
Difficulty
Customised
Duration
3 to 7+ days
Season
All year round
Gearlist
PRICE FROM $1,725 NZD
Bespoke Alpine and Ski Touring Expeditions
Beyond our classic peaks and courses lies the vast, wild potential of the Southern Alps. Our Private Guiding service is a blank canvas for ambitious mountaineers or backcountry skiers. Whether you have a specific, "off-list" summit in your sights, or you're looking for a multi-day mission, tailored to your exact rhythm, we’ll build the mission from the ground up.
Leveraging decades of mountain knowledge, we work with you to design a proposal that balances your objectives with the ever-changing alpine conditions. From remote, technical ice faces to ski tours in serious glaciated terrain, or scenic remote treks, your experience level is the starting point for our creativity.
Designing your trip
Every Private Guiding program is unique
We will discuss a general plan for your trip when going through the booking process.
When dealing with a dynamic environment it is best to take a flexible approach and avoid fixed day-to-day schedules. Your guide will work around prevailing weather and conditions, to get the most from your time.
After meeting your guide, the first stage is an equipment check and sort, then follows an in depth discussion outlining your trip, and the mountain venue, given the outlook for weather and conditions.
At this stage, your guide may advise on a revised plan if conditions and weather do not suit our initial plans. We always reserve the right to modify schedules to best suit the conditions at the time.
Flexibility to Move
If weather conditions do not allow us to tackle your trip of choice we will devise another suitable trip that will fit your time available and experience.
Weather Contingency
The following special conditions apply to all Private Guiding bookings. This helps increase the chance of a successful outcome and provides flexibility.
If the weather severely affects your trip plans, a guaranteed one-day weather contingency is included to roll your trip back a day. We reserve the right to modify trip objectives and itineraries to best work around prevailing weather and snow conditions.
Prices and Details
Prices from May 2026
| People | 3 days | 4 days | 5 days | 6 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4,095 | $5,350 | $6,575 | $7,800 | $9,050 |
| 2 | $2,550 | $3,350 | $4,150 | $4,950 | $5,725 |
| 3 | $1,990 | $2,600 | $3,225 | $3,850 | $4,475 |
| 4 | $1,725 | $2,275 | $2,800 | $3,350 | $3,900 |
Prices are per person, in NZ$ and include GST.
Unless arranged differently, trips start at 08:30 AM on day one and finish at 5:00 PM on the final day.
Check-in at Alpine Guides office in Mount Cook Village.
Please read our booking Terms and Conditions.
The package Includes
Guide and national park fees
All meals (including snacks and energy bars)
Hut fees/ local accommodation, as required
Bivouac/camping gear, as required
Free use of a range of technical equipment
Does not include:
Aircraft costs (if required)
Accommodation on single-day trips
Trips outside the Mt Cook Area may incur some travel costs. We will discuss this prior to booking.
Aircraft Use
Some ski touring and climbing objectives can be greatly enhanced by aircraft access - reducing heavy load carrying, and quickly accessing your objectives. Aircraft use could save you a day or more from your trip duration - for example, climbing Nuns Veil, accessing Barron Saddle Hut, or ski touring at Twin Streams.
If used, all aircraft costs are in addition to the trip fees. We will advise on likely costs based on your specific trip and the number of people involved.
How to Book
Whether you are an experienced mountaineer, a fit hiker, or a ski tourer/split-boarder we can tailor a trip to meet (or challenge) your mountain background. Please contact us with some information about what you hope to achieve.
We can advise on the suitability of a trip based on the time you have available, snow/route conditions, your experience, and what we know of your fitness.
possible Objectives
Summer - late October through April
This is by far the best time for alpine mountaineering, rock climbing and alpine trekking. We will consider route conditions when advising on trip options.
Alpine Trekking Objectives
You can combine objectives to create 3 to 5 days of excellent high-elevation trekking.
Watertank Ridge - Mueller Hut - Mt Cook Village Traverse (1-2 days)
Sebastopol Ridge - Mueller Hut - Mt Cook Village Traverse (1- 2 days)
Biliken Pass - Mt Wakefield Traverse (2 days)
Ball Pass (3 days)
Lake Dumbell - Ohau Range - (2-3 days)
Gunsight Pass - Temple Valley (2-3 days)
Rock Climbing Objectives
Or combine your trekking mission with some multi-pitch rock.
Rock climbing at Sebastopol Bluffs (1-3 days)
Twin Streams rock climbing (2-4 days)
Potential Mountaineering Objectives
The Nuns Veil, 2,749 metres (3 to 4 days)
Mount Sealy, 2,627 metres (3 days)
Mt Barth - Ahuriri Valley - (4 days)
Dassler Pinnacles - Hopkins Valley (3 to 4 days)
Barron Saddle - Fly in for multiple objectives and walk out to Mt Cook Village (5 to 7 days)
Mount Mannering - 2,669 metres and Mount Broderick - 2,669 metres (6 days)
Pioneer Hut Area - Westland
Westland National Park is just across the Main Divide from our Aoraki Mount Cook base. It is an achievable drive or a quick heli flight across to access this amazing location.
As well as access onto Mount Tasman, there are a number of 3,000+ metre peaks close to Pioneer Hut.
Due to the area’s remoteness and exposure to westerly weather systems, we recommend 7 days or more to really make the most of the location.
Possible options can include:
Mount Haidinger (3,070 metres). The West Face offers a number of routes at grades 3 to 4+
Douglas Peak (3,077 metres) at grades 3 and higher
Mount Lendenfeld (3,194 metres) at grades 2 to 3+
Various other peaks from grade 1+ to 2+, like Mount Mallory (2,756 metres), Mount Alack (2,759 metres)
Other Options
Minarets (3,040 metres) from Centennial Hut, 5 or 6-days
Based at Centennial Hut (2,400 m), at the head of Franz Josef Glacier, an ascent of the Minarets offers a wonderful opportunity to journey across the Main Divide.
The vertical ascent is only 640 vertical metres. However, once above the Chamberlain snowfields, the climbing is moderately steep and sustained - and will test the endurance of your calf muscles!
Mount Sefton (3,151 metres), 7+ days
Mount Sefton towers almost 2,000 metres above Mount Cook Village. It is seldom guided due to the long approach. The classic West Ridge Route (grade 2+) makes a superb challenge for a fit climber keen for a remote wilderness experience.
La Perouse (3,078 metres), 7+ days
Strong alpinists can tackle La Perouse in early summer via the Hooker Valley. Access and egress are on foot only. The classic route is the Divide Route, at grade 3.
The first full day of the trip is a challenging approach to Empress Hut. The climbing route is a long one, involving the ascent of another peak - Mount Jellicoe (2,837 metres), before ascending the rocky Divide Ridge, or up a steep snow arête to the summit.
Elie de Beaumont (3,109 metres), 4-5 days
A beautiful 3,000-metre peak offering stunning views of the Tasman Sea and West Coast. This is a great winter objective and an early-season peak, but it can become cut off by crevasses by December. In good conditions, it can be ascended partway with ski touring equipment.
Mounts Green (2,837 metres) and Walter (2,905 metres), 4-5 days
Mount Green offers various routes from the East Face (grade 2) through to grade 3+ on southern routes. Mount Walter has a number of approaches at grades 2 to 3. Winter and early summer seasons can offer more challenging ice routes.
Winter: July through October
This is the best window for ski touring and ski mountaineering.
Winter presents different challenges for climbers - potential deep snow, short daylight hours, and avalanche risk can make many routes/peaks inaccessible.
The head of the Murchison Glacier is a great climbing and ski touring area. Being east of the Main Divide, it can often avoid the worst of westerly weather systems.
This is a remote area, requiring a base camp to climb from, as Murchison Hut has been removed.
Winter ski touring/ski mountaineering options include
The Murchison Headwall
Mannering Glacier
Mount Phyllis (2,444 metres)/Classen Saddle
Mount Sydney King (2,521 metres)
A 25% deposit is required to secure your booking
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HOCHSTETTER DOME
