Happy Guests at The Hermitage

Above: One of the guests photo's of Aoraki Mount Cook

After a recent stay with us, this comment was posted to trip advisor. It was written so well that I felt I had to share it with you….

“Our stay in Mount Cook (Aoraki) was no less than magnificent.
It was tipping down for the first afternoon and evening with ferocious gusts of wind, a spectacular storm. So we did the movies that day. There is a planetarium in the Hermitage hotel which is hypnotic. 3D magic starts with a 3D animation of the Maori legend of how the South Island and Aoraki was born, my children were enthralled and now have a good understanding of the legend.


The next morning the weather was the same so we headed to the planetarium, to learn about planets, black holes and more of 3D magic. The enormous feats in the area, performed by incredible individuals and none more than the museums namesake, are set out in the Sir Edmund Hillary centre – I could’ve stayed there all day.


By midday, the rain had stopped and cloud was starting to lift and by the time we’d walked to the blue lakes (that are green) there were snow capped faces and peaks poking out everywhere through mountain hugging clouds. We headed on towards the ridge to view the Tasman lake and it’s icebergs… beautiful! By this time it was almost totally clear.
I coerced my two seven year olds up these tracks, it’s an experience that they’ll always remember.

The peace and solitude is magical. It’s the stuff I’d been craving. The enormous expanse of the area and the surrounds of the mountains have this intangible, infectious energy.
I had wanted to swim at the blue (green) lakes but thought we should push on.. A second chance came when when we returned to the carpark - there was to the side, one (of many) beautiful rivers running through the valley from them icy glaciers and snowy peaks so I immersed myself in that.
That swim is one I shall never forget – so exhiliarating, sooo cold.

The Hermitage Hotel itself reflects this expanse and beauty.
The room on the 9th floor enabled us to view head on, the constantly changing weather patterns and views of this spectacular scenery. The staff are willing, friendly and hospitable and there is a very special baby grand piano in the hallway of the second floor with a picture window at the end looking straight down the valley. I spent about an hour noodling around on it on that rainy afternoon– I haven’t done that for ages, I reckon it’s a meditative piano and that’s what people have done on it for 50 years.
I love this place and am already planning my return trip, except for longer.” – Posted by ‘Guitarmelee’ of Sydney on Tripadvisor, Dec 9^th 2009.

New addition to Sir Edmund Hillary collection at Mount Cook museum

It’s taken more than a year of elbow grease and some Kiwi ingenuity but a new reminder of Sir Edmund Hillary was finally unveiled at Aoraki Mount Cook last night (9 December).

An exact replica of one of the legendary Ferguson TEA tractors which transported Sir Edmund and his team on their epic journey to the South Pole in 1958 has been made especially for the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre.

The tractor construction was undertaken by John Callesen, a well-known vintage car restorer and ex-All Black. He’s also the brother of Denis Callesen, who led the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre development.

John Callesen painstakingly compared hundreds of photos of the three tractors that went on the Antarctica expedition to ensure accuracy.

Photos were sourced from the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre’s existing collection while others were taken of the original tractors housed at the Canterbury Museum, MOTAT (Museum of Transport and Technology) in Auckland, and the Massey Ferguson Museum in France.

Based on the photo comparisons, John Callesen replicated every single visible part of the tractor in his Palmerston North workshop.

The tractors that went to Antarctica as part of the 1957-1958 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition were originally to be used to help unload the Endeavour and build Scott Base. However Sir Edmund Hillary was so impressed with them that most of the huskies, which had been trained at Aoraki Mount Cook and brought over for the expedition, were replaced by the tractors.

His gamble paid off as his team went on to become the first to reach the Pole overland since Captain Robert Falcon Scott in 1912 and the first ever to do so using motor vehicles. It took the ‘tractor train’ of three tractors, a Weasel, caboose and six sledges more than 80 days to complete the 1,930km (1,200-mile) journey.

Many modifications were made to the tractors before departure but, lacking a local hardware store, the team was forced to get creative with the materials on hand at Scott Base. Consequently, the likes of Dexion shelving and Waratah fencing standards became invaluable in ensuring the tractors survived the journey to the Pole.

John Callesen says his biggest hurdle in building the tractor was distinguishing between the numerous alterations made to the tractors before and after their trip to the Pole.

"The tractors stayed at the South Pole for several years afterwards and were further modified which made producing an exact visible replica tricky. However, based on original photos and feedback from surviving expedition members, what I’ve built looks exactly like what the expedition team drove to the Pole, gas torch scorch marks and all,” he says.

The replica tractor now sits in the dedicated Sir Edmund Hillary Gallery alongside items such as 50-year old footage of Sir Edmund boarding the Endeavour, the original mileage wheel showing the exact distance to the Pole, and Sir Edmund’s original primus stove. There’s also imagery of Sir Edmund training at Aoraki Mount Cook in 1957 on what’s believed to be one of the tractors that went to Antarctica.

Denis Callesen, General Manager of Tourism for Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Village Ltd, is delighted with the replica tractor, saying it adds to the picture they’re building of Sir Edmund’s life and his Himalayan and Antarctic training links to Aoraki Mount Cook.

“It’s an honour to be able to share Sir Ed’s intriguing story with the world and we’re very grateful to those who contribute items which help put things in context for our visitors. Seeing the primitive equipment he and his various expedition parties used gives people a sense of the triumphs, tribulations and magnitude of what they achieved. Imagine battling Antarctica’s extreme cold and crevasses on ordinary farm tractors without the technology or equipment we have today - it’s a truly amazing feat.”

The Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre was officially opened on 29 May 2008 by Sir Edmund’s widow, June, Lady Hillary Q.S.M. It is located adjacent to The Hermitage Hotel in Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Village, within the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park and World Heritage area. The Village is a spectacular 55km drive from the Lake Pukaki / State Highway 8 turn-off and is four hours from Christchurch (272km) and three hours from Queenstown (330km).

Mountain Music a hit

The hills were alive with the sound of music last week when more than 150 locals and guests turned out to hear the Christchurch Youth Symphony Orchestra play at Aoraki Mount Cook.
The audience enjoyed an open-air concert, hosted by The Hermitage Hotel, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Southern Alps and New Zealand’s tallest mountain, Aoraki Mount Cook.

Prior to the concert, the group of young musicians held a workshop at Mt Cook School, acquainting local children with the intricacies of orchestral arrangement and different brass, woodwind, percussion, keyboard and string instruments.


The Hermitage General Manager Andrew Cleverley says the day was a huge success.


“It was great to see our locals and guests making the most of the sunshine and balmy conditions. It was very laidback – everyone just lounged on the lawn outside the hotel and enjoyed the selection of classical and modern pieces. One of the highlights for me was hearing our own local soloist Emi Scheel, give a magnificent rendition of Pokarekare ana accompanied by the orchestra.


“Everyone enjoyed the day so much that we’re hoping to host a similar visit next year.”

Two weddings in one day at The Hermitage Aoraki Mt Cook

Love was in the air today at Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. Mark & Racheal Riley and Frank & Melanie Salomon tied the knot after careful planning by The Hermitage’s own wedding planner, Nyree Schaar. Both couples flew by Helicopter to locations within the park to celebrate their special day in very special spots. Weddings are becoming very popular at Mt Cook and we now pride ourselves on our specialised wedding packages and organisation, for wedding parties from 2-100 guests. Contact the hotel direct on 03 4351809 to speak with our specialist wedding planner about your big day or visit www.hermitage.co.nz