Mountains and Glaciers in South Island

Alpine Landscapes

New Zealand’s South Island is defined by the Southern Alps, a mountain range featuring Aoraki / Mount Cook, the country's highest peak at 3,724 metres. This selection highlights diverse glacial formations like the 12-kilometre Franz Josef Glacier and the hanging Rob Roy Glacier. It includes geological landmarks such as the limestone boulders of Castle Hill and the iconic Mitre Peak in Milford Sound. The list also features Mount Sunday, the filming site for Edoras in The Lord of the Rings, and the alpine Omanui / McKinnon Pass.

Alpine Landscapes — Map

mujtaba / CC BY 2.0

A

Mount Cook

Aoraki / Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand. Its height, as of 2014, is listed as 3,724 metres.

Archives New Zealand / CC BY-SA 2.0

B

Franz Josef Glacier

The Franz Josef Glacier is a 12-kilometre-long temperate maritime glacier in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New…

MurielBendel / CC BY-SA 4.0

C

Mitre Peak

A 1,692-metre peak rising vertically from the shores of Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park. Its name derives from its distinctive shape, which resembles a bishop's mitre.

Pseudopanax / CC BY 3.0

D

Rob Roy Glacier

The Rob Roy Glacier is a small hanging glacier in the Southern Alps of New Zealand's South Island.

AlasdairW / CC BY-SA 3.0

E

Omanui / McKinnon Pass

Omanui / McKinnon Pass is an alpine pass between Mount Hart and Mount Balloon in Fiordland, New Zealand.

Jeff Hitchcock / CC BY 3.0

F

Mount Sunday

A hill in the Rangitata Valley that served as the filming location for Edoras, the capital of Rohan, in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. It is situated on a plain surrounded by the Southern Alps.

Francis Vallance (Heritage Warrior) / CC BY 2.0

G

Castle Hill

Castle Hill is a location and a high country station in New Zealand's South Island.

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