Year 11 Duke of Edinburgh Trip To Aoraki/Mount Cook

We were bound for Aoraki/Mount Cook however our first expedition took us from Quailburn to Lake Ohau. The first day was challenging as we faced some freezing temperatures and it snowed for a large portion of the day. Fortunately the positive spirit of all class members carried us through and everyone smashed the 19km trek. At the end of the long day, we were grateful to settle into camp at Glentanner with students cooking themselves a variety of different meals for dinner.

Our second day was spent exploring the Sealy Tarns track with some stunning views of Aoraki/Mount Cook. By chance, all of our groups were at the Sealy Tarns summit at lunchtime on Saturday which was a special experience to share and a great opportunity for a photo (attached!). During this time there were plenty of snowballs thrown and snow angels made. There was no shortage of entertainment on Saturday evening as students hosted a yoga session and each contributed an item to the 'Talent show'.

Our final day saw lots of tired bodies battling through our last trail from the Tasman Glacier viewpoint to the Hooker Valley track. The views, bridges and nature along the Hooker Valley track was amazing and we all felt very lucky to have completed this journey in such a special part of Aotearoa. 

A huge thank you to the amazing parent helpers that contributed so much along the trip and provided some incredible support to usher our students along. The trip wouldn't have been possible without the help of all other parents/caregivers that had helped their children to prepare for the trip both mentally and physically! Finally, to the students themselves - the three days were no easy feat and everything was done with a big smile and positive attitude! Bring on our final adventurous journey in December!