Mount Cook Salmon Ltd - the world's highest salmon farm, is located in a hydro electric canal between Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki, within view of majestic Mount Cook (New Zealand's highest mountain).
Farming Chinook (King) Salmon in a canal environment is a world first and has taken the company almost a decade to perfect. The glacial waters are amongst the cleanest in the world but at 677m above sea level, the climate is harsh with air temperatures in excess of 30 degrees in summer and below zero in winter, sometimes accompanied by snow and ice.
The canal flows at a rate of nearly 125,000 cubic metres of water every second and is highly oxygenated. As a result, the salmon reared are disease free and no antibiotics or vaccines are necessary.
People are welcome to visit this working salmon farm by following the signs from the adjacent State Highway system. The route is along a section of the Bullock Wagon Heritage Trail beside the canal. Spectacular views of Mount Cook and the Southern Alps can be gained from this sealed road.
At the farm, self guided tours including feeding the fish are available year round. Fresh salmon taken direct from the farm can be purchased in either whole, fillet or steak form. Fresh sashimi is particularly popular, with the soy sauce, wasabi etc available.
Mount Cook Salmon has a car park, toilet block and picnic area, with a short walking track to a rise overlooking Lake Pukaki and the mountains.
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