Fox Glacier in New Zealand is a small little town surrounded by big scenery. Situated on the west coast of the South Island, the glacier is stunning and easily accessible too. From gorgeous walks, glacier hikes and extreme sports, Fox Glacier should not be one to miss! Here are some things to do in this beautiful place:
Glacier Hiking and Helicopter Tour
This is the one thing I actually did not do as I was short on time (and money) but wish I had done sooo much! If you can afford the helicopter tours, they look amazing! You can either hike or take a helicopter up to Fox Glacier. The hiking tours offer all hikes for all ability levels, where they will give you all the equipment you need. You can also walk up the forest path to the edge of the glacier or to the viewpoint. The heli-hike will take you too some stunning mountain scenery, including crevasses, waterfalls, and some amazing lookouts.
Skydive
This was the reason I really came to Fox Glacier- to jump out of a plane from 16,500ft. This skydive has now merged with the Franz Josef one, and it looks awesome! I was surprisingly calm going up in the plane, even when dangling my legs out the plane door….but the freefall was pretty damm scary! The freefall bit was such a thrill, but I will be honest I felt like I couldn’t breathe for most the 65 seconds! So, I just screamed my way through it lol. After the parachute opens however, the scenery is spectacular.
You will see the green mountains and rainforest, snow-capped mountains and blue lakes and rivers. You can even have a go at steering the parachute yourself. Also, on the way up in the small plane, just before you jump, you also get to see this incredible landscape and it essentially is like booking a scenic flight.
My tips for the higher of the skydives is the bring gloves with you. After I landed my hands were so cold, but when they started to warm up, the pain was so bad! It is pretty cold up at that level, so dress warm if travelling in the cooler seasons. Also, if you don’t think you will like such a long freefall, then go for the 13ft skydive as it could be a nicer experience.
Thrill seekers may enjoy reading: Bloukran’s: Jumping the World’s Highest Bungy Bridge
Lake Matheson
Lake Matheson is a popular spot for photographers as the reflections of the mountains in the lake make the perfect picture postcard image. This pretty lake has an easy 1 hour 30-minute walk around the perimeter, or a shorter 45 min walk to a lookout spot.
This is one of New Zealand’s best mirror lakes, where you will see the snow-capped reflections of the beautiful mountains, such as Mt cook. For perfectly still water, I heard that sunrise is the best time to go.
To get to Lake Matheson from Fox Glacier village, it’s around an hour walk or you can call one of the friendly taxi cabs. There may also be a shuttle bus from memory, but you may have to check that once arrived.
Minnehaha Walk
This pretty walking track is located just 50 metres from Fox village. It is a short track but delightful, following a little stream through the rainforest. The walk amongst the green moss, characteristic trees, and lush forest, takes a round 20 minutes from the south of the villages, along State Highway 6.
Glow Worms
The glow worm trail is actually on the Minnehaha Walk. I would recommend doing this walk at both night and during the day to experience both activities. At night, the little caves and holes glow up with hundreds of these tiny creatures. Make sure to bring a torch with you (it’s quite safe by the way) and head through the short walk.
This is a really cool thing to do at night, as there is not too much to do in the small mountain village after dark. I couldn’t manage to get a good picture on my camera at the time, but I did get a picture of the stars from this walk- which were also just as special.
Walk Around Town
Fox Glacier is a small mountain town which gives it this charm and quaintness about it. I thought it was quite nice to get out of the larger cities and relax in a quiet spot for a couple of days. Although, for a small town it does pack a lot of scenery in it. Even just walking to my skydive I saw green fields, with snow-capped mountains, flower-filled meadows and a beautiful clearwater river. For photographers this is a sweet photogenic spot for exploring!
I hope you enjoyed this short post on Fox Glacier, New Zealand. This is such a sweet little town with beautiful surrounds, so be sure to add this to your bucket list! Please share or let me know your comments below!
