Glacier Walks - Fox Glacier Guiding Fox Glacier
from NZD$109.00
About
Description
Fox Glacier is New Zealand's largest commercially guided glacier, situated in Glacier Country, on the West Coast of the South Island, only 21 km's south of Franz Josef.
Enjoy a breathtaking guided glacier walk onto the world famous Fox Glacier with New Zealand's most experienced glacier guiding company; Fox Glacier Guiding. We offer a full range of Fox Glacier tours and ice adventures to suit all fitness levels.
Our friendly and professional guides will take you on a glacier trip of a life time. Your guide will remain with you for the entire trip entertaining and educating you about the fascinating Fox Glacier, part of the Westland National Park, a World Heritage Area.
Fox Trot - Half Day Walk
Ice time - Up to 1 hour on the ice
Difficulty level - Moderate to good fitness and agility is required. Involves steady, well-graded uphill walking for 30 minutes.
For those with a half-day available this popular trip is a great eco-adventure and full of variety and interest. Walkers are kitted out with sturdy leather boots and other equipment, before boarding one of our buses for the short drive through the rainforest and into the glacial valley. This valley was carved out by the ice during past ice ages and shows dramatic evidence of the power of the ice.
Your guide leads you on a walk beside the river bed to the glacier terminus; from here you will walk uphill for around 30 minutes to access the edge of the ice. At this point you are outfitted with instep crampons specially designed for these ice conditions, and you follow the ice steps cut by the guides. The route takes you onto the ice amongst crevasses and ice ridges and leads you onto the middle of the glacier for spectacular views of the icefall and lower glacier.
At least one hour is spent on the ice and, depending on glacial conditions, you will return to the bus using either the same secret track or a different track that follows the edge of the ice.
The Nimble Fox - All Day Walk
Ice time - 3 to 4 hours
Difficulty level - Good level of fitness and agility required.
Spend a day exploring the fascinating ice features and majestic pinnacles of the longest West Coast glacier.
Approach the glacier through a rainforest which offers breathtaking glacier views and fantastic photo opportunities overlooking the undulating iceflow where you will soon be venturing.
Outfitted with crampons specially designed for Fox’s seasonal ice conditions you will enjoy trekking to a high point of the glacier which overlooks towering ice pinnacles, and spectacular seracs. This dramatic terrain is where the glacier is moving up to two metres a day and your guide can point out various features as you navigate your way through it following fresh ice steps cut by your guide. The knowledge passed on from your guide will allow you to learn and understand just how this mighty glacier makes its long journey down the Fox valley.
Relax over lunch (not included) in a special place and then spend more time exploring the ever changing world of ice in relative peace and isolation.
Flying Fox - Heli Hike
Ice time - 2.5 hours
Difficulty level - Some fitness and agility is required.
The fly-in, fly-out helihike combines the excitement of walking on the Fox Glacier with the thrill of helicopter flights. By flying in you are able to access and explore a part of the glacier where its forces work hardest and often create spectacular ice caves and arches.
Equipped with sturdy leather boots and other equipment, you board the helicopter for your first flight over the pinnacles of the lower icefall. Here, the ice is in constant motion. You then circle the upper icefall and Victoria Falls before landing.
Your landing site on the ice is a remote and exceptionally beautiful part of the glacier. At this stage, your guide outfits you with crampons, specially designed for these ice conditions and you follow the ice steps cut by your guide as you explore the amazing formations and ice caves which are only seen here.
Each departure is a true voyage of exploration. There are so many changing features that the guides always find something new. Weather permitting, ice time is about 2.5 hours.
Please note that this is a natural and ever changing environment. Ice features change constantly and no guarantee can be given that specific features will be seen.
Trip Includes
- Professional and experienced guide
- Leather boots and socks, crampons, raincoat, waterproof over trousers, alpenstock, woollen hat and mittens (in winter months).
- Helicopter flight (Heli Hike only)
Duration
- Half Day Walk - allow 4 hours (1 hr ice time)
- All Day Walk - allow 7 hours (4 hrs ice time)
- Heli Hike - allow 4 hours (2 hrs ice time)
Departures
- Half Day Walks - 8.35am & 1.35pm
- All Day Walk - 9.10am
- Heli Hike - 8.50am, 11.50am (& 2.50pm in summer)
- All hikes depart from Fox Glacier Guide base, situated on the main road of Fox Glacier
- Operates all year except Christmas Day
Other Information
- Good level of fitness required for full day walk
- Please bring: 3-4 layers of clothes for your upper body & any other clothes for your personal warmth. Jeans are not recommended on wet days as they can become cold & uncomfortable to wear. A day pack, food & drink, sunscreen, sunglasses, your own boots, raincoat & during winter months also bring a warm hat & gloves
- We recommend you pop into the Fox Glacier Guides shop the day/night before to check what gear you need to bring
- Minimum age for half day walk is 7 years, Heli Hike is 9 years and Full Day Walk is 13 years