Winter highlights in Glacier Country

ESCAPE TO AN ICESCAPE

Highlight number one in Glacier Country goes without saying. Spectacularly superlative Fox and Franz Josef glaciers are the most accessible of the 60-plus in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, which drops sharply from alpine ridges over 3000 metres to temperate rainforest just above sea level.

The balancing act between competing forces — heavy snowfall high in the mountains battling with melting ice lower down the valley — creates vibrant, creeping rivers of ice that are always on the move. If you spend long enough at a viewpoint you might even spot a huge chunk of ice splitting off the glacier’s terminal face (a guided walk or e-bike is the best option at Fox).

Further up, snowfall compacts to create walls of clear blue ice, carved out by huge crevasses and caves. This otherworldly landscape needs to be seen up close to be believed — guided heli-hiking tours can take you to a remote part of the glacier for an ice hike (suitable for all abilities and fitness) or a more extreme ice climb.

If you don’t want to land on ice, a scenic flight over this UNESCO World Heritage site will take your breath away. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, visitors from all over the world come to experience these frozen giants. While the chopper traffic is quiet during winter, treat yourself to a tour. You might even get an entire glacier to yourself.

Book a guided glacier hike or scenic glacier flight

GET A BIRDS' EYE VIEW OF A WINTER WONDERLAND

To really see the whole picture of Glacier Country, you need to take a helicopter view — quite literally. On a scenic flight, see how the mighty glaciers tumble down from their origins in the Southern Alps, spot untouched mountain lakes, rugged coastlines, and even snow-covered Aoraki Mount Cook.

Want to touch the white stuff? It rarely snows down at sea level but with an alpine snow-landing you’re guaranteed to experience the purest powder. Get your camera to the ready, so you can enjoy the unbelievable landscapes long after you land.

If you can keep your eyes open when jumping out of a plane, a skydive is an even more exhilarating way to see the view. Carbon-zero, government safety-approved and awarded for their community commitment, Skydive Franz Josef & Fox Glacier offer jumps with stunning views from the glaciers and Aoraki Mount Cook to the Tasman Sea. They’re currently offering some well-priced packages including accommodation and other activities, so get in quick.

Book a scenic flight or skydive

WARM UP, SLOW DOWN

Yes, it rains a bit on the West Coast. Although winter brings with it many clear, crisp days in Glacier Country, you may need a few rainy day activities to fall back on. How about a soothing spa day?

The luxuriously laidback Rainforest Retreat in Franz Josef township is a great place to base yourself when exploring Glacier Country, and the ‘deluxe spa tree houses’ offer private outdoor hot tubs among the rainforest canopy.

Nearby Waiho Hot Tubs are private, wood-fired cedar tubs nestled in amongst the native bush, and filled with water from fresh mountain streams. Perfect for a couple’s retreat, families are also welcome as every tub has its own private rainforest setting.

Fancy a massage to really take your relaxation to the next level? Amaia Luxury Spa in Franz Josef offers all the usual treatments, including a ‘top-to-toe’ relaxing and rejuvenating package.

SPOT WILDLIFE — INSIDE OR OUT

Just a 25 minutes’ drive from Franz Josef township, the tiny village of Ōkārito is one of the West Coast’s hidden natural gems and home to some rare and special birds.

Okarito Eco Boat Tours can get you respectfully close to the 70 plus bird species that inhabit the nearby lagoon and waterways. The human settlement may be small but the landscapes are big: at 3000 hectares, New Zealand’s largest unmodified wetland area is framed by lush native rainforest and the snow-capped Southern Alps (look out for the peaks of Aoraki Mount Cook and Mount Tasman).

Gliding slowly through the still rainforest waterways in a custom-built boat or kayak (with Okarito Kayaks), you might spot the mythical, magnificent kōtuku (white heron) as well as royal spoonbills, godwits, oystercatchers and dotterels.

Rare, noisy rowi kiwis can be seen (and heard) in the nearby Ōkārito Forest. For their origin story and to hear more about conservation on the Coast, visit the hatchery at the West Coast Wildlife Centre.

The Tasman Sea is never far away in Glacier Country — a short scenic drive from Fox Glacier, Gillespies Beach offers lovely mountain views and spectacular sunsets (make sure you turn around to see the Southern Alps bathed in pink and orange hues). In winter, there's a resident seal colony at Galway Beach. Keep an eye out for Fiordland crested penguins and Hector's dolphins here too.

The Tatare Tunnels are home to the tiniest of critters featured here. The 3.6 km walk to the old water tunnels starts in Franz Josef, and ends deep in the rocks. Take your raincoat and a torch, but be sure to switch it off once you’re in there so you can spot the glow-worms.