The striking Fox Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world and offers dazzling views of the river of ice as it travels through the valley into the temperate rainforest below. The glacier, along with Franz Josef glacier, moves at ten times the speed of other glaciers around the world and it constantly shifts as it advances, creating spectacular scenes of ice cliffs and crevasses.
Fox Glacier is the longest glacier in New Zealand at 8 miles (13 kilometers) long and is surrounded by striking mountains 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) high. The glacier has been advancing since 1985.
Over 1,000 people visit the glacier daily, a third of those that visit Franz Josef. It is possible to climb the glacier or take helicopter flights, weather permitting.
The drive from Queenstown is around six hours so many people stay in the town at Fox Glacier and there are two bus companies that drive the route daily. It is a small, remote town but there are plenty of tourist beds available.
