Out
on the wild West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island is where you will find hidden
gems of natural beauty like the Fox Glacier. Nestled right by the coast in
amongst rainforests and mountains you can find the glacier, just a 3 minute drive
south from the Fox Glacier town. It is free to view however I would highly
recommend booking a tour with Fox Glacier Guiding. This company is the only
company running commercial tours that allow you to walk up on to Fox Glacier
offering an experience like no other.
There
are a couple of different methods of transport for reaching the glacier, you
can either bus or drive yourself there. There are a few different bus companies
who run trips to and from Fox Glacier at certain times like Intercity Coachlines
where you can book with them here (http://www.intercity.co.nz/travel-info/timetable//lookup/FGL),
and Great Sights New Zealand at http://www.greatsights.co.nz/sightseeing-destinations/west-coast/queenstown-to-fox-glacier these will cost roughly
between $60 and $120 depending on what options you choose. They will also take
on average 6 hours to reach the glacier from Queenstown. If you choose to drive
however the cost will vary depending on which car rental company you use. The
drive is significantly shorter than the bus trip lasting on average between 4
and a half hours to 5 hours depending on how many breaks and rest stops are
taken. I would suggest the rental car option as it allows you to go and explore
all the other beautiful places New Zealand has to offer and you also have the
option to leave when you’re ready.
There
are many different trips that are on offer to help cater for anyone. The trip
that I took part in was the half day, “Fox Trot”. On average this trip will
cost $115 NZD for an adult and $95 NZD for a child with a minimum age
requirement of 7. This is the trip I would recommend for families as you can
get discounted family rates at $325 NZD which covers two adults and two
children. This trip is roughly three and a half to four hours long with about
an hour spent on the ice. All the necessary equipment is provided although I
would suggest taking your own raincoat for comfort if you have one, especially
as the weather can be very unpredictable and can change without warning.
The guides are friendly and have a great attitude towards their customers. They also know a lot of facts and have plenty of information about the glaciers so everyone has a chance to learn something new. They also have all the necessary tricks up their sleeves to entertain the most fidgety of children.
However, there are many different trips to choose from if a glacier
walk doesn’t sound appealing to your adventurous side. There is also a full day
option called the “Nimble Fox” this costs $165 NZD per adult and has a minimum
age requirement of 13. If you’re looking for something more exclusive there’s
the “Flying Fox” which includes a helicopter flight up the glacier, a glacier
walk and then is finished up with the flight back down. This trip costs $400
NZD per person and has a minimum age of 9. There are a few other more
adventurous options which you can explore yourself on their website http://www.foxguides.co.nz/our-trips. Just like with the “Fox Trot” all
the important equipment is provided for you as well as instructions on how to
use it and how to wear it. Overall I would say that the trip is thoroughly
enjoyable and a once in a lifetime opportunity as Fox glacier is constantly changing and will never be the same. Personally I suggest
taking a camera as there are plenty of opportunities to take photos of your
beautiful surroundings.
One last thing you should check before heading off on
your trip is the weather. The weather on the west coast is very unpredictable
and can change very suddenly, a website you can check before
heading off on your glacial adventure is http://www.accuweather.com/en/nz/fox-glacier/251122/weather-forecast/251122.
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