The Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers

The Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers are two of the most accessible glaciers in the world, dramatic rivers of ice that flow down from the peaks of the Southern Alps to end, remarkably, amid the lush green temperate rainforest of the South Island's wild West Coast, almost at sea level. This rare meeting of ice and rainforest, in a UNESCO wilderness, can be viewed from valley walks or experienced up close on a guided heli-hike onto the ice.

The landscape

• The glacier faces - the dramatic ice viewed from the valley walks.
• The heli-hike - the helicopter flight onto the ice for a guided walk.
• The rainforest setting - the rare meeting of glacier and lush forest.
• Lake Matheson - the mirror lake reflecting the peaks nearby.

When to go

November to April for the mildest weather, though the West Coast is very wet year-round; a clear day is best for views and flights, which are often grounded by weather. The glaciers are retreating, so valley access to the faces changes over time.

What to expect

The glaciers are retreating fast, so you can no longer walk up to the ice from the valley floor, and getting onto the glacier now means an expensive helicopter heli-hike, weather permitting; the valley walks reach only viewpoints. The West Coast is very wet, and flights are often cancelled by cloud, so allow spare time.

Nearby

Lake Matheson, the wild West Coast and the pass over to Wanaka are nearby.