We took the Flying Fox helihike at $425 per person. As the weather forecast was rain, we were told…read moreupfront that we would get a full refund if the flight is cancelled, 60% if we were flown there but not allowed to hike and 30% if the hike was less than an hour. Thankfully we had weather good enough to fly and hike for an hour or so. We were provided waterproof pants, jacket, crampons and hiking socks and shoes. Our guide Larn was very helpful and tried to make the visit as interesting for us as possible, creating photo opportunities which were delightful! We felt very safe and had a great morning. The only bummer being that we had to cut short our hike as the pilots anticipated bad weather. Highly recommended if you've not been on a glacier.

Visiting Fox Glacier and nearby Franz Josef Glacier will be a highlight for any visitor to New…read moreZealand. We signed up for the Flying Fox. It's not cheap, around £150 each but incredibly good value for a helicopter ride and fully guided tour on the glacier. The set-up is extremely professional. You can book online, at the tourist office or directly at the office in the village. Trips go most days but because of the helicopter flight check in the morning to ensure no adverse weather will delay or cancel the trip. First off you take a bus down to the helicopter pad about 5 minutes away. You're kitted out with proper ice boots and crampons and given a health and safety demo and check. Then it's off into the helicopter for a short 10 minute flight up the glacier. The pilot will point out a few things and then land you on the ice - pretty impressive. You meet up with your guide who then shows you how to put your crampons on and walk on the ice. You get around three hours on the ice, which is plenty of time to see ice caves, take some pretty cool photos and have a play around. Our guide, Willy, was excellent and had extremely good knowledge of the glacier. The helicopter comes back to pick you up and your day is complete! Expect to have some achy muscles the next day. Your pictures will be amazing and you'll have some good stories to tell your friends.

We did the short walk to Peter's pool, with nice views, then carried on to the other short walks…read morewith views of Franz Josef glacier. These paths were very easy 20 minute walks suitable for anyone.

We were supposed to take a helicopter ride and do a guided hike on the glacier, but our trip was…read morecancelled due to low clouds that would have made flying unsafe. The staff at the company offered a guided valley floor walk for a fee, but they kindly noted that the trail on the valley floor was part of the national park, and was free of charge if we wanted to just drive there and walk on our own (since we did have a car!) We were very thankful for the tip! This is an absolutely beautiful park! Yes, driving there does involve a few of New Zealand's famous one-way bridges, but it is worth it! The Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk takes hikers past what the glacier left behind; geology buffs would go nuts for this! For the average person, the colors and patterns on the rocks are beautiful! There are some beautiful waterfalls along the way, and the ever changing pattern of the water in the valley floor will keep hikers on their toes! Signs are posted that give current trail conditions, and warn if flood risk is likely; as long as risk is low, it seems the worst that happens is that you may have dry shoes hiking out, but soggy ones coming back! The valley floor is very exposed, so sunscreen, a hat and water are a good idea. The views of the glacier are beautiful! The trail ends about 750m from the glacier, so, no, you don't get to walk on it, but you do get to see it pretty well! We also did the Douglas Walk to Peter's Pool which was another pretty view of the glacier reflected in the pond. As an added bonus, this trail is through the rain forest. We enjoyed the plants and birds a great deal! Finally, after dark, we did the Terrance Walk to see the glow worms. This is definitely worth doing; bring a flashlight so you don't trip, but then turn it off to enjoy the glow worm show! Trails are all nicely maintained and clearly marked! This ended up being a great plan B when our trip was cancelled!

Bautiful glacier, I agree that it was underrated and less popular than Franz Josef but it is also…read morenice because it was alot more laid back and the road less crowded. The holiday park at Mount Cook has a beautiful outdoor kitchen with the glacier showing in the background. I knew that this park was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life and I planned to propose on top of the glacier here; the photos came out amazing and the tour guides/helicopter pilot was super friendly and awesome to work with. They pointed out that in front of the national park is where a large LOTR battle took place but the actual glacier should have been the feature because of its beauty. Go visit at least once in your life!

There is nothing in NZ which is not must do. NZ is gods own country ... beauty all over the place …read more Mt cook is definitely one of the best places I saw in my trip . It's beauty is hard to describe in words , snow capped mountain peaks , bright piercing sun light creating numerous small rivers n glaciers , beautiful wild flowers , crystal white color sheeps , most amazing n helpful people , this place is like a meditation center ... so so so beautiful .... we took helicopter ride which was bit expensive but definitely so worth it ....

Thank you to NZ for making so many natural wonders free to access and visit!…read more We were excited to see the glaciers, and did the short hike to a viewpoint for Franz Josef Glacier. Sadly, the glacier has receded quite a bit, and the viewing spot doesn't get you anywhere near it so it's a bit anticlimactic. The clouds covered the view about an hour later. If you're really excited about glaciers in NZ and aren't going to the Mt. Cook area, I'd recommend doing a helicopter ride and glacier tour to get up close - otherwise you may feel it's a bit average from the viewpoint.

Hiked up to this glacier in the middle of February. We got to the area around 10am and finished…read morearound noon. You could definitely finish in less time; we stopped to take a lot of photos. The area is fairly level throughout but with no benches along the path. The trail is mostly loose gravel so I would definitely recommend hiking shoes. Bring a raincoat! I wouldn't say this hike is stroller friendly but it's definitely suitable for young kids. You don't need walking sticks unless you have trouble walking normally. - Definitely start before noon! There had to be quadruple the amount of people entering the park than leaving the park around this time. When we left around noon the parking lot was nearly full. The parking lot was massive. - Free entry - There are 3 public restrooms at the trailhead. Pretty typical for the NZ public parks, no soap available so bring your hand sanitizer! - No drone zone (due to helicopters). You will be fined $5,000 if caught with a drone. - Follow the IG account poutiniranger for details of their talks and free guided nature walks

Another hike that might not be top of your list ( Milford and Routeburn the tops) but if you want…read moreamazing views of Mt Cook this is the one. Easy hike that crosses some really cook bridges and rivers. The end is a gorgeous glacial lake. Pack a lunch and enjoy the views

Of all the places to hike this is one you will want to get up early to do. We started our hike at…read more7:3am to miss the crowds and be able to see and hear God's beautiful creation. This place is totally amazing! Layer your clothes and take water. When your body warns up you can take off. There are toilets available before your hike. Campground is also located there if your the camper type. About an hour into the hike they currently have the trail closed due to repairs to the bridge. After the hike we drove over to the cafe for hot tea and coffee. Enjoy!

If you are visiting Lake Matheson, be sure and add a stop to this viewpoint which is less than 10…read moreminutes drive continuing on Cook Flat road after the Lake Matheson turn off, take a right on Gillespie road and part in the lot. There is an interpretive sign and recreation on the a historical canoe plus picnic areas and grassy areas. The main reason to go is the panoramic view of Fox glacier, Mt. Cook and other mountains.

The Tasman Glacier is melting. It's breathtaking and heartbreaking all at the same time. Once a…read moremighty giant glacier easily carving its way through the Southern Alps, the glacier is now shrinking at an alarming rate. The turquoise glacial lake, speckled with floating icebergs, is undeniably beautiful, but it's impossible to ignore the sadness of what's being lost. Walking along the trails, you can see the glacier's power but you're quickly humbled by its fragility. Protect our planet please.

New Zealand's largest glacier, the Tasman Glacier, is shrinking. In 1972, the lake didn't exist…read more The glacier used to reach all the way to where the viewpoint is today. New Zealand isn't one of the world's biggest polluters. But what happens thousands of kilometres away has an undeniable impact here. The trek up to the viewpoint from the parking lot takes a bit of physical fitness. A number of reviewers have counted the stairway steps. I have it at 329 steps. It can be gruelling, but thankfully there are many places to stop on the way up. The view along the way is extraordinary, especially of the Tasman River valley.

Fox River South Side Valley Walk is a steady uphill on an easy grade gravel surface suitable for…read moremountain bikes, strollers and hikers. There are two main view points of the glacier, but you will still be 2-3 km away from the glacier. The last viewpoint is not suitable for strollers and is more uphill and is the best view. ON the way - take the Moraine loop trail which parallels the main trail. This has some lush forest, fern and moss landscape.