Fox Glacier township, or Weheka, is six kilometres from the glacier after which it was named. While about a thousand people go through it every day in the height of the tourist season, it’s a tiny town of about four hundred.
So close to the town, Fox is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world. Tourists can simply walk up to the glacier viewing area, though guided walks will let them access the glacier itself in safety.
The glacier can also be viewed by hiring a plane or helicopter to fly over or land on it.
There are a number of tramping tracks in the area, through the bush and around the beautiful Lake Matheson, which provides stunning reflections of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman.
Between October and March, visitors can take a guided tour to New Zealand’s only nesting colony for the white heron, or kotuku.
