Inclusions
Inclusions
Inclusions
As the terminal face of the glacier is always changing, getting to the top of the glacier through just mountain climbing requires some experience. Instead, hop into a chopper and land directly on top of the glacier and explore its various ice formations from up close with the help of a glacier guide.
The timings mentioned on your tickets is when you’ll have to check-in. We suggest arriving at least 20 minutes prior to this time to make sure that all the following processes run smoothly and on time. These include filling a waiver form and your guide’s briefing for the experience.
The guide will take you through a quick briefing on what to expect and things to look out for during your heli hike. As the hike progresses above actively moving ice, you’ll need to remain alert during your experience and follow the guide’s instructions. Use this opportunity to ask questions and clear your doubts.
The facility will provide almost all the items essential for your heli hike, including waterproof overcoat and overtrousers, hat, gloves, socks, boots and a backpack. Keep only the essentials in your backpack, like your phone, a small water bottle, some snacks and an additional warm layer. If you pick the 8-hour heli hike, carry some food for your lunch as well.
Before your hike begins, a short helicopter ride will take you to the top of the Fox Glacier and land you on the ice. This is when you’ll be able to spot several peaks of the Southern Alps and also the towering seracs of the glacier. Once the hike is complete, the helicopter will pick you up again to take you back to the base, the Fox Glacier township.
Once you’ve landed on the ice, you’ll have to put on the crampons given to you by the facility to begin the hike. Your glacier guide will take you on a 3-hour or a 7-hour hike, depending on the experience you’ve picked. Witness various ice formations like massive crevasses and towering ice pillars called seracs, pass through icy caves and tunnels or marvel at frozen waterfalls.
The weather atop the glacier is ever-changing, so it’s not always possible to predict how the weather may be even at the end of the day. If due to drastic weather conditions the helicopter is unable to come to pick you up, there are emergency supplies placed in a safe location atop the glacier, including tents, sleeping bags, food and extra warm layers.
Min. age:
Anyone under the age of 16 should have an adult book their ticket for them and also be accompanied by an adult during the experience.
Max. weight: The weight limit for both the heli hikes is 116kg or 256lb. If you weight more than this, you’ll need to contact the facility beforehand to make accommodations for the additional weight. This may also entail a surcharge fee.
Physical fitness:
Doctor’s recommendation: If you’re unsure of your fitness level, we suggest that you consult with a doctor before heading onto a Fox Glacier heli hike. Although it’s not a requirement, if you have any medical conditions, have undergone surgery or had a fracture in the last 10 years, a doctor’s recommendation can ensure that you’re able to venture onto the heli hike.
Fluent communication: For the Extreme Fox heli hike experience, you will need to be fluent in communicating in English. This is to ensure that you’re able to understand and properly follow your guide’s instructions on the long 7-hour hike. If the guide deems that you’re unable to understand them, you will be denied participation.
Pregnancy: While there are no restrictions for pregnant women, we suggest that you proceed onto the experience with caution. The terrain is usually rugged and there are chances of slipping or tripping. The Fox Glacier is 200km away from the nearest hospital. That being said, multiple pregnant women have been able to successfully venture the Fox Glacier through various stages of their pregnancy. If at any point the guide feels you’ll be unable to complete the hike, you will be restricted from participating or escorted back to the base.
Medical conditions: If you have any existing medical conditions, like heart or respiratory issues, high or low blood pressure, suffered a fracture or dislocated joint or underwent major surgery in the last 10 years, the heli hike may be strenuous for you. We suggest that you consult with a doctor and get their approval before booking these tickets.
Alcohol: You will need to be attentive for your heli hike, which means that you’re not allowed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs of any kind. If suspected, you may be denied participation.
Forecast: The Fox Glacier heli hike is a heavily weather dependent experience and conditions on the glacier can change in a matter of minutes. The forecast for the experience is made just 10 minutes before the departure time. However, if you want to remain prepared, we suggest that you check the forecast on or on the previous day of your experience.
Weather conditions: Heavy rain or winds can affect the flight pattern of the helicopter and your experience may be canceled if it’s not entirely safe to fly up to the glacier.
Hazards: With drastic changes in the weather, there are some natural hazards on the glacier. These include, but not limited to, avalanches, ice falls, rock falls, heavy rain, uneven terrain and floods.
Guide discretion: Your glacier guide reserves the right to cancel the experience at any point if they deem that it’s unsafe to proceed.
Every day at 8:50am and 11:50am;
Duration: 4 hours; Hike duration: up to 3 hours
Every day at 8:15am
Duration: 8 hours; Hike duration: up to 7 hours
Check-in: The check-in time for both the experiences is 20 minutes before the departure time.
Peak season: Summer - Dec to Feb; Low season: Winter - Jun to Aug
Although Fox Glacier can be visited at almost any time of the year, the amount of adventure you want on your experience would determine the best time to visit.
Summer: During the summer, the glacier changes more rapidly due to the melting snow. This means larger cracks and a more drastically changing terrain. The hike will be a little riskier at this time, but you may get the opportunity to shed some layers and click some pictures in just your T-shirt.
Winter: The winter time is calmer on the Fox Glacier. The terrain remains still for a long period and you may get to see some blue ice too. This time has fewer crowds and is also better suited if you’re a first-time mountaineer. The weather remains relatively stable and temperatures don’t go too far below freezing either.
Address: Fox Glacier Guiding, 44 Main Road, State Highway 6, Fox Glacier 7859, New Zealand. Find on Maps
Fox Glacier is about 30-40 minutes away from Franz Josef glacier by car.
By car:
From Christchurch, follow the SH73 until Kumara Junction and then turn left onto SH6. Continue down SH6 all the way to Fox Glacier.
From Queenstown, follow the SH6 through Wanaka to Fox Glacier.
By bus: Multiple bus services offer transit from Christchurch, Greymouth, Hokitika and Queenstown to the Fox Glacier.
By train: If you want to take the scenic rail route, take the TranzAlpine train to Greymouth from Christchurch and then take a bus from Greymouth to Fox Glacier.
Your Fox Glacier heli hike, depending on the experience you pick, will include your guide’s briefing on how to use the equipment to walk on the ice, helicopter rides up and down the glacier, and a 3-hour or a 7-hour hike on the ice. You will also be provided with a waterproof jacket, overpants, boots, crampons and walking sticks for your experience.
If your Fox Glacier heli hike gets canceled due to unexpected weather changes, then you can either get a full refund or reschedule your experience for another day, depending on availability.
The glacier hike will occur slowly to make sure you move safely on the ice. That being said, as long as you exercise regularly and are able to run or jog for more than an hour, you should be able to complete a 4-hour heli hike without concerns.
One glacier guide is assigned to a group of 2-3 people on a Fox Glacier heli hike.
No matter what season it is in the town below, snow is always falling atop the Fox Glacier. You can visit the glacier at any time of the year and still enjoy an icy adventure.
The temperature on the glacier is usually about 10 degrees lower than the town below. During the summers, the township temperatures are usually between 5 to 15°C and in winters, the temperatures fall between -5 to 10°C.
There is a 3kg limit per person for carry-on bags as the helicopter has limited space. We suggest that you carry light to help reduce the helicopter’s fuel consumption and also ease your hike.
You can make changes to your bookings up to 24 hours before the departure time on your voucher. If there are less than 24 hours left for your trip, you will be unable to modify your bookings.
You don’t have to worry about having any prior experience before heading on a Fox Glacier heli hike. The glacier guide will give you all the instructions you need to complete the experience.
There are no toilet facilities on top of the glacier. So, we suggest that you use the loo once before you start the experience.