Fox Glacier Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Fox Glacier which includes a river or creek
Fox Glacier which includes forest scenes
Fox Glacier which includes mist or fog, mountains and a waterfall
Fox Glacier showing forests and a river or creek
Fox Glacier showing a small town or village, street scenes and mountains

Fly over a glacier in a helicopter, clamber over and through its ice mass, climb its walls of ice and see glow worms in one of New Zealand’s prime destinations.

Visit Fox Glacier to discover the breathtaking alpine scenery of the South Island’s west coast. The name Fox Glacier refers to both the glacier and little resort town that has sprouted up nearby.

Despite being so far south, Fox Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world, along with the neighboring Franz Josef Glacier. That’s because of the nearby town and good roads. With a population of about 300, Fox Glacier revolves around tourism but the town also supports the local farming community. The scenic town sits about 2.5 hours to the southwest of GreymouthOpens in a new window and 3.5 hours northeast of WanakaOpens in a new window.

Head the few miles to the west of town to see the natural marvel that is the Fox Glacier. Spanning 8 miles (13 kilometers) in length, the glacier drops 8,500 feet (2,600 meters), from high in the Southern Alps to just 980 feet (300 meters) above sea level, where it finishes amid lush forest.

Make the short hike up from the car parking lot to the glacier’s terminal face. See mounds of moraine under the ever-changing glacier wall. Huge chunks of ice can fall from this terminal point at any time without warning, mixed in with the debris carried down from the mountain by this mass of ice.

Get a more in-depth glacier experience by paying for a tour. A scenic helicopter flight is the easiest, but also priciest, way to see the spectacular ice formations. A heli-hike will get you onto the glacier, so you can climb and hike through the surreal landscape on spiky shoes with a guide. Ice climbing is available as an option for the fit and the brave too.

Don’t leave before taking in some of the other natural wonders around. Just to the west, Lake Matheson reflects the surrounding forest and Aoraki /Mount Cook and Mount Tasman in its mirror-like pool on still days. A short drive away, the Minnehaha Track is an atmospheric walk through moss-covered and gnarly trees mixed with lush ferns. Do the walk at night to spot glow worms in dark grottos.

Fox Glacier may feel remote and foreboding, but is surprisingly easy to reach and a marvel to explore.

Fox Glacier Lodge
Fox Glacier Lodge
4 out of 5
41 Sullivan Road, Fox Glacier
The price is NZ$190 per night from 11 June to 12 June
NZ$190
11 June - 12 June
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star guesthouse in Fox Glacier. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and daily housekeeping. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (322 reviews)
"The unit is a bit old"

Reviewed on 25 May 2025

Fox Glacier Lodge
Sunset Motel
Sunset Motel
3 out of 5
93 Cook Flat Road, Fox Glacier
The price is NZ$113 per night from 18 June to 19 June
NZ$113
18 June - 19 June
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3-star eco-certified motel in Fox Glacier. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the property condition in ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (321 reviews)
"Loved it for a family. Will definitely be back"

Reviewed on 1 Jun. 2025

Sunset Motel
Mt Cook View Motel - Fox Glacier
Mt Cook View Motel - Fox Glacier
4 out of 5
209 Cook Flat Road, Fox Glacier
The price is NZ$120 per night from 11 June to 12 June
NZ$120
11 June - 12 June
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star motel in Fox Glacier. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and room service. Popular attractions Fox Glacier Glow Worm Forest and Lake Matheson ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (215 reviews)
"We liked that the motel is near the town centre so getting our daily supplies was easy and is also nearer to Lake Matheson. The motel is a little dated which is understandable based on the value we got from the stay. There were 2 guard dogs (one black and one brown) that roam around the motel. The ..."

Reviewed on 17 May 2025

Mt Cook View Motel - Fox Glacier
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
The Church at FOX
The Church at FOX
4 out of 5
5 Main Rd, Fox Glacier
Stay at this 4-star vacation home in Fox Glacier. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a garden. Popular attractions Fox Glacier Glow Worm Forest and Lake Gault ...
9.8/10 Exceptional! (24 reviews)
"Lovely job in renovating this old church. Great kitchen and appliances. The bed needs attention, you felt a bit like you were sleeping in a ditch with our bodies sinking in. Overall great though. Thank you."

Reviewed on 7 Mar. 2025

The Church at FOX
Mathesons Escape
Mathesons Escape
Fox Glacier
Stay at this vacation home in Fox Glacier. Popular attractions Fox Glacier Glow Worm Forest and Lake Matheson are located nearby.
Mathesons Escape
Punga Grove
Punga Grove
3 out of 5
Cron Street, Franz Josef Glacier
Stay at this 3-star aparthotel in Franz Josef Glacier. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (231 reviews)
"Enjoyable stay."

Reviewed on 3 Jun. 2025

Punga Grove
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Activities

Reviews of Fox Glacier

4.3
Top destination
5 - Excellent
26
5 - Excellent 43%
4 - Good
29
4 - Good 48%
3 - Okay
4
3 - Okay 7%
2 - Disappointing
1
2 - Disappointing 2%
1 - Terrible
0
1 - Terrible 0%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

The best view of Fox Glacier is at these view point just past Lake Matheson

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

What a beautiful part of NZ. A shame there is so many helicopters buzzing around disturbing the peaceful setting.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Check the weather and time your visit for visibility and conditions.

5/5 - Excellent

K

Recommend that you drive toward Fox Glacier Lookout out towards Lake Matheson. You can see the entire face of the glacier and the ice flow; which from a distance looks like a river. Stunningly beautiful. This area of Aotearoa, will not disappoint.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

It is certainly worth walking to the Fox Glacier outlook. The walk through forest is very pleasant.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

The weather was disappointing - wet most of the time. The Fox Glacier walks we'd planned were unavailable, due to the recent floods. Dining at big Foot and general ambience of the Village were great.

Cities near Fox Glacier