7 minute read
ROAD TRIP - Hokitika to Fox Glacier
Hokitika to Fox Glacier via SH 6 2hr 6min, 157km
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The trip south from Hokitika takes you into glacier country, with the towering Southern Alps and thunderous sea framing the scene. Every settlement you drive through has stories to tell, many of hardship and triumph, of history being made as early European settlers made their mark.
The road turns inland and takes you through Ross, once a thriving gold-mining centre and now a place to try your luck gold panning. On to Whataroa on the banks of the Whataroa River, where local carvers operate out of their studios, and there is a small museum of Māori artefacts.
The rugged coastline means that at the top of every bluff you are rewarded with wide vistas. Stop at the many viewing spots and take photos worthy of a National Geographic cover.
HIGHLIGHTS
ŌKĀRITO Donovan’s Store, one of the oldest buildings in the South Island, hashistoric photos on its walls and ŌkāritoWharf has information panels sharingstories from the past.
MINNEHAHA WALK Close to the township of Fox Glacier isthis 20-minute, 1.2km delightful walk thatfollows a small stream through rainforest.The track is suitable for wheelchairs andbuggies and is a great introduction to theforest for children.
LAKE MATHESON/TE ARAKAIRAUMATI This very pretty lake features mountain views and on a calm day, the reflection of Aoraki Mt Cook.Take the gentle, all-access walk around the lake; it’s 2.6km and will take about one hour and 30 minutes. There is a café at the car park, with wonderful views.
Lake Matheson
© West Coast Tourism
LAKE MAHINAPUA This tranquil lake sits just 10 minutes south of Hokitika and is a revered scenic reserve. You can camp overnight here,or just stop for a picnic, go swimming, or pick one of the four easy walks ranging between 10 to 30 minutes.
LAKE IANTHE/MATAHI About half way between Hokitika and Fox Glacier, this forest-edged lake is popular for camping, boating, trout fishing and swimming.
ANDRIS APSE GALLERY On the outskirts of Franz Josef, this private gallery showcases the work of one of New Zealand’s leading landscape photographers.
HARIHARI COASTAL WALKWAY Seldom visited except by locals, this looped walk is one of the West Coast’s most scenic. Allow three hours to complete the circuit through estuaries,bogs and swamp forest. Always check tide times.
WESTLAND WONDERLAND Gracing the movie screen in the Alpine Adventure Centre theatre in Franz Josef, experience the best of the surrounding landscape and nature of Glacier Country in a condensed, 2D format.
WAITANGITAONA WETLAND WALK An easy, wheelchair and stroller-friendly walk through regenerating forest and flax wetland to a viewing platform. A 20-minute loop.
ŌKĀRITO BEACH While the lagoon is all peace and calm, the beach is windswept and dramatic, and wonderful for long, bird-watching walks.
KAYAK LAKE MAPOURIKA Get on the water with Franz Josef Wilderness Tours and kayak the glacial black waters.
WAIHO HOT TUB EXPERIENCE Sinking into a private wood-fired hot tub certainly isn’t a bad way to finish a day in Glacier Country. Soak and dine packages mean you needn’t lift a finger. Located in Franz Josef.
WHITE HERON SANCTUARY TOURS An informative and fun tour through undisturbed native forest to see the only white heron/kōtuku nesting and breeding site in New Zealand. Located near Whataroa.
GILLESPIES BEACH For stunning views of the Southern Alps, gold-mining remnants and invigorating coastal walks,this beach is all of 14km from Fox Glacier.
White heron / kōtuku
© Glacier Country Lake Tours
GET TO KNOW ROSS
In 1909, Ross achieved glory by unearthing New Zealand’s largest gold nugget, the 2.81 kilogram ‘Honourable Roddy’. A replica of Big Rod can be found in the Ross Goldfield’s Information and Heritage Centre. Nudging both windswept beaches and the Southern Alps, Ross has plenty of natural beauty, with historical buildings that only amplify its charm. The Gold Trail is a one-hour looped walk from the centre of town, while the Water Race Walkway weaves through native forest and old gold workings.
Ross Goldfields Information & Heritage Centre
© Petr Hlavacek
FOX GLACIER
Fox Glacier is a small township tucked into the foothills of the Southern Alps. It’s a busy tourist town because it’s geared up for glacier walks,hikes and flights – and it does it well, with award-winning Fox Glacier Guiding offering world-class exploration of the area.
Fox Glacier
© Adobe Stock
Having come all this way, you’ll be pleased to find the glacier itself is easy to see. From 2600m in the Southern Alps, it has descended 13km to just 300m above sea level. You can take a helicopter to the glacier and join professional guides leading journeys onto the ice. You can also take a helicopter or ski plane up to the top where the glacier begins. Fox Glacier is the neighbouring glacier to Franz Josef Glacier and is fed by four other glaciers.
Extra special adventures include hopping from a plane at 20,000ft on a tandem skydive for the ultimate in exhilarating panoramic views. Walk to Gillespies Beach and watch the sunset with a couple of kaka (native parrots). There’s also a surprising view of the glaciers from the beach.
Fox Glacier
© West Coast Tourism
FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER
Franz Josef Glacier
© John Doogan
A town and a glacier, Franz Josef ispart of Te Wāhipounamu South West New Zealand World Heritage Area. It was named after the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830-1916),by geologist Julius von Haast. The bustling village has great dining options and a variety of amenities. The glacier is a 5km drive from the town, and then a 45-minute walk from the car park will take you within 750m of the terminal face, making it one of the world’s most accessible glaciers. If you want to feel the ice beneath your feet, there are a variety of guided tours including heli-hikes using one of the many helicopter operators in the area. Franz Josef Glacier runs near Fox Glacier, but it’s the slightly shorter of the two stretching just under 12km as it runs down the mountains to near the coast.
Franz Josef Glacier
© John Doogan
NATURE LOVERS
WEST COAST WILDLIFE CENTRE Located in Franz Josef village, this is the best chance you will have of seeing the shy, nocturnal kiwi. The centre runs a successful hatch and release programme for kiwi, including the world’s rarest kiwi (the rowi) and Haast tokoeka kiwi. They remove eggs from the wild and incubate and hatch them at the centre. They are raised in a predator-free environment until they are able to be returned to the wild.
WATERWAYS
ŌKĀRITO LAGOON This special lagoon is well worth the short detour off SH 6. A huge, shallow area of open water and tidal flats, the lagoon is a birdwatcher’s paradise with more than 70 bird species. Hire a kayak or join a tour to get closer during an exploration of the waterways. With a snowy mountain backdrop, paddle past white herons and rare birds such as royal spoonbills and even a small population of endangered rowi kiwi.
Ōkārito River
© Glacier Country Lake Tours
