Fox Glacier, NZ

There are two main glaciers that people come to see on the west coast of New Zealand: Franz Josef and Fox. I read reviews of both and if traveling by car I would have visited both but limited by the bus schedule I had to pick one so Fox was the winner. Since I had never seen a glacier before, I figured even if it wasn't the best choice I wouldn't know!

The town of Fox Glacier is definitely in existence because of the glacier. There is little else to see and do in the town. There are lots of hotels, hostels and restaurants but basically people come here to see the glacier and walk around Lake Matheson. This part of the country is known for the massive amounts of rain it gets daily... So I was blessed with one clear day that I took in fully by walking the many trails up and around the glacier. Unfortunately, the next morning when I biked to Lake Matheson the rain had come and the mountains were not visible through the clouds and there was no magnificent reflection to be seen :(

I am happy that I decided to walk the trails further away from the glacier first. I got a full view of the valley and could really take in the full expanse of the glacier. I continued to walk as close as I could get to the base (without paying the $115 dollars to cross the barrier). This close to the glacier you see only a little of what you can see further away. All of the views do bring about a state of awe and make you feel tiny in comparison. It's sad to think that all masses of ice like this one will soon melt away. I met one couple from Nelson, NZ that had visited the glacier 40 years ago and they pointed out how far the glacier has already receded.