RAINFORESTS, GLACIERS AND BLUE MUSHROOMS
27 JANUARY 2024
Fox Glacier is a cute little town on the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island (which is our favourite region to explore). If you're heading up from Wanaka to Hokitika then you'll pass through Fox Glacier and it's always worth making time in your journey to stop here and explore.
The area is filled with lush, green rainforests that are alive all year round, thanks to the high rainfall, but don't let this put you off - we have spent months on the West Coast on various trips here and only had a few days of rain! Through these rainforests are multiple tracks ranging from short to long, all with lots of amazing things to see (our favourite were the blue mushrooms at Lake Matheson!). Our favourite walks are the ones through the thick rainforest and the ones with mirror-like lakes with reflections of the Southern Alps.
Whil the town is small and there are only a few shops, there is so much to do here and we love how accessible and easy some of the best views are.
The area is filled with lush, green rainforests that are alive all year round, thanks to the high rainfall, but don't let this put you off - we have spent months on the West Coast on various trips here and only had a few days of rain! Through these rainforests are multiple tracks ranging from short to long, all with lots of amazing things to see (our favourite were the blue mushrooms at Lake Matheson!). Our favourite walks are the ones through the thick rainforest and the ones with mirror-like lakes with reflections of the Southern Alps.
Whil the town is small and there are only a few shops, there is so much to do here and we love how accessible and easy some of the best views are.
Walk Through The Rainforest To See The Fox Glacier
The Fox Glacier Southside Walk is one of the most popular tracks in Fox Glacier due to it being one of the only walks you can see the Fox Glacier from. It takes around 2 hours return and is an easy walk - there are a couple of hills but it's not steep and is a well-maintained track.
The track has a secret... it has a small natural hot spring! It's not one big enough to swim in (and judging by the oil layer on top of it, plenty of hands and feet have gone in so I'm sure you wouldn't want to hop in!) but it's a really unique feature and sooo nice to warm your hands up in during winter.
Part way through the track, there is a side track called Moraine Walk (will talk about that soon) and it leads back onto the Fox Glacier Southside Track, so we highly recommend taking this track either on your way to or from the glacier viewpoint, as it takes you through an extremely beautiful part of the rainforest.
The track has a secret... it has a small natural hot spring! It's not one big enough to swim in (and judging by the oil layer on top of it, plenty of hands and feet have gone in so I'm sure you wouldn't want to hop in!) but it's a really unique feature and sooo nice to warm your hands up in during winter.
Part way through the track, there is a side track called Moraine Walk (will talk about that soon) and it leads back onto the Fox Glacier Southside Track, so we highly recommend taking this track either on your way to or from the glacier viewpoint, as it takes you through an extremely beautiful part of the rainforest.
See Blue Mushrooms & Mirror-Like Reflections At Lake Matheson
The track is 4.4kms and is a loop track which is mostly flat with a few stairs and small hilly areas along the way. The reason most people flock to Lake Matheson is because of the reflection of the Southern Alps in the lake. We missed it by TWO minutes which we were gutted about, as the wind started to pick up but hopefully this is something you will experience when you visit Lake Matheson (the reflection, that is, not the missing out on it by 2-minutes saga).
It's a 1.5 hour track around the shore and shows off one of the most magical reflections of Mt Tasman and Mt Cook on a still day. The best time to see the reflections is in the morning when the wind is most still, but the track is beautiful regardless of whether there are reflections in the lake or not. A lot of people just take a short walk to the viewpoints along the way, so the entire 1.5 hour loop track doesn't need to be done if you're looking for a shorter walk.
You know that we love discovering the weird and wonderful on our walks and hikes and we were blown away when we saw heaps of vibrant blue mushrooms scattered all around the forest on the Lake Matheson Track - little did we know they are native to New Zealand and are on the $50 note! Clearly I need more $50 notes in my life so I can take note of these things ;)
It's a 1.5 hour track around the shore and shows off one of the most magical reflections of Mt Tasman and Mt Cook on a still day. The best time to see the reflections is in the morning when the wind is most still, but the track is beautiful regardless of whether there are reflections in the lake or not. A lot of people just take a short walk to the viewpoints along the way, so the entire 1.5 hour loop track doesn't need to be done if you're looking for a shorter walk.
You know that we love discovering the weird and wonderful on our walks and hikes and we were blown away when we saw heaps of vibrant blue mushrooms scattered all around the forest on the Lake Matheson Track - little did we know they are native to New Zealand and are on the $50 note! Clearly I need more $50 notes in my life so I can take note of these things ;)
Enjoy Good Food & Good Views At The Lake Matheson Cafe
The Lake Matheson Cafe serves delicious food (the carrot cake, hot chips and coffee are delicious!) and it has some pretty impressive views of Mt Tasman and Mt Cook on a clear day. The big glass windows are perfect for sitting inside and enjoying the view and they also have loads of tables outside, plus lots of grass area. The cafe has cabinet food, hot drinks and a dine in menu.
Inside the cafe there is a gift shop with lots of beautiful items for sale, a lot of which are New Zealand items - perfect for gifts if you're an international traveller.
You'll find the cafe beside the carpark, which also leads to the Lake Matheson Track. The Fox Glacier Viewpoint isn't far away from here either and is worth a visit to see the Fox Glacier in the distance.
Click here for the location on Google Maps and click here for the menu and hours for the cafe.
Inside the cafe there is a gift shop with lots of beautiful items for sale, a lot of which are New Zealand items - perfect for gifts if you're an international traveller.
You'll find the cafe beside the carpark, which also leads to the Lake Matheson Track. The Fox Glacier Viewpoint isn't far away from here either and is worth a visit to see the Fox Glacier in the distance.
Click here for the location on Google Maps and click here for the menu and hours for the cafe.
Take The Alternative Route On The Southside Glacier Track
The Moraine Track is a sidetrack that branches off from the Fox Glacier Southside Track(around the halfway point I think), taking you on a 15 -minute detour that is totally worth it in our opinion! The Moraine Track is an upsy downsy, twisty turny track through the moraine that takes you over twisted tree roots and around mossy boulders. There is a sign along the track saying 'Glacier Terminal' and this shows where the Fox Glacier used to be a very long time ago. The entire rainforest is so vivid green and lush and it feels so magical walking through it and it's a nice alternative to the flat, wide path on the Southside track.
Explore The Minnehaha Track
There's nothing funny about the Minnehaha Track... but it is fun! It's 20-minute return track on the edge of town that is flat and super easy. The track takes you through the rainforest and offers loads to explore and play with, especially the tree roots where there are plenty of places to play hide and seek and climb over. We love all the mushrooms here and hunt under tree logs to see how many varieties we can spot. This is a good walk on a rainy day as the path is mostly covered by the rainforest canopy, so you won't get completely soaked.
Soar Like An Eagle
Taking a flight over the Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier is one of the most amazing experiences we have had in New Zealand. It's one thing from seeing the glaciers from viewpoints, but to see them from above is a whole other level and is absolutely breath taking. We took a 30-minute scenic helicopter flight through the valleys (there are longer and shorter routes available), over the glaciers and high up into the Southern Alps where we had a 10-minute snow landing. We had snowball fights, ate plenty of snow (avoided the yellow snow - yes, I saw some!!) and took as many pictures and videos as we could.
We did the flight from Franz Josef (the next town over) but there are heli companies in Fox Glacier which take the same route. Often the companies have specials to beat their competition, so do your research!
We did the flight from Franz Josef (the next town over) but there are heli companies in Fox Glacier which take the same route. Often the companies have specials to beat their competition, so do your research!
Eye Spy With My Beady Little Eye... The Fox Glacier
This lookout is the perfect spot to see the Fox Glacier from as there are uninterrupted views right across to the alps from here. You won't be remotely close to the glacier but the best thing is, the lookout is right beside the carpark and if you have good zoom on your camera, you'll be able to see it a lot better than your beady little eyes will.
There is a Maori waka feature in place at the lookout with a beautiful and intricate design, as well as a plane table for identifying the mountain peaks in the distance.
There is a Maori waka feature in place at the lookout with a beautiful and intricate design, as well as a plane table for identifying the mountain peaks in the distance.
More to do in New Zealand
CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
CANTERBURY One of the most photographed places in NZ, this church is an icon in Tekapo along with the dog statue.
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CANNIBAL BAY
OTAGO Along the wild coast of Catlins is a beautiful beach with white sand, huge cliffs and even a colony of sea lions to photograph. |
LAKE KANIERE
WEST COAST With over 7000ha of scenic reserve, the Lake Kaniere has so much to offer from short walks to waterfalls and plenty of places to chill. |
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