Fox Glacier, on New Zealand’s South Island, is one of the country’s most remarkable natural wonders, where icy landscapes meet lush rainforest. Named after Sir William Fox, a 19th-century Prime Minister of New Zealand, the glacier stretches from the high peaks of the Southern Alps down into temperate rainforest just 300 meters above sea level, a rare natural phenomenon that makes it especially accessible compared to many other glaciers around the world.

The glacier itself is a constantly shifting river of ice, flowing nearly 13 kilometers from the alpine heights of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park toward the West Coast. Visitors can take guided walks directly onto the ice, explore dazzling crevasses, and witness the stark contrast where glacial ice meets mossy forest. Scenic helicopter tours offer a bird’s-eye view of the glacier’s sheer scale, and on clear days, you can admire the panorama of both the mountains and the distant Tasman Sea.