It’s Day 5 and we’re en route to Fox Glacier, via New Zealand State Highway 6. It’s a single-lane highway and, once again, we are spoiled with magnificent scenery.

Today will be yet another highlight of the trip – a helihike on Fox Glacier!

We dump our stuff at the hotel and head straight over to the Fox Glacier Hiking office to get ready for our adventure. The Flying Fox Heli Hike tour was voted #1 in the Tripadvisors Travellers’ Choice, Best of the Best in the World Awards 2021. The tour includes a return helicopter ride to the glacier (landing on the glacier itself!) and around 3 hours exploring the wonders of an active and constantly changing glacial environment.

Our guides are friendly and efficient, working hard to herd us all from a lengthy safety briefing to changing into waterproof gear and boots. Finally, it’s time to board the bus and head to the helicopter.

Our helicopter is a 6-seater and I’m lucky enough to snag a front seat with another woman (the advantage of being small). The helicopter ride is so much fun, scooting between two mountains and flying up the start of the glacier.

What a privilege it is to step out onto the Fox glacier. In recent years, both Fox and Franz Joseph glaciers have been retreating at a rate of knots because of the change in climate. It’s a challenge for the natural environment and for tour operators. I feel enormously grateful to witness the glacier before it disappears entirely.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the photos.