The West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand is the least populated region of the country but it has some of the most spectacular landscapes and mountains. In fact, it has two glaciers that flow into a rainforest (Fox Glacier and Franz Joseph Glacier)! This is the best drive to do when going from Queenstown to the north part of the South Island. Some reasons to head to the north of the South Island are to visit Abel Tasman National Park or take the ferry across the Cook Strait to the North Island. So while you are making the drive north, here is where you should stop along the way.
Day 1: Making Your Way to the West Coast and Fox Glacier Area
If you are making your way from Queenstown, make sure to stop in Wanaka for a day or two prior to making your way to the Fox Glacier / Franz Josef area. You can read more about what to do in Queenstown and Wanaka.
Between Wanaka and the Fox Glacier / Franz Josef area, consider stopping at the Blue Pools for a small hike if the trail is open in Mount Aspiring National Park. Even if the trail is closed, the parking area for the hike has beautiful views. You should stop at Fantail Falls, Thunder Creek Falls, Knight’s Point Lookout, and Maori Beach, all of which are viewpoints and stops along the road between Wanaka and the Fox Glacier / Franz Josef area. (Also, Fox Glacier and Franz Josef are just 30 minutes apart so consider staying in either town when exploring the region.)
Days 1+2: The Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Area of the West Coast
We are assuming that your morning of day 1 will be spent making your way from Wanaka to Fox Glacier. Once you get to the Fox Glacier / Franz Josef area, here are the different things to do. We will mention the activities that should be done in the morning or during clear skies and nice weather as opposed to those that can be done when it is overcast. The weather here is incredibly variable, especially between the morning and the afternoon and you will need to plan accordingly to maximize your experience. You can see our recommended itinerary at the end of this article.
The reason to visit the area is to get to see glaciers and potentially walk on top of a glacier. There are a few different experiences that you can do to get onto a glacier but all of them will involve flying (by helicopter or plane) due to how much both Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier have receded. Here are the different things to do in the Fox Glacier / Franz Josef area to best experience the beautiful landscape within.
Fox Glacier Southside Walk
Visit any time of day and you will still see the glacier with low clouds. Avoid visiting if it is foggy or with heavy rain that would affect the visibility.
The Fox Glacier South Side walk is a 4 mile (6.5 kilometer) walk through a forest that leads to viewpoints of the Fox Glacier. Throughout the walk, you will see markers that indicate the years and location of where the glacier used to end. Fox Glacier is a rapidly receding glacier and can now only be experienced from viewpoints like this one or helicopter and plane rides over the glacier itself. This walk is a great introduction to the region and gives you some good background on the history of the glacier.
Fox Glacier Viewpoint
Visit any time of day and you will still see the glacier with low clouds. Avoid visiting if it is foggy or with heavy rain that would affect the visibility.
The Fox Glacier viewpoint is an easy viewpoint to see the Fox Glacier flowing through the mountains. It’s also easy to access because you do not need to hike to get to the viewpoint. You can visit at any time of the day so long as there is no low fog or rain to limit visibility. However, the view is best on a sunny day so you can see the peaks of the mountains around the glacier, including Mount Cook.
Helicopter Ride Over the Glaciers
Schedule a helicopter ride in early morning for the best chance of visibility
The best way to see the glaciers and expanse of the impressive mountain range is to do a helicopter ride over the area. These rides vary in length of time, distance traveled, and glacier landing opportunity. Some of the rides go over various glaciers while others only give you the opportunity to see one. All of this will depend on your budget and preferences.
Some companies also do a helicopter and glacier hike combination where you take a quick helicopter ride to land on a glacier and get to hike it to see some of its different formations with crampons. We recommend this kind of experience to those who are more interested in interacting with the glacier than the overarching views and it is important to be in decent physical shape to do this as it can be challenging to hike on the glacier surface.
We recommend using the Helicopter Line for your helicopter or heli-hike tour. They have departures from Franz Josef, Fox Glacier, or even Mount Cook for glacier experiences. No matter what you decide to do or where you decide to do it, make sure to reserve an early morning time slot. Because of the climate here, the skies tend to be clear in the morning and get cloudy and foggy as the day goes on because of the moisture that evaporates into the air due to the sun. They often cancel the tours due to weather so your best chance of the helicopter ride happening is if your departure is in the morning.
Lake Matheson
Best experienced in the morning on a clear and sunny day.
Lake Matheson is a beautiful 3 mile walk around a lake near Fox Glacier. It has beautiful views of the mountains, including Mount Cook. One of the viewpoints along the lake is called Reflection Island because, when the air is still and the sun is out, there is a mirror reflection of the mountains onto the lake. The best opportunity for this is in the morning before the air starts blowing. Even if the air is not still, the 1 hour walk is worth it to take in the beautiful landscape. The lake also has a small cafe where you can get food, drinks, or little souvenirs.
Day 2: Making Your Way to Greymouth on the West Coast
To break up the drive from Fox Glacier to Nelson, we recommend stopping in Greymouth overnight. Here are the things to do between these two towns and within Greymouth. The drive between these two destinations is about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
- Hike to Hokitika Gorge Upper Suspension Bridge at the Hokitika Gorge Walk – the bridge gives beautiful views of the gorge and turquoise glacier water below. There is also a longer walk that loops around a 2 kilometer trail if you want to continue to stretch your legs
- Hokitika Beach Sign – if you make your way to the beach of Hokitika, you will see a unique sign of the name of the town made with sticks. It has become a scenic spot and displays the quirky and artisan vibe of the town.
- Sante Fe Takeaways – As you make your way into Greymouth, you may be getting hungry. If you are looking for delicious fish and chips, consider going to Santa Fe Takeaways for some fresh fish.
- Monteith’s Brewery – Greymouth is the home of Monteith’s Brewery in a modern taproom. Even though they are now owned by a conglomerate, it is still worth a visit to sample some of New Zealand’s best beers that continue to be produced on site.
- Greymouth Breakwater Viewpoint – At Greymouth’s breakwater, you can often find people fishing off of the jetty and if you are lucky, you will see a pod of dolphins playing in the waves at the end of the jetty.
Day 3: Out of the West Coast and Onto Nelson
Paparoa National Park
The other easy hike to do in the national park is the Truman Track, a 1 mile round trip walk that takes you to the beach to see the cliffs of the coastline.
What to Do in Nelson
Nelson is only an hour away from Abel Tasman National Park and 2 hours from the Marlborough wine region and Picton, where you can take the ferry across the Cook Strait to the North Island. Within Nelson, there are a few things to explore while you spend time here. First, consider hiking to the Centre of New Zealand Monument. While it is not the actual center of the country, this monument commemorates the surveyors of the land who did use this point as a central point. After a long day of driving, it might be a nice spot to stretch your legs.
You should also walk around Nelsons town center where you can walk down Trafalgar Street, with restaurants and bars. And stop by Jens Hansen, the maker of the official ring in Lord of the Rings.
A West Coast 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1
Drive from Wanaka to Franz Joseph with stops along the way
Walk the Fox Glacier South Side walk
Stop by the Fox Glacier Viewpoint
Day 2
Early morning helicopter ride leaving from Fox Glacier
Walk around Lake Matheson
Stop by the Fox Glacier Viewpoint
Drive to Greymouth with stops along the way
Day 3
Drive to Nelson with stops along the way
Read More About the Blueprint Travelers' Personal Experience on the West Coast
Update 57: Exploring the Peaks of the New Zealand’s Southern Alps by Foot and Flight
We hiked Roy’s Peak and flew over 3 glaciers in the Southern Alps during our New Zealand West Coast road trip from Wanaka to Nelson.
